Welcome to Highlights- Efficiency News that Matters to the Northeast

As you'll see in this edition's articles, the tremendous excitement surrounding state efficiency ramp-ups — pushed even higher with federal funding — is tempered by a lingering cloud over our nation's economy.

NEEP is working to help states make the most of cash infusions from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), providing guidance on ways to leverage and stretch limited budgets to enhance existing ratepayer funded efficiency programs.

Through direct assistance to states and communities and by working with our sponsors and partners, NEEP is encouraging policies that integrate traditional incentive-based programs with better building codes, stronger appliance standards, behavioral changes and holistic approaches to building energy.

We are also vigilantly watching attempts to use ARRA as an excuse to gut efficiency funds or "borrow" them to fill holes in state budgets. While we understand the temptation to bridge deficits using clean efficiency funds, NEEP asserts that doing so is akin to burning the bridge that can lead to a thriving green economy and a cleaner environment.

Thank you for reading, and please let us know what you think.

Natalie Hildt
Public Policy Outreach Manager
nhildt@neep.org