NEEP Notes Logo A quarterly publication of
First Quarter 2004

EPA and DOE Recognize the Northeast Appliance and Lighting Initiative with the ENERGY STAR® Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award
Northeast Appliance and Lighting Initiative Congratulations to the sponsoring organizations of the Northeast ENERGY STAR Appliance and Lighting Initiative for its fifth consecutive Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency and Environmental Education.

"The receipt of this award is truly a reflection of the value that partnerships play in this initiative," noted Susan Coakley, executive director of NEEP. "This accomplishment could not have happened without the expertise, hard work and synergies of the project partners."

The Leadership in Energy Efficiency Award is given to a variety of organizations to recognizetheir efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution,resulting in significant cost savings.
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (fourth from left) with members of the Northeast ENERGY STAR Appliance and Lighting Initiative. From left: NEEP's Susan Coakley; Subid Wagley, and Glenn Reed; Kate Ringe-Welch, National Grid; Ed Schmidt, The United Illuminating Company; Joe Swift, Connecticut Light & Power Company; and Ron McGarvey, Efficiency Vermont.

 These award recipients are selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyand the Department of Energy from thousands of organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.
"ENERGY STAR's partnership with the Northeast Residential ENERGY STAR Appliance and Lighting Initiative demonstrates how utilities and energy efficiency service providers are helping consumers save money and the environment at the same time," said Kathleen Hogan, director of EPA's Climate Protection Partnerships Division. "We are fortunate to have the Northeast Appliance and Lighting Initiative on the ENERGY STAR team."

The Northeast ENERGY STAR Appliance and Lighting Initiative is a coalition of electric utilities and energy efficiency organizations and is coordinated through NEEP. Many thanks to our initiative partners:

  • The United Illuminating Company and Connecticut Light & Power in Connecticut;
  • Narragansett Electric - a National Grid Company in Rhode Island;
  • The Long Island Power Authority in New York;
  • Efficiency Vermont in Vermont; and
  • NSTAR Electric, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Unitil, Cape Light Compact, and Massachusetts Electric and Nantucket Electric - National Grid companies in Massachusetts.

Participants are committed to increasing education about and the usage of energy efficient lighting and appliance technologies including clothes washers, refrigerators, dishwashers, room air conditioners, dehumidifiers, ceiling fans, compact fluorescent light bulbs and interior and exterior light fixtures.

By the end of 2003, Northeast regional initiatives provided efficiency services to over five million households, making an outstanding contribution to energy efficiency efforts and market transformation. To help accomplish this, the participating electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers conducted an ambitious public education and awareness campaign in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York (Long Island), Rhode Island and Vermont.

In 2002 alone Americans across the nation, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to power 15 million homes and reduce air pollution equivalent to that of 15 million cars -- all while saving consumers $7 billion.