<[link removed]> March 1, 2022 <[link removed]> In Like A Lion March enters like a lion and exits like a lamb. Maybe. We enter March under a storm of attacks in state legislatures on market competition by the old guard monopoly utilities. The Arizona House passed HB2101 last week, sending it to the Senate for floor consideration. The Senate is expected to vote on its version of the bill, SB1631 <[link removed]> , later this week. It hasn’t been brought up yet is a sign the sponsors may not yet have the vote. There’s still time to press Arizona senators to spike the bill and defend consumers by filling out the form on ChooseWhoAz.com <[link removed]> . The Arizona bill is one of the most blatant attacks on consumer freedom and competitive markets that we’ve seen to date. But it’s not the only one. Florida has legislation that would undermine the retail market for consumer solar rooftop projects <[link removed]> by cutting financial incentives for installation and allowing investor-owned utilities to raise rates to recover lost revenue from competition. The bill was written by Florida Power & Light, and the utility industry has contributed $3.2 million to political campaigns this election cycle, including significant amounts to Democrats who have fallen in line to back the bill, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Two weeks remain in Florida’s 60-day legislative session. In California, the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) proposed changes to net metering is on hold <[link removed]> thanks to the public uproar it caused – but it’s not dead. We’ll keep a close eye on the CPUC going forward and encourage everyone to do the same. The Solar Rights Alliance <[link removed]> has been at the forefront of the fight for consumer solar rights in California. At the federal level, tonight President Joe Biden delivers his first State of the Union speech. He’s expected to try to revive clean energy proposals that stalled out as part of the Build Back Better package, including tax credits for clean energy investments. A major federal spending bill in the current environment of rising inflation and high energy prices is a tough sell. The lesson for policymakers is that price and supply are important components of a national energy policy to consumers. Rather than go big and most likely go into the midterms empty-handed, Congress should pursue policies that increase competition, innovation, and private investment in clean energy. Devin Hartman at the R Street Institute recently posted a list of recommendations for market-based reforms federal regulators and Congress should pursue that would boost clean energy deployment without requiring big federal spending. There’s a link to his report below. Enjoy. What we’re reading… Devin Hartman at the R Street Institute advocates for a two-pronged strategy to increase competition in electricity markets in Ten Congressional Electricity Reforms to Improve the Economy and Environment <[link removed]> . Hartman recommends five steps the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) could take this year and five changes to the Federal Power Act that Congress should consider, including making retail choice the law of the land. Real Clear Energy published a commentary, Free Market Reforms Can Help Reduce GHG Emissions Faster <[link removed]> , by Jakob Puckett, that makes the argument that market incentives and competition are more efficient investment drivers than government mandates. Follow us on Twitter <[link removed]> and see up-to-date content on our website <[link removed]> . Sincerely, Robert Dillon, Executive Director <[link removed]> Join the coalition dedicated to the establishment of competitive electricity markets in all 50 states. We bring together advocates and stakeholders from all corners of the debate on electricity market design to engage and educate consumers, policymakers, and regulators on the value of competition. We work closely with our grassroots allies in the states to amplify their voices in Congress, on the Statehouse steps, and in the media. Join us in supporting consumer choice by emailing: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> . February Updates <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Mon, Feb 28 Reports Show Competition Useful Tool In Reducing Power Sector Carbon Emissions <[link removed]> The past year was a mixed one for climate change policy. While global leaders at the UN climate summit (COP26) in Scotland renewed pledges to reduce their national carbon emissions, Congress fumbled in its attempts to advance sweeping energy transition legislation that largely depended on government funding to accelerate renewable energy deployment. As Congress ponders its next moves on climate change, lawmakers would do well to recall the inherent advantages of America’s free-market system in delivering policy outcomes with broad appeal, which are inclusive, transparent, and efficient. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Wed, Feb 23 Energy Choice Coalition Joins Chorus of Concern Over Monopoly Utilities Misuse of Consumer Funds <[link removed]> ECC joined other members of the Consumer Coalition for Electricity Rate Transparency in February in supporting Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) efforts to revise rules for how investor-owned utilities account for industry association dues. Many public utilities charge customers a fee to cover the cost of trade association membership dues while often asking those trade associations to advocate for policies that benefit the utilities, not consumers. In public comments submitted to FERC, the coalition asks federal regulators to increase transparency and clarity in the accounting rules for public utilities regarding political activity and trade association dues. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Tue, Feb 15 The attempt to stifle Florida’s booming solar industry is an attack on consumers | Column <[link removed]> Solar is already the cheapest <[link removed]> new source of electricity, which is why the solar industry is booming <[link removed]> in Florida, across the nation and around the globe. The economic and social benefits of solar adoption, both direct and indirect, are profound and getting better every year as costs continue to decline and industry learning curves improve. Yet the Florida Legislature is considering bills this session, SB1024 and companion HB741, that we believe are an attack on our state’s solar industry and our rights as consumers to invest in cheaper electricity via rooftop solar. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Fri, Feb 11 Utilities Knew about the Risks of Climate Change <[link removed]> In recent years, it has been widely reported that large oil and gas companies like Exxon knew about potential risks of climate change, only to eventually bury the information. A recent report from the Energy and Policy Institute shows that utilities also knew about the threat of climate change as far back as 1968. With the growing electrification of transportation, heating, and other end uses that have historically relied on fossil fuels, some major oil and gas companies are making plans to transition away from fossil fuels and into renewables and other clean energy technologies like hydrogen geothermal, and carbon capture. Read More <[link removed]> <[link removed]> Follow us on Twitter <[link removed]> and on the Web at EnergyChoiceCoalition.org <[link removed]> Energy Choice Coalition 25 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 820 Washington, DC 20001 United States Unsubscribe <[link removed]>