State and Local Climate and Energy Program
Clean Energy–Environment Guide to Action
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The Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action: Policies, Best Practices, and Action Steps for States (April 2006) provides in-depth information about 16 clean energy policies and programs that states are using to meet their energy, environmental, and economic objectives. States have found that these 16 clean energy policies and programs offer numerous opportunities to save energy, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve system reliability and security, and enhance economic development. The Guide to Action is intended for use by state energy, environment, and economic policymakers and public utility commissions.
The Guide to Action is available as a full report or as individual chapters that correspond with each of the 16 best practices. To obtain a hard copy of the Guide to Action, order a copy online or call NCSEP at 1-800-490-9198. Request EPA publication number 430-R-06-001.
- Guide to Action Full Report (PDF) (410 pp, 28M)
- Guide to Action Executive Summary (PDF) (32 pp, 3.4M)
By Chapter:
- Chapter 1: Introduction and Background (PDF) (17 pp, 840K)
- Chapter 2: Developing a Clean Energy-Environment Action Plan (PDF) (14 pp, 1.4M)
- Chapter 3: State Planning and Incentive Structures (PDF) (92 pp, 2.7M)
- Section 3.1: Lead by Example (PDF) (27 pp, 1.7M)
- Section 3.2: State and Regional Energy Planning (PDF) (19 pp, 978K)
- Section 3.3: Determining the Air Quality Benefits of Clean Energy (PDF) (17 pp, 1.4M)
- Section 3.4: Funding and Incentives (PDF) (29 pp, 1M)
- Chapter 4: Energy Efficiency Actions (PDF) (68 pp, 2.4M)
- Section 4.1: Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards (PDF) (18 pp, 742K)
- Section 4.2: Public Benefits Funds for Energy Efficiency (PDF) (18 pp, 826K)
- Section 4.3: Building Codes for Energy Efficiency (PDF) (18 pp, 791K)
- Section 4.4: State Appliance Efficiency Standards (PDF) (15 pp, 773K)
- Chapter 5: Energy Supply Actions (PDF) (74 pp, 2.4M)
- Section 5.1: Renewable Portfolio Standards (PDF) (20 pp, 880K)
- Section 5.2: Public Benefits Funds for State Clean Energy Supply Programs (PDF) (11 pp, 538K)
- Section 5.3: Output-Based Environmental Regulations to Support Clean Energy Supply (PDF) (11 pp, 498K)
- Section 5.4: Interconnection Standards (PDF) (16 pp, 1.4M)
- Section 5.5: Fostering Green Power Markets (PDF) (16 pp, 721K)
- Chapter 6: Utility Planning and Incentive Structures (PDF) (50 pp, 1.4M)
- Section 6.1: Portfolio Management Strategies (PDF) (23 pp, 686K)
- Section 6.2: Utility Incentives for Demand-Side Resources (PDF) (16 pp, 567K)
- Section 6.3: Emerging Approaches: Removing Unintended Utility Rate Barriers to Distributed Generation (PDF) (11 pp, 431K)
- Appendices (PDF) (43 pp, 1.4M)