Anchorage Daily News

Based on national averages, Alaskans could save somewhere between 10 to 30 percent on their energy bills through energy efficiency building codes.

Gov. Palin chose not to accept $28.6 million of federal stimulus money for home weatherization and energy efficiency because of some concerns it requires a statewide building energy code. However, new evidence shows that locally based energy codes would satisfy the federal requirements and relieve Alaska from any onerous obligations. Many of Alaska's most heavily populated cities have already adopted energy codes, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Nome, Petersburg, Palmer, Seward, Valdez and Skagway.

Ketchikan, Soldotna and Wrangell are in the process. The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation requires energy codes for financing, as does the Denali Commission.

A letter from the governor of Missouri showed how a state could receive the stimulus funds without implementing a rigid statewide code. The Department of Energy issued a statement reinforcing this strategy.

Alaska can meet the State Energy Plan stimulus requirement in a locally driven fashion -- and we're probably closer than we think. We know that accepting this $28.6 million for weatherization and energy efficiency codes will have a positive impact on our state and our wallets. The only thing left to learn is whether the governor will accept the funds.

Caitlin Higgins is Executive Director of Alaska Conservation Alliance/Alaska Conservation Voters in Anchorage.

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