Juneau Energy Emergency Update

Dear Neighbor:

This is the third email with information from your Juneau legislative delegation about the impacts of the Snettisham transmission lines being down.

Some big changes have occurred since our last email, some good and some bad. The State of Alaska declined to declare a disaster for our community, but at the same time the City and Borough of Juneau stepped up with funds to help people, nonprofit organizations, and businesses weather this disaster. We’ve included information on these changes and other developments below.

If you have any questions or concerns about these or other issues, please let us know. We really appreciate all the calls, emails, and letters we have received and we are working hard to make sure every Juneauite stays safe through this crisis.

Financing Available Through AEL&P

AEL&P has assured us they will offer some kind of financing option to people who simply can’t afford to cover their electric bills during this crisis. Though we don’t yet know the terms of that financing, we’re glad that some relief will be available. A representative from the power company said management was working out the details today, so there will hopefully be more information available next week.

CBJ Gives Money to Help Individuals, Nonprofits & Small Businesses

At a special meeting of the assembly Thursday evening, the City and Borough of Juneau made as much as $3 million available for grants to needy Juneau households and loans to small businesses on the edge. The United Way of Southeast Alaska will provide grants to families with help from Catholic Community Services. The terms of those grants are still being worked out, but the goal is to help ease the burden for the neediest among us. The Juneau Economic Development Council will administer low-interest loans for small businesses that can’t pay their bills or get bank loans to cover the cost of electricity.

Governor Declines to Declare a Disaster

Yesterday, the Disaster Policy Cabinet declined to recommend a disaster declaration, and Governor Palin has agreed. The Cabinet’s chairman said the crisis was economic and did not threaten public safety. We disagree, and we have asked for a written explanation of what criteria was used to make the Cabinet’s determination.

The Juneau delegation is working hard to explore other avenues of state and federal aid. We asked the Governor’s office to explore other avenues of state aid and to appoint an emergency coordinator. It is important that Juneauites receive the help they need to survive this crisis. The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) have also indicated a willingness to help AEL&P repair the transmission lines by providing financing. 

The Alaska Congressional delegation has also expressed their disappointment with the Cabinet’s decision and has pledged to find other ways to provide help from the federal level. It is possible that Economic Injury Loans through the Small Business Administration may be dispersed without a declaration.

Staying Safe While Conserving Energy

Juneau has been doing an excellent job conserving energy – our energy consumption is down by 30% overall. However it is important to remain safe and many of the alternative heating and lighting sources come with their own dangers. We have spoken with the fire chief and fire marshal and compiled some safety tips.

There are two main dangers here, fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause death if undetected and can be caused by any fuel burning appliance. Signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and unconsciousness. Make sure your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are in working order and have fresh batteries.

Many people are turning to fuel burning heaters to stay warm during this time of high electricity costs. Please be sure to use safe vented fuel heaters that have been approved by Underwriters Lab for indoor use. Unvented kerosene heaters are not designed to be used indoors.

If you are using a barbeque to prepare your food, there are several things you can do to reduce the danger to yourself and your family. Never barbeque inside as charcoal grills produce enormous quantities of carbon monoxide. Falling ashes can cause fires on and under decks, and barbeques shouldn’t be used directly under the eaves of the house.

Candles are a leading cause of house fires. Never leave candles unattended, even if they are in a safe location. When you get to the last 1/4 inch of the candle it is time to replace it.

If you use a wood stove, make sure your chimney is clear and clean of creosote. Capital City Fire/Rescue has responded to several chimney fires in recent days.

If you have any questions regarding fire hazards, call Capital City Fire/Rescue at 586-5322.

Addressing Child Care Providers’ & Parents’ Concerns

Our offices have continued to pursue solutions to the problems faced by both child care providers and parents. Early this week, we had a meeting with the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Social Services and the Director of Public Assistance, along with key Public Assistance staff. Together we began the work that needs to take place in the next few weeks to ensure the continued survival of both child care providers and parents.

One of the specific requests we had was that the regulations governing energy use in child care facilities be reviewed. Currently providers are required to maintain a high level of energy use to maintain their licenses. Children must be kept in safe environments. However, just as we are all turning off unnecessary lights, there may be ways child care providers can reduce their usage. Commissioner Jackson told us that she believed that sounded like a possibility and would pursue it. We have also been told that child care licensers have been instructed to be reasonable when performing their checks. Although we do not feel this is enough, it is a start.

We would also like to encourage parents who are currently not receiving assistance in paying for their child care costs to check to see if they are eligible. There is a calculator on the Public Assistance webpage at http://health.hss.state.ak.us/dpa/programs/ccare/calculator/index.cfm that has a fairly simple formula to determine if you eligible for aid.

More Assistance Available

In the past few days, we have learned about more assistance programs that are available to help Juneauites with their energy costs. We’ve attached a complete list of the energy assistance options we have found out about, but wanted to specifically let you know about these programs.

Assistance from Nonprofit Organizations

The United Way of Southeast Alaska and Catholic Community Services have received money from the City and Borough of Juneau to provide assistance to individuals and nonprofit organizations. The terms of this assistance are still being worked out and we will have more information on the program soon.

SAGA Energy Conservation Assistance

Southeast Alaska Guidance Association (SAGA) is rallying their forces to help Juneau residents with the energy crisis. SAGA members work in teams, performing service projects for its land agency sponsors. Past projects include trail work and recreation site enhancements, fire fuels reduction work, stream restoration, cultural site rehabilitation, public safety enhancements on Alaskan highways, invasive weed removal and much more.

Joe Parrish, SAGA’s founder and executive director said they have a full time AmeriCorps member dedicated to mobilizing members of AmeriCorps, Jesuit Volunteers, Vista, alumni of the national service effort or any other community volunteers who will receive training in ways to conserve energy. These volunteers will be able to assist residents who, for any number of reasons, may have difficulty changing light bulbs, showerheads, turning down water heaters or any other tasks resulting in cost-savings.

The contact information for requesting assistance will be available by early next week.

Community Conference on Energy Use

ReEnergizing Juneau

A Community-Wide Conference on Energy Use
Presented by the Juneau Commission on Sustainability

Saturday, May 10, 2008 from 10am-6pm
Mendenhall Mall and CBJ Valley Library

FREE 

This forum will focus on immediate and long range energy issues in Juneau, provide tips for energy conservation and offer presentations on a wide variety of energy-related topics. There will be experts available, samples of products and information about financial assistance to address the current electrical power crisis. Stop by for a quick look or spend the day, but don't miss it!

Contact Sarah Lewis, Sustainability Commission Chair, at 586-0871 for more information.

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