2008 - National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference

2008 

National Energy Assistance 

Directors’ Association 

Annual Meeting 

June 15-18, 2008 

Sheraton Denver 

Denver, Colorado 

National Energy and Utility 

Affordability Conference: 

Mile High Solutions 

Presented by the National Fuel Funds Network 

and the National Low Income Energy Consortium 

www.energyandutilityconference.org 

Presented by NEADA 

www.neada.org 

inside cover 

• Corporate Sponsor 

page 1 

• Welcome to Colorado 

page 2 

• Out and About in Denver 

page 3 - 4 

• General Information 

page 5 

• NEADA Agenda 

page 6 - 9 

• Beyond the Workshops 

page 10 - 11 

• NEUAC Agenda and Workshops Grid 

page 12 - 27 

• Workshop Details 

page 28 - 29 

• Hotel Map 

page 30 - 31 

• Contributors and Supporters 

page 32 - 33 

• About NEADA, NFFN and NLIEC 

• Boards of Directors 

page 34 

• Conference Exhibitors 

page 35 - 37 

• Conference Partners and Sponsors

Corporate Sponsor 

Major conference sponsorship has been provided by:

Welcome to Colorado 

Legend has it that the U.S. transcontinental railroad linking East and West was completed when a 

golden spike was driven into the final piece of track at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869. 

But like many legends, it’s a great story that isn’t quite true. It wasn’t actually a golden spike, and it 

wasn’t where East and West finally joined up. Passengers using that rail line actually had to cross the 

Missouri River by ferry until 1872. 

Where did transcontinental rail service really begin? Near Denver! The first uninterrupted railroad 

line linking East and West was finished in August 1870 with completion of an extension of the Kansas 

Pacific Railway about 40 miles east of Denver at Strasburg, Colorado. 

So why are we offering this history lesson? Because East is meeting West again in 2008 with 

our gathering in Denver on another historic occasion: the first-ever National Energy and Utility 

Affordability Conference (NEUAC), being presented jointly by the National Fuel Funds Network and 

the National Low Income Energy Consortium. We’ve combined the longstanding annual conferences 

of each organization into one seamless three-day event, without sacrificing the educational impact of 

the programs that either past conference offered. 

Every year, our two organizations highlight and present solutions to the problems that low-income 

households face when they can’t afford to pay their energy and utility bills. During the past year, we’ve 

seen more people in need, escalating energy costs, more service disconnections and the potential for 

reduced federal energy assistance. That makes our jobs even more challenging. But like the pioneer 

railroaders who brought East and West together here in Denver 140 years ago, we can all join forces to 

forge meaningful, historic solutions to help people in need. 

By working together, our conference planners have not only transformed the format of the former 

conferences into a smooth three-day event, but they have also added important new content to the 

program. The conference recognizes that we are living in a carbon-constrained world with new options 

and new optimism for energy policy. We are offering a track of workshops on energy availability and 

sustainability, one general session on energy policy options and another on mitigating the impact of 

price increases from climate change legislation on people with low incomes. Both workshops and 

hot topics roundtables will equip our conferees to become more literate in the language of energy 

efficiency. Also featured is a track of eight workshops on energy programs in Indian Country. All this is 

in addition to the historic content of NLIEC and NFFN annual conferences. 

On behalf of the NFFN and NLIEC, we want to welcome you to the 2008 National Energy and Utility 

Affordability Conference. We hope these three days will generate Mile High Solutions to mile high 

problems for those we want to help. And we hope you will be even better prepared to strengthen your 

communities when you return home from this piece of history in the making. 

There’s one more thing: We hope that while you’re learning, you also have a wonderful time in one of 

America’s most vibrant cities! 

Best regards, 

Cindy Datig, NLIEC Chairperson 

Greg Sawyers, NFFN Chairperson 

1

Out and About in Denver 

Denver is a vibrant city with 300 days of sunshine annually, year-round adventure 

and the breathtaking Rocky Mountains in our backyard. From a thriving arts 

and culture scene, world class attractions and endless shopping possibilities, to 

nationally recognized chefs, exciting nightlife and abundant outdoor recreation, 

Denver is a one-of-a-kind experience. We invite you to explore and discover how 

the Mile High City will awaken your senses like nowhere else. 

Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Denver is one of America's most 

beautiful cities – and one of the most fun. Here, you'll find the nation's largest 

city park system, 90 golf courses and an incredible 850 miles of paved bike trails. 

But Denver is also a cultured and sophisticated city. The Denver Art Museum has 

doubled in size with a new building designed by Daniel Libeskind. The Denver 

Performing Arts Complex is the second-largest in the nation, with 10 theatres 

seating 10,000 people for theatre, symphony, opera and ballet. 

Denver has the tenth-largest downtown in the United States, a bustling area 

centered around a mile-long pedestrian promenade that is walkable – best seen 

on foot – and lined with outdoor cafes and flower baskets. From every street are 

mountain views; in fact, the panorama visible from Denver is 120 miles long and 

includes nearly 200 named peaks. Downtown Denver is home to three new sports 

stadiums, 300 restaurants, a restored historic district filled with 90 bars, restaurants 

and brewpubs, a collection of museums, a variety of galleries and shopping, the 

second-largest performing arts center in the nation, three college campuses and 

even a unique downtown amusement park, Elitch Gardens. 

Getting around the Mile High City is easy. Free shuttle buses travel up and down 

the mile-long 16th Street Mall, stopping on every corner as often as every 90 

seconds. Light Rail offers connections to the Denver Tech Center and Platte River 

Valley. 

When it comes to Denver weather, there’s no need for guessing games. Cool, 

casual clothing is ideal for our warm, sunny summer days. Sunglasses are a must, 

but when the sun goes down, the Denver weather may change. Evenings can 

be cool, so it’s advisable to have a light sweater on hand. Summer days in the 

mountains are quite pleasant. However, summer storms can arise suddenly, and 

those who venture into the backcountry are strongly advised to have long pants, 

long-sleeved shirts and a warm jacket close at hand. Enjoy our Denver weather! 

Jennifer Gremmert, Chair, Local Conference Committee 

2

General Information 

Announcements & Messages 

Announcements and messages will be posted on the message bulletin board located at the 

Conference Registration Desk. Participants are advised to periodically check the board for 

messages. 

Badges & Ribbons 

Badges are required for admittance to all meetings, sessions, meals and receptions. If you lose 

your badge, please go to the Conference Registration Desk for assistance. Conference staff, 

members of the NLIEC and NFFN Boards of Directors and Local Planning Committee, and 

other volunteers will be identified with a ribbon on their name badge. Please do not hesitate to 

approach these individuals for information or assistance. 

Check Out Without Missing Out 

Check-out time at the hotel is noon. To provide you the opportunity to check out without missing 

any conference sessions, we have scheduled a half-hour refreshment break, from 10:15–10:45 

a.m. on Wednesday. Please ask the bell captain to store your luggage so that you may attend all of 

the sessions on Wednesday as well as the wrap-up and grand prize raffle. 

Conference Exhibits 

Several firms and agencies are displaying information that will help many of us do our jobs better 

and, thus, better assist our low-income energy clients and customers. Visit the exhibits during 

refreshment breaks to learn more and to network with your colleagues. 

Note: Some of these firms and agencies have paid an exhibitor fee or have provided major 

support for the conference. Featuring their displays constitutes neither an explicit nor an implicit 

endorsement by the conference of their products or services. 

Continuing Legal Education Registration 

NEUAC has been accredited by the states of Colorado, Minnesota and Pennsylvania as a provider 

of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. The symbol § is used to in the detailed conference 

schedule to indicate general sessions or workshops offering CLE credit. The Supreme Court 

of Colorado has approved 17 hours of CLE credit for attendance at NEUAC sessions, and the 

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board has approved 13.5 hours of 

CLE credit. The Minnesota Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education approved the 

conference for 10 hours of CLE credit. The conference will assist in securing credit for lawyers 

from other jurisdictions which participate in the American Bar Association reciprocity agreement. 

Conferees seeking CLE credit must sign in and out of the CLE sessions which they attend. For more 

information, please visit the Conference Registration Desk. 

Evaluation Forms & Raffle 

The evaluation forms are a critical tool in developing the type of conference that is most beneficial 

to you, the attendees. Please complete evaluation forms at the end of each session and return 

them to a conference volunteer. An incentive program is used to support the evaluation process. 

For every completed form returned at the end of each session, you will receive a raffle ticket. 

Retain your tickets throughout the conference. Each ticket will enter you in daily drawings for gifts 

that have been donated by many companies and organizations that support the conference. 

3

General Information 

Hotel Parking 

The hotel will provide parking for all conference attendees at a rate of $15/day for self-park 

and $22/day for valet parking. 

In An Emergency 

Please review the emergency information in your guest room to familiarize yourself with 

emergency procedures. Familiarize yourself with the closest emergency exit in the public 

areas of the hotel, and follow the instructions of the hotel’s security staff. If you need a 

smoke detector designed for someone with a hearing or visual impairment, please contact 

the hotel’s front desk. 

Recording 

NLIEC, NFFN and NEADA may photograph, videotape and/or audiotape attendees and 

materials at the functions of these conferences. The productions of such may be freely 

disseminated for purposes including, but not limited to, future outreach, education and 

informational efforts. 

Smoking Policy 

The hotel is a non-smoking property. Smoking is not permitted in the hotel meeting, public 

space or sleeping rooms. 

Special Assistance 

To provide advance notice of special needs such as dietary restrictions or needs related 

to sensory or mobility impairments such as specialized smoke detectors, or to request 

information about wheelchair access, please contact our Conference Manager, Cindy 

Homol, on-site at the Sheraton at 303-352-2440. If you are calling from inside the hotel, 

dial extension 2440 from your sleeping room phone or from any hotel house phone. 

Spouses & Guests 

If spouses and guests of registered NEUAC attendees wish to attend any of the conference 

receptions, continental breakfasts or luncheons, they must purchase tickets for each meal/ 

reception and secure a badge at the Conference Registration Desk. Ticket fees are $18.00 

per continental breakfast and $40.00 per luncheon or reception and do not include 

attendance at the workshops. 

Transportation 

Super Shuttle provides service between the airport and the hotel at $19/person, plus 

gratuity. To make a reservation, contact the hotel concierge at extension 6979. Taxi service 

to the airport is available at approximately $46.00 one-way, plus gratuity. 

Workshops & General Sessions Locations 

Workshop and general session locations are listed in the “Beyond the Workshops” section 

of this program booklet and on the grid contained on pages 12 and 13. This information 

will also be posted on the hotel’s reader boards. It can also be accessed from guest room 

televisions on the hotel information channel. 

4

NEADA Agenda 

NEADA Meeting Agenda 

Sunday, June 15 

10:00 - 12:00 Winter Heating Season of 2007-8 

• Adequacy of Program Funding 

• Growth in Program Enrollment Among Vulnerable Households 

• Impact of Rising Energy Prices 

• Regional Program Discussions 

12:00 - 1:30 Working Lunch & Board Business 

• Elections 

• Treasurer’s Report & Dues Structure 

• Executive Director’s Report 

• Board Report 

• Data Committee Report 

• Other - proposal for other activities 

1:30 - 3:00 Reauthorization Update/Appropriations Update (Mark Wolfe) 

NEADA Reauthorization Recommendations to Congress Appropriations 

Discussion/Funding Requirements for FY 2009 

3:00 - 3:15 Break 

3:15 -4:00 Developing a Training and Technical Assistance Program for New State 

Directors: Resources from the LIHEAP Clearinghouse 

Public Health and Data Collection (Jerry McKim) 

4:00 - 4:30 NLIEC Update (John Harvanko) 

700 - 9:00 Dinner Meeting: Buckhorn Exchange, 1000 Osage Street, Denver 

Monday, June 16 

7:00 - 8:30 Working Breakfast 

8:30 - 9:30 CAP and Trade for Low Income (Jo-Ann Choate) 

Legislation & Policy Development, etc 

9:30 - 10:30 Additional Issues 

10:30 Adjourn 

5

NEUAC - Beyond the Workshops 

Social Events 

Monday Reception 

Monday, June 16, 5:15 pm - 7:15 pm 

Room South Conv Lobby 

Join us for some light refreshments as we conclude the first day of the National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference. Gather with 

participants from NEUAC and the annual meeting of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association. Visit old friends, make new ones 

and come together to unwind. 

Tuesday Night Social 

Tuesday, June 17, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm 

Room Grand Ballroom 1 & 2 

Enjoy one another’s company during a relaxed evening social featuring fun, food, networking and music set in the convenient, comfortable 

surroundings of the conference hotel. 

General Sessions 

Opening General Session 

Monday, June 16, 9:00 am - 10:30 am 

Room: Grand Ballroom 1 & 2 

Introductions: Cindy Datig, Chairperson, National Low Income Energy Consortium 

Greg Sawyers, Chairperson, National Fuel Funds Network 

Welcome: The Honorable John Hickenlooper, Mayor, City of Denver 

Speaker: Ray Gogel, Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of Customer and Enterprise Solutions, Xcel Energy 

A small businessman who had never run for political office, John Hickenlooper was elected Mayor of Denver in 2003 and 

reelected in 2007. Since taking office, he has overcome a $70 million deficit to balance the city budget while averting major 

cuts in services, initiated a citywide campaign to end homelessness and spearheaded passage of the largest regional transit 

initiative in the history of the United States. In November 2005, Mayor Hickenlooper was the only mayor named by Governing 

Magazine as one of the top Public Officials of the Year. In April 2005, TIME Magazine named him one of the top five “big-city” 

mayors in America. 

Raymond (Ray) Gogel is responsible for Xcel Energy’s Customer and Enterprise Solutions group, which integrates all 

information technology, customer care, revenue cycle, human resources and utility innovations at Xcel Energy. Prior to joining 

Xcel Energy, Gogel was vice president of client services for IBM Global Services. He received both a doctorate and master’s 

degree in philosophy from Drew University, in Madison, N.J., following studies abroad at Freiburg University in Germany. He is 

the author of Quest for Measure. Gogel currently serves on the board of trustees for the Denver Chapter of Mile High United Way. 

Keynote Luncheon 

Monday, June 16, 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm 


Keynote: Senator Gary Hart, Wirth Chair, University of Colorado and former United States Senator 

Senator Hart will address the subject of United States energy policy and its implications for vulnerable populations. 

Gary Hart represented the State of Colorado in the United States Senate from 1975 to 1987. In 1984 and 1988, he was a 

candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president of the United States. Since retiring from the Senate, he has been 

extensively involved in international law and business, as a strategic advisor to major U.S. corporations and as a teacher, author 

and lecturer. Senator Hart is currently Scholar in Residence at the University of Colorado. He was recently named chairman of 

the Council for a Livable World and is chairman of the American Security Project. He has been a lecturer at Oxford and Yale 

Universities and the University of California and is the author of 18 books. 

6

Tuesday Luncheon 

Tuesday, June 17, 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm 


Speaker: Kateri Callahan, President, Alliance to Save Energy 

Many Americans, particularly at lower income levels, are hard hit by high gasoline prices. Increasing demand for oil results in higher gasoline 

and heating oil prices, greater air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced energy security. Since the transportation sector is 

responsible for 70 percent of U.S. oil use and one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, it is imperative that consumers take simple yet 

important steps to be more fuel efficient. The National Fuel Funds Network and National Low Income Energy Consortium are partnering with 

the Alliance to Save Energy in the Drive $marter Challenge, a campaign intended to show middle- and low-income drivers how to reduce 

gasoline consumption and save money. At this luncheon, ASE President Kateri Callahan will discuss the new campaign. 

Kateri Callahan brings more than 20 years of experience in policy advocacy, fundraising, coalition building and organizational 

management to her position as president of the Alliance to Save Energy. Callahan spearheads the organization’s multi-faceted 

initiatives to advance energy efficiency worldwide to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy 

security. A well known and respected voice for energy efficiency, she often testifies before Congress, keynotes at conferences 

and meetings around the globe and is in demand as a spokesperson by national broadcast, electronic and print media. 

Plenary Session: Energy Policy and its Impact on Consumer Prices 

Tuesday, June 17, 9:00 am - 10:30 am 


Moderator: Patricia Limerick, Ph.D., University of Colorado at Boulder 

Speakers: Janee Briesemeister, AARP 

Alan Nogee, Union of Concerned Scientists 

Jim Sims, Western Business Roundtable 

Public policy increasingly impacts the price of electricity, natural gas and other heating fuels. Issues concerning domestic fuel production and 

environmental initiatives can and do affect home energy prices for all consumers. This plenary session will explore public policy issues from the 

perspective of the fossil fuels industry, environmental community, and regulatory low-income advocates. 

Patty Limerick chairs the Board of the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she is also a professor of 

history. Limerick has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between academics and the general public and to demonstrating the benefits of 

applying historical perspective to contemporary dilemmas and conflicts. Limerick is a prolific author and essayist and has received a number of 

awards and honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship and the Hazel Barnes Prize, the University of Colorado’s highest award for teaching and 

research. She also has served twice as a Pulitzer non-fiction jurist. 

Janee Briesemeister is a senior legislative representative for government relations and advocacy for AARP, the nation’s leading advocacy 

organization for people age 50 and over. Ms. Briesemeister works with AARP state offices on consumer-oriented legislative and regulatory 

issues, primarily relating to affordable energy, telecommunications and water services. Prior to joining AARP, she was a senior policy analyst at 

Consumers Union, the independent, non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, and before that worked as a radio news reporter in Madison, 

Wisconsin. 

Alan Nogee has 20 years of experience as an energy analyst and advocate. He has testified on environmental issues and electricity restructuring 

before legislatures and regulatory agencies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and New Jersey and has assisted 

organizations involved in the restructuring process in the Northeast and at the federal level. Nogee serves on the national Green Power Board 

and on the board of the Renewable Energy Policy Project. He previously directed the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group’s energy 

program and was an energy analyst with the Environmental Action Foundation in Washington, DC 

Jim Sims, the president and chief executive officer of the Western Business Roundtable, is a veteran of more than a quarter century of policy 

advocacy and issue campaigns at the state and federal levels. Sims served in the White House in 2001 as President George W. Bush’s Director 

of Communications for the National Energy Policy Development Group, which helped to craft the recommendations behind the President’s 

National Energy Policy. Sims and his team at the Roundtable work closely with a number of governors, state and federal legislators on issues of 

importance to the balanced development of natural resources in the West. 

7

NEUAC - Beyond the Workshops 

Plenary Session: Climate Change Legislation and its Impact on Low-Income Families § 

Wednesday, June 18, 9 am - 10:15 am 


Moderator: Joel Eisenberg, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

Speakers: Robert Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 

John Howat, National Consumer Law Center 

Rafe Pomerance, Clean Air-Cool Planet 

Oil companies, automobile manufacturers, utilities and environmental organizations all have positions on controlling greenhouse gases; 

consumers should as well. This session will examine, among other issues, two proposals that are discussed frequently: “Cap and Trade” and 

“Carbon Tax.” 

Joel Eisenberg is Senior Analyst for Public Policy at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Research Manager of ORNL’s support project for the 

U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs. Eisenberg is regarded as the Weatherization Assistance 

Program’s resident authority on the impact of changing energy markets on low-income consumers. He recently published an analysis of the 

regional and national impacts of rising energy prices on low-income residential energy consumers. 

Robert Greenstein is the founder and executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. He is considered an expert on the 

federal budget and a range of domestic policy issues including low-income assistance programs, various aspects of tax policy, and Social 

Security. Greenstein has written numerous reports, analyses, editorial opinion pieces, and magazine articles on budget- and poverty-related 

issues. A 1996 MacArthur Fellow, he appears on national television news and public affairs programs and is frequently asked to testify on 

Capitol Hill. 

John Howat specializes in energy and telecommunications at the National Consumer Law Center. Prior to joining NCLC, Howat was a 

consultant and technical analyst on regulatory, legislative and communications services to energy consumers and other utility entities. He has 

served as research director of the Massachusetts Joint Legislative Committee on Energy, as an economist with the Massachusetts Department of 

Telecommunications and Energy’s Electric Power Division and executive director of the Competitive Power Coalition of New England. 

Rafe Pomerance is president of Clean Air-Cool Planet, which recently merged with the Climate Policy Center of which he was founder and 

chairman. From 1993-1999, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Environment and Development. Prior to joining the State 

Department, he spent eight years as a senior associate at the World Resources Institute. From 1975 to 1984, Pomerance was on the staff of 

Friends of the Earth, including four years as its president. He was a founder and chairman of the board of American Rivers and has also served 

as chairman of the board of the League of Conservation Voters. 

NFFN and NLIEC Awards Luncheon 

Wednesday, June 18, 12:10 p.m.-1:15 p.m. 


Speaker Carlos Fierro, attorney, Alcalde & Fay, and former counsel to United States Senate Commerce Committee 

Join us for the presentation of the National Fuel Funds Network’s and the National Low Income Energy Consortium’s highest honors. 

NFFN Sister Pat Kelley Achievement Award 

The National Fuel Funds Network annually presents the Sister Pat Kelley Achievement Award, its highest honor, to recognize 

exemplary personal achievement in furthering NFFN’s objectives of increasing public awareness of low-income energy 

problems, advancing low-income energy policy and promoting charitable energy assistance. The Sister Pat Kelley Award 

will be presented this year to former NFFN Board Chairperson Carol Clements, a longtime member of the energy assistance 

community. Ms. Clements served as NFFN Board Chairperson from 2002 to 2006 and played a vital role in increasing the 

organization’s membership and national profile. She was also very instrumental in the development and growth of the NFFN’s 

Washington Action Day for LIHEAP, which has become the premier grassroots lobbying effort on behalf of the federal energy 

assistance program. 

NFFN Victorine Q. Adams Award 

The NFFN presents the Victorine Q. Adams Award to recognize institutional innovation and achievement during a year by 

a non-profit NFFN member. This year’s award will be presented to Oregon HEAT for its creative collaboration with an oil 

recycler in designing a program to help lessen the energy burden of low-income Oregon residents and reduce the level of 

petroleum waste products in the state. The partnership between Oregon HEAT and the Oil Re-Refining Company (ORRCO) 

allows homeowners to donate unwanted home heating oil and allows businesses that generate petroleum waste to have them recycled, all to 

the benefit of low-income residents. 

8

NFFN Corporate Excellence Award 

The NFFN Corporate Excellence Award is presented to recognize outstanding achievement by a company on behalf of 

low-income consumers. The Corporate Excellence Award will be given to PECO – an Exelon Company for its commitment 

to providing services and assistance to low-income customers in the Philadelphia area. The gas and electric utility is being recognized for its 

role as an advocate for low-income rate payers on the local, state and national level as well as for its use of innovative programs and aggressive 

outreach to address energy/poverty issues within its service area. 

NFFN Extra Mile Award 

The NFFN Extra Mile Award recognizes legislative achievement on behalf of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 

Program. The 2008 award will be presented to United States Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) for her support during the last year 

of efforts to increase funding for LIHEAP. Specifically, Sen. Dole is being honored for co-sponsoring an amendment offered by 

Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-VT) to include $800 million for the program in appropriations legislation last December and for leading 

an effort to insure that such an amendment would be allocated equally between formula grants and emergency contingency 

funds to insure a national deployment of the aid. In February, Sen. Dole voted for the economic stimulus package that included 

a $1 billion allocation for LIHEAP. Her persistent work over the past year has highlighted the energy assistance crisis for people 

with low income and has considerably strengthened the bipartisan, multi-regional coalition of support for responsive federal energy aid. 

NLIEC Achievement Award 

The NLIEC Achievement Award is presented to an individual or organization that has demonstrated consistent leadership in 

championing low-income energy issues. The 2008 NLIEC Achievement Award is being presented to Mitchell Miller, director of 

the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Services. Mitch Miller has worked tirelessly in attempting to 

balance the needs of residential utility customers and utility service providers for more than 25 years. He also has represented 

the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on the NLIEC of Directors for more than a decade, providing 

leadership and insight during that time into how commissions can work with stakeholder groups in a collaborative atmosphere. 

Through the NARUC Staff Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs, Miller also has overseen efforts to develop uniform reporting 

standards that will result in meaningful data on arrearages and shutoffs by regulated utilities nationwide. Data from past reporting surveys already 

are being used by lawmakers seeking increased appropriations for the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. 

Following the awards presentation, attorney Carlos Fierro of the Washington law firm Alcalde & Fay will speak on the importance of states 

pursuing an aggressive agenda of consumer protection for low-income families, particularly in the area of energy and utility service. Fierro 

served as senior counsel to U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the former chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. As counsel to the 

Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Product Safety, Fierro played a key role in the committee’s investigation of Enron, on 

issues of corporate reform and responsibility, increasing access to generic pharmaceuticals in the marketplace and development of the national 

Do-Not-Call List. Prior to working for Sen. McCain, Fierro served as legislative director and counsel to U.S. Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), where his 

focus included matters related to the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. 

Closing Session 



Join us for the wrap-up of the 2008 National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference and a look ahead to the 2009 NEUAC in Portland, 

Oregon, on June 15-17 next year. Final comments will be presented regarding this year’s conference, and we will preview the event coming up 

next year at the Doubletree Hotel Portland-Lloyd Center. Be sure to keep all of your raffle tickets, because this is also the time when we hold 

our final drawings. 

Special Post-Session NFFN Membership Meeting 



National climate change legislation will increase the size of consumers’ energy bills. Most versions of the legislation have mechanisms to 

generate considerable sums of revenue to mitigate the increased home energy costs of low-income consumers. In this session, NFFN will seek 

members’ ideas and suggestions on the Network’s potential involvement in the public policy debate over the distribution of mitigation funds. 

The discussion at this session will help NFFN’s Board of Directors plan the Network’s approach to this important issue. 

9

NEUAC Agenda 

Conference Workshops 

Schedule Subject to Change 

Monday, June 16 

8:00 - 8:45 Continental Breakfast 

South Conv Lobby 

9:00 - 10:30 Welcome, Introductions and 

Opening Address 

Grand Ballroom 1 & 2 

10:30 - 11:00 Break and Informational Displays 


11:00 - 12:15 Workshops – Session 1 

12:30 - 1:45 Keynote Luncheon 






5:15 - 6:15 Reception 


Track A 

Energy Availability 

and Sustainability 

MONDAY - JUNE 16, 2008 

Session 1 

11:00 - 12:15 

Session 2 

2:00 - 3:15 

Health and Economic 

Consequences of Global 

Warming on Low-Income 

Communities 

Room - Tower Ct C 

Presidential Climate Action 

Plan - § 


Track B 

Weatherization / 

Conservation 

“Inside the Beltway” 

Perspective 

Room - Tower Ct A 

Water Conservation - What 

Can Be Done to Lower Bills 

and Maximize Assistance 


Track C 

Focus on 

Energy Assistance 

Innovative Funding: 

Rounding Out Your Resource 

Portfolio 

Room - Silver 

Fuel Fund Logistics: 

Ask the Experts 

Room - Silver 

Tuesday, June 17 



NFFN Annual Membership 

Meeting 


9:00 - 10:30 Plenary Session 




11:00 - 12:00 Salvation Army Special Session 

Colorado 


12:30 - 1:45 Luncheon 






7:00 - 10:00 Evening Social 


Wednesday, June 18 

Session 3 

3:45 - 5:00 

Session 4 

11:00 - 12:15 

Session 5 

2:00 - 3:15 

Session 6 

3:45 - 5:00 

Meeting Future Energy 

Demands - § 


TUESDAY - JUNE 17, 2008 

Linking Renewable Energy 

and Energy Efficiency to Assist 

Low-Income Consumers: 

Opportunities and Barriers 

Room - Tower Ct D 

How Do You Make Renewable 

Energy Accessible to 

Low-Income Consumers 

Room - Silver 

Renewable Communities: 

The Greensburg, Kansas 

Case Study 

Room - Century 

Mythbusters: What Works 

and What Saves? 


Building Owners, Utility 

Companies, Not-for-Profits: 

Partners in Weatherization 

and Energy Conservation 


Fundamentals of the Home 

Energy Audit 


Impacts of Consumer 

Education Based Programs 


Program Eligibility Issues - § 

Room - Silver 

Energy Payment Assistance 

Programs: Design and 

Evaluation of Different 

Models 

Room - Silver 

California’s Low-Income 

Energy Needs Assessment 


A Shopping Cart Full of Aid: 

One Stop Assistance Services 

Room - Silver 



NFFN New Members’ Breakfast 

(invitation only) 

Spruce 

9:00 - 10:15 General Session 





12:10 - 1:15 Awards Luncheon 



2:45 - 3:15 Closing Session 


3:15 - 4:00 Special Post-Session NFFN 

Membership Meeting 


WEDNESDAY - JUNE 18, 2008 

Session 7 

10:45 - 12:00 

Session 8 

1:30 - 2:45 

Climate Change Legislation 

and Its Impact on Low- 

Income Families (follow-up 

to General Session) - § 


Demand-Side Management 

Programs: How to Preserve 

Energy - § 

Room - Tower Ct B 

Selling Conservation: 

How to Get Buy-In From 

Consumers 


Energy Efficiency to the 

Rescue 

Room - Denver 

Coordinated 

Responsibilities in Energy 

Assistance Programs 

Room - Silver 

Energy Assistance Through 

Faith-Based Organizations 

Room - Silver 

10

§ Indicates workshops for which Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit is available. 

Track D 

Outreach and 

Advocacy 

Track E 

Vulnerable 

Populations 

Track F 

Energy Programs in 

Indian Country 

Track G 

Evolution of Utility 

Programs 

Track H 

Consumer Education 

and Services 

Track I 

Off Site Tours 

LIHEAP Advocacy Training 

Keeping Households Healthy 

Through Outreach and 

Financial Coaching 

Tribal Sovereignty and 

Energy Efficiency 

Utilities and Moratoria For 

Low-Income Customers - § 

Energy Education: Delivering 

Measurable Results 



Room - Spruce 


Room - Denver 

Partnerships in Advocacy 


How Many Lawyers Does It 

Take? - § 


Current Renewable 

Technologies in Tribal 

Communities 

Room - Spruce 

Lending a Helping Hand 


Hot Topics 

Room - Denver 

Tour of National Renewable 

Energy Laboratory, 

Golden, CO 

Off Site 

Holistic Energy Assistance 

Services 


Facing Our Energy Future: 

A World View 


Emerging Renewable 

Technologies in Tribal 

Communities 

Room - Spruce 

Low Income Water 

Affordability: A Look at 

Affordability Programs 


Hot Topics 

Room - Denver 



Golden, CO (continued) 

Off Site 

Meet the Feds: Interact With 

Federal LIHEAP Officials - § 


How to Speak the New 

Language of Energy 

Efficiency - § 

Room - Windows 

Fire and Fall Protection: A 

Tribal Case Study 


If All You’ve Got is a 

Hammer, Every Problem 

Looks Like a Nail - § 

Room - Denver 

Project Stay Connected: 

How to Keep Low-Income 

Connected to Utility 

Service - § 


Let Your Fingers Do the 

Talking 

Room - Denver 

Helping People Move Out of 

Poverty - § 


Meet the Feds: LIHEAP from 

a Tribal Viewpoint 


A Discussion About 

Deliverable Fuels in 

Challenging Times 


Walk-A-Mile 




Golden, CO 

Off Site 

Let Your Fingers Do the 

Talking (continued) 

Room - Denver 

The Federal Lifeline 

Telephone Program 


Tribal LIHEAP: Federal and 

State Perspectives 


You Don’t Have to be Rich 

to Care About the 

Environment 


School’s in Session 




Golden, CO (continued) 

Off Site 

Marketing Availability 

of Assistance to the 

General Public 


The Score on the Poor is Not 

on the Colbert Report: The 

Pros and Cons of Reporting by 

Utilities of Payment History - § 


Tribal and Utility 

Cooperation 


Decoupling in the Real 

World: The Good, the Bad 

and the Ugly § 

Room - Denver 

How to Reach the Hard to 

Reach Communities 


WRAP: Examining the 

Weatherization, 

Rehabilitation and Asset 

Preservation Partnership - § 


You Heard It Here First: 

Innovative Programs 


Developing a Tribal LIHEAP 

Program: Guidance for New 

Coordinators 


To Infinity and Beyond: 

The Benefits and Risks of 

Advanced Metering 

Technology? - § 


How To Be A Good Presenter: 

Overall Development and 

Presentation Skills from Start 

to Finish 


11

Workshops – Session 1 

1-A Health and Economic Consequences of Global Warming on 

Low-Income Communities: Weather Changes and Impacts 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Maria Ellingson, Alliance to Save Energy 

Robert S. Webb, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Olga Wilhelmi, National Center for Atmospheric Research 

Many of the nation’s low-lying areas are populated by low-income people (e.g., New 

Orleans) and will suffer more as higher intensity and more frequent mega-storms occur. 

Rural, low-income communities relying on small farming operations will see more long-term 

drought conditions, while experiencing fewer, but more intense rain storms. Urban centers 

are also experiencing extreme weather conditions. This session will give the audience 

a clear picture of today’s climate change issues and the likely impacts on low-income 

populations. 

1-B “Inside the Beltway” Perspective: The Weatherization Assistance Program 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct A 

Robert C. Adams, National Association for State Community Services Programs 

Robert C. Adams, National Association for State Community Services Programs 

Michael Peterson, U.S. Department of Energy 

This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to join federal program 

management staff and other stakeholders in an open discussion of the program’s future. 

Participants are encouraged to discuss issues like: Weatherization Plus, state and local WAP 

operations, future of DOE funding, health and safety initiatives, new technologies, and 

leveraging potential with utilities and other funding. 

1-C Innovative Funding: Rounding Out Your Resource Portfolio 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Roger D. Colton, Fisher, Sheehan & Colton 

Jennifer Gremmert, Energy Outreach Colorado 

Tom Richards, Omaha Public Power District 

Patricia J. Wrice, Operation Fuel 

How well rounded is your portfolio of funding streams for energy assistance, energy 

efficiency and weatherization services for families in need? Are you heavily weighted in one 

funding source, or are traditional funding streams diminishing? In this session, you will hear 

examples of new funding sources that provide balanced and sustainable funding streams to 

your programs. 

1-D LIHEAP Advocacy Training 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 

Jamie Stringfellow, Entergy Arkansas, Inc. 

Vivian Lausevic, American Gas Association 

Ann Pride, Entergy Corporation 

This workshop will focus on the legislative landscape for energy assistance on Capitol Hill, 

NFFN’s Washington Action Day for LIHEAP and advice on how individuals can effectively 

make the case for increased energy assistance funding. It will also examine the difference 

between advocacy and lobbying. 

12

Monday, June 16, 11:00 am - 12:15 pm. 

1-E Keeping Households Healthy Through Outreach and Financial Coaching 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 

Scott Barnette, Colorado Department of Human Services 

Nathaniel Murrell, DC REACH, United Planning Organization 

Lynn Page Snyder, DC REACH, Energy Programs Consortium 

The District of Columbia’s REACH demonstration project takes a holistic approach to helping medically fragile residents 

apply for LIHEAP and related programs. Outreach team members address both the direct threat to health and safety posed 

by a household’s high-energy burden and the indirect threat that high home energy bills pose to a household's financial 

health. This session will examine DC REACH’s strategies for locating medically fragile, income-eligible residents and share 

its experiences in using financial coaching strategies to boost the positive impact of LIHEAP on the financial health of client 

households. 

1-F Tribal Sovereignty and Energy Efficiency 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Spruce 

A. David Lester, Council of Energy Resource Tribes 

Tony Rogers, RST Utilities Commission 

In 1999, the Council of Energy Resource Tribes was instrumental in organizing and facilitating a National Tribal Energy 

Vision, which was conceived by more than 60 tribal leaders representing over 250 tribes across the country. Simply stated, 

the Vision is, “By the year 2010, every Tribe should have a reliable and affordable source of electricity.” CERT and member 

tribes view energy efficiency as an “every-tribe” opportunity that is consistent with tribal cultural, social, economic, 

environmental and sovereignty values. Tribes can be very creative in their implementation of energy efficiency and create a 

tailored approach that fits each tribe’s vision for its own future. 

1-G Utilities and Moratoria for Low-Income Customers § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct B 

Janis Foreman, Sacramento Municipal Utility District 

Carol Biedrzycki, Texas Ratepayers’ Organization to Save Energy (Texas ROSE) 

Olivia Wein, National Consumer Law Center 

Most states have rules to protect utility consumers against shutoffs during extreme temperatures. However, the range of 

consumers protected, the duration of the protections and the conditions accompanying the protections vary greatly. This 

workshop will provide an overview of how different states address the vital issue of ensuring the continuity of utility service 

when the loss of heat or cooling can be health or life threatening. 

1-H Energy Education: Delivering Measurable Results 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 

Peggie Neville, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority 

Jodi Underwood, Citizens Gas & Coke Services 

Sunny Dent, National Energy Foundation 

The National Energy Foundation is devoted to the implementation of a variety of innovative teacher training and student 

programs. More than two decades of expertise in carrying out effective educational partnerships has been supported by 

the education community, businesses, government agencies and associations. This workshop will focus on a program that is 

bringing quality education while providing quantitative results. 

13


2-A Presidential Climate Action Plan § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct C 

Diane Carman, University of Colorado Denver 

Morgan Pitts, Presidential Climate Action Project, University of Colorado at Denver 

A diverse team of climate and policy experts is asking the next president to lead a 

massive and urgent effort to reverse global warming by steering the country away from a 

carbon-fueled economy. The Presidential Climate Action Project issued more than 170 

recommendations for the next president to undertake in his or her first 100 days. Hear 

about the plan and how low-income consumers are being considered in this important 

document. 

2-B Water Conservation: What Can Be Done to Lower Bills and Maximize Assistance 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct A 

Valeria Bullock, PECO – An Exelon Company 

Kimberly Joyce, Aqua America, Inc. 

David Hepinstall, Association for Energy Affordability 

Like energy, water is a necessary, but not always affordable, resource for low-income 

customers. Kimberly Joyce and David Hepinstall discuss program designs and services that 

help low-income customers manage water costs and usage. 

2-C Fuel Fund Logistics: Ask the Experts 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 


Joe Guarinello, HeartShare Human Services of New York 

Jim Jacob, New Jersey SHARES 

ZeeRamell Pace, THAW Fund 

This interactive session will include a panel of experts answering questions about call 

centers, fundraising, tax issues and other fundamental information for fuel fund agencies 

and staff wanting to improve their programs. 

2-D Partnerships in Advocacy: When the Sky is Falling 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct D 

Julie Arnestad, Tacoma Public Utilities 

KJ Collamer, Allegheny Power 

The Allegheny Power CARES program recognizes that hardships such as loss of income due 

to injury, illness, loss of employment and/or benefits, or death of the primary provider can 

result in payment problems. Through CARES (Customer Assistance Referral & Evaluation 

Service) customers experiencing a temporary hardship can be helped with referrals; assisted 

in accessing housing, food programs, employment and community-based services specific 

to the customer’s needs, when they are willing and deemed able. There are no income 

guidelines to be eligible for CARES. 

14

Monday, June 16, 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm. 

2-E How Many Lawyers Does It Take to Advocate? As Many as Possible: The Role of Legal Services in Helping 

Low-Income Energy Consumers § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 


Lee Aronson, Legal Services of North Louisiana 

Carol Biedrzycki, Texas Ratepayers’ Organization to Save Energy (Texas ROSE) 

Legal services programs around the country are invaluable resources in the effort to ensure energy security and affordability 

for low-income consumers, providing legal representation to individual clients facing shutoffs and other energy crises and 

engaging in policy advocacy before state legislators and utility regulators. In this session, you will hear from two lawyers, one 

of whom will describe day-to-day representation efforts, the other the big picture policy advocacy work that legal services 

performs. 

2-F Current Renewable Technologies in Tribal Communities 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Spruce 

Clint LeBeau, Council of Energy Resource Tribes 

Patrick Spears, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy 

Robert Gough, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy 

The Intertribal Council on Utility Policy (ICOUP) has formed a plan that encourages tribally owned development of wind 

generation on Indian reservations as a viable strategy for building sustainable tribal economies. This is happening in an 

energy and economic environment that presents many challenges to renewable projects, especially to those located on 

tribal lands which, at the same time, contain some of America’s richest renewable resources and poorest tribal households. 

ICOUP also helps tribes develop straw bale housing, which is far more energy-efficient than standard housing. 

2-G Lending a Helping Hand: How Colorado Municipal Utilities Provide Energy Assistance to Their Customers 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

2-H Hot Topics 

Room 

Tower Ct B 

Dave Lock, Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities 

Denise Sulski, Colorado Springs Utilities 

Pat Miles, Fountain Utilities 

James Faber, Pikes Peak Community Action Agency 

Edwina Salazar, OUR Center, Longmont, CO 

At municipal utilities, the customers are the owners. Find out how municipal utilities of differing sizes provide assistance to 

their low-income customer-owners. 

Denver 

Join a table of your colleagues and presenter(s) for four 20-minute sessions of discussion or hands-on demonstration, and 

then move on to another table. 

2-I Tour of National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 

Room 

Off Site 

On this afternoon tour, you will have an opportunity to learn about NREL’s research and development of renewable fuels 

and electricity that advance national energy goals to change the way we power our homes, businesses and cars. The tour is 

limited to 30 people, and advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis was required for participation. 

15


3-A Meeting Future Energy Demand: The Forecast for Energy Supply and Price 

Implications for Consumers § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Edward Gingold, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

Robert Patton, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 

Paul Wilkinson, American Gas Association 

Chuck Stanley, Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States 

The availability and affordability of energy, particularly for low-income consumers, are likely 

to be increasingly critical issues in the years to come. In this workshop, industry presenters 

will examine predictions for future energy demand in this country and consider the forecast 

for energy supply in the short, medium and long terms. Presenters will also consider some 

of the price implications for consumers. 

3-B Mythbusters: What Works, What Saves? 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct A 

Nikki Kuhn, Governor’s Energy Office, State of Colorado 

Michael Blasnik, M. Blasnik and Associates 

This workshop will provide an enlightening discussion of the myths and realities of energy 

savings in low-income housing. What energy savings can be expected from cold- and hotclimate 

energy conservation measures? The session will cover measured versus predicted 

savings for various energy conservation measures that have proven to save energy when 

installed correctly. 

3-C Program Eligibility Issues: Citizenship, Legal Status, 

Documentation and Verification § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

John Harvanko, Minnesota Department of Commerce 

Herb Betts, Colorado Department of Human Services 

Nick St. Angelo, Office of Community Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Energy assistance administrators face increasingly tough choices when it comes to setting 

program eligibility guidelines. Thorny issues such as an applicant’s citizenship, immigration 

status and documentation further complicate the process. Two state speakers will 

discuss how they handle LIHEAP applicants -- one will discuss how stricter identification 

requirements impacted the LIHEAP program; another will describe energy assistance 

documentation requirements -- and a federal LIHEAP representative will present the latest 

guidance on the issue as it relates to the federal LIHEAP program. 

3-D Holistic Energy Assistance Services 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 

John Rowe, Utility Emergency Services Fund 

Lois Grant, United Way of Long Island 

John Rich, Mid-America Assistance Coalition 

Organizations are looking to assist low-income clients with much more than just utility 

payment assistance. These organizations work in the world of referrals and multi-service 

assistance to ease the burden. The workshop will look at what these organizations are 

doing to provide a wide range of services and a “holistic” approach to meeting low-income 

clients’ needs. 

16

Monday, June 16, 3:45 pm - 5:00 pm. 

3-E Facing Our Energy Future: A World View 

Room 

Moderator: 

Tower Ct B 

Alita Corbett, Pepco 

Bruce Pearce, Green Communities Canada 

Dana Silk, EnviroCentre 

Ross Armstrong, eaga, United Kingdom 

Sandy Yuen, Ontario Power Authority 

Effective and wise energy use can and should be extended to low-income customers. Get up to speed with what works in 

other parts of the world. At this session you will discover some of the latest trends and technologies that programs in the 

United Kingdom and Canada identified for helping low-income customers lower their energy bills. 

3-F Emerging Renewable Technologies in Tribal Communities 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Spruce 

Richard Fox, Trees, Water & People 

Henry Red Cloud, Lakota Solar Enterprises 

Deborah K. Tewa, Arizona Department of Commerce 

Trees, Water & People’s Tribal Lands Renewable Energy program puts the power of nature – the warmth of the sun, the 

power of the wind, the shelter of trees – to work for Native Americans. Partnering with Lakota Solar Enterprises, a Nativeowned 

company located on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, TWP has planted over 1,000 windbreak and 

shade trees and built and installed over 200 supplemental solar heating systems for families in reservation communities. 

These solutions are sustainable, economically beneficial, environmentally friendly, and celebrate the Native Americans’ 

respect for Mother Earth. TWP also has joined the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Clean Energy Education Partnership, a pilot project 

to demonstrate the potential of renewable energy applications. 

3-G Low Income Water Affordability: A Look at Affordability Programs 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

3-H Hot Topics 

Room 

Century 



Chad Quinn, Dollar Energy Fund 

Roger Colton, Fisher, Sheehan & Colton 

Many of us take for granted that when we turn on the tap, safe and affordable drinking water will be around forever. 

However, there are emerging trends that are driving up the cost of water such as the scarcity of water in some regions of the 

country, the cost to treat water to bring it to federal standards, aging water infrastructure and limited federal funds to pay 

for repair and replacement. In this session, you will hear what is being done to help low-income households afford essential 

water services. 

Denver 

Join a table of your colleagues and presenter(s) for four 20-minute sessions of discussion or hands-on demonstration, and 

then move on to another table. 


Room 

Off Site 

This is a continuation of the afternoon tour described in session 2-I. 

17


4-A Linking Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to Assist 

Low-Income Consumers: Opportunities and Barriers 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct D 


Ravi Malhotra, International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (iCAST) 

David Alspector, graduate student, University of Colorado at Boulder 

Global warming is heightening our focus on renewable energy technologies and energy 

efficiency to assist in reducing carbon emissions. Reducing energy usage also has the added 

benefit of lowering energy costs. How can low-income advocates and environmental 

advocates work more closely to achieve our common goals? 

4-B Building Owners, Utility Companies, Not-for-Profits: 

Partners in Weatherization and Energy Conservation 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Marsha Belcher, CEDA, Chicago 

John Hamilton, CEDA, Chicago 

René Gonzales, Commonwealth Edison 

This workshop will describe a newly-launched program funded by Commonwealth Edison 

and administered by CEDA in Cook County, Illinois. It will explore the program guidelines 

and the roles of all stakeholders. Participants will learn how to obtain landlord buy-in and 

what role the renters play. Learn how to leverage components of existing LIHEAP and 

Weatherization programs. 

4-C Energy Payment Assistance Programs: 

Design and Evaluation of Different Models 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Sadie John Kroeck, Dominion 

David Carroll, APPRISE, Inc. 

Jackie Berger, APPRISE, Inc. 

Bill payment assistance programs using several different approaches have been 

implemented around the country to help low-income customers with unaffordable 

energy bills. In Pennsylvania, individual utility companies design and implement their own 

Customer Assistance Programs (CAPs). In New Jersey, the Board of Public Utilities has 

implemented a statewide Universal Service Fund Program (USF). APPRISE has conducted 

evaluations of four Pennsylvania utilities’ CAPs and the New Jersey USF Program. This 

presentation will describe how the approaches differ and discuss what the evaluation 

research reveals about the program design choices. 

4-D Meet the Feds: Interact With Federal LIHEAP Officials § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct B 

Jo-Ann Choate, Maine State Housing Authority 

Josephine B. Robinson, Office of Community Services, U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services 


The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Energy Assistance, 

distributes and oversees more than $2 billion a year in Low Income Home Energy Assistance 

Program funding to states and tribes. Representatives of this office will discuss the status of 

LIHEAP and answer your questions about the program. 

18

Tuesday, June 17, 11:00 am - 12:15 pm. 

4-E How to Speak the New Language of Energy Efficiency: 

How to Talk with Policymakers About Energy Efficiency § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Windows 

Jacqueline Holmes, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

Jerrold Oppenheim, Democracy And Regulation 

Theo MacGregor, MacGregor Energy Consultancy 

The benefits of low-income energy efficiency to utilities and society, as well as to low-income consumers, far outweigh the 

costs – affordable service, fewer unpaid bills, less pollution. This workshop will provide advocates, utilities and policymakers 

with the tools they need to understand those benefits and to communicate them to regulators and other policymakers in 

language that makes sense to them. It will give concrete examples of collaboration among advocates and utilities in states 

across the country where utility-funded energy efficiency programs have successfully “piggybacked” onto the federal 

Weatherization Assistance Program. The workshop leaders, who have worked in this field for a combined 50-plus years, will 

present case studies of successful collaboration and will answer attendees’ questions about how to begin the process in their 

own states. 

4-F Fire and Fall Protection: First Nations Remembering When TM – A Tribal Case Study 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 

Sharon Gamache, National Fire Protection Association 

Capt. Dicky Bain, Navajo Nation Fire and Rescue 

Mary Robertson Begay, National Fire Protection Association 

Pedro Flores, National Fire Protection Association 

Those at highest risk of fire-related injuries in Native and non-Native areas alike are the very young and the elderly. 

The National Fire Protection Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the original 

Remembering When TM program, along with the Department of Homeland Security and the Office for Domestic 

Preparedness. Elders from the Navajo Nation, Hopi Nation, and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa were 

instrumental in the development of the program. 

4-G If All You’ve Got is a Hammer, Every Problem Looks Like a Nail: 

Why Utilities Should Segment Their Customers § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 

Ron Elwood, Legal Services Advocacy Project 

Ron Grosse, Secretary, National Low Income Energy Consortium 

Russ Shaber, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office 

Habit and administrative ease often leads to the identical treatment of customers in different situations. This is true both 

in the collections and conservation arenas. This workshop will challenge old thinking and suggest that customers and 

companies are better served if companies segment their customers and better tailor programs and practices to meet the 

unique needs of each segment. 

4-H Project Stay Connected: How to Keep Low-Income Clients Connected to Utility Service § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct A 

Edward Gingold, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

Charlie Harak, National Consumer Law Center 

Every state has rules governing when and how utility terminations can occur, and most states have rules regarding payment 

plans and limitations on terminations. These may include protections for seriously ill customers or for the elderly, or during 

the winter or periods of extreme heat. This workshop will examine how those rules operate. 

19


5-A How Do You Make Renewable Energy Accessible to Low-Income Consumers? 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Tim Ollhoff, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance 

Jason Edens, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance 

Frances Thompson, Pacific Gas & Electric Company 

This session will examine regulations (renewable portfolio standards, for example) and 

new opportunities for targeting renewable energy to low-income families, focusing on 

collaborations with non-profit organizations, weatherization programs and examining 

applications of renewable technology that are already benefiting customers. 

5-B Fundamentals of the Home Energy Audit 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct A 

Mary Grassi, PPL Electric Utilities 

Caleb Crow, Performance Systems Development 

Did you ever wonder what data need to be collected to perform an energy audit? This 

workshop will explore how one computerized energy simulation tool calculates heat loss/ 

gain and system efficiencies to provide energy professionals and homeowners with the data 

needed to make smart choices about how to cost effectively reduce energy use. 

5-C California’s Low-Income Energy Needs Assessment 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 

Jackie Berger, APPRISE, Inc. 

Kelly Hymes, California Public Utility Commission 

Kathleen Gafney, KEMA, Inc. 

After an intensive four-year year process, the California Public Utilities Commission in 

September 2007 released the final report of its wide-ranging, two-phase Low Income 

Energy Needs Assessment, possibly the most comprehensive low-income energy needs 

assessment ever undertaken. Conducted by KEMA, Inc., the second phase of the study used 

in-depth interviews, energy audits, census data, utility billing records and on-site surveys 

to develop a profile of the demographic, socio-economic, dwelling-type and geographic 

characteristics of the eligible low-income population in California. The report also provides 

an analysis of and recommendations regarding the effectiveness and the future of the 

rate-payer funded low-income discount and energy efficiency programs that served nearly 

4 million low-income Californians last year. A commission representative and a KEMA 

researcher will discuss what led the commission to conduct the needs assessment and what 

the future holds for California’s low-income population and their energy needs. 

5-D Let Your Fingers Do the Talking: Writing Effective News Releases 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 

Ivan Brandon, National Fuel Funds Network 


David Fox, National Low Income Energy Consortium 

Too often, agencies generate news releases that provide basic information about energy 

assistance programs but fail to “sell” the programs both to those who need help and those 

whose support for the program could be valuable. In this interactive 2 1/2-hour workshop 

reprising a highly successful session presented last year in Nashville, participants will learn 

from two former Associated Press writers and editors about news writing and what goes into 

an effective release. Then, participants will actually write leads and full news releases in a 

classroom environment and critique each other’s efforts. 

20

Tuesday, June 17, 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm. 

5-E Helping People Move Out of Poverty: The Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct B 

Linda Barnes, Entergy 

Bernita Hadley, The Piton Foundation 

John Wancheck, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit help move working families out of poverty by reducing the tax 

burden on workers and supplementing wages through a refundable tax credit. Learn more from the experts about how your 

clients can benefit from the EITC and Child Tax Credit. 

5-F Meet the Feds: LIHEAP from a Tribal Viewpoint 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 

Charlotte Abney, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Josephine B. Robinson, Office of Community Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 


The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Energy Assistance, distributes and oversees more than $2 

billion a year in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding to states and tribes. The director of this office and 

her staff will discuss the status of LIHEAP and answer your questions about the program from a tribal perspective. 

5-G A Discussion About Deliverable Fuels in Challenging Times 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

5-H Walk a Mile 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Mark Wolfe, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association 

James M. Collura, New England Fuel Institute 

Shane Sweet, New England Fuel Institute 

Richard Roldan, National Propane Gas Association 


These are challenging times for low-income bulk fuel consumers, the deliverable fuels companies and the agencies that run 

the energy affordability programs. The impact of federal LIHEAP dollars is diminished as bulk fuel costs rise. This session will 

explore the challenges to serving low-income bulk fuel consumers and what is being done to meet these challenges. 

Windows 

Pamela Carter, New York State Department of Public Service 

Christopher Coll, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority 

Natasha Grossman, Northwest Institute for Children and Families, University of Washington School of Social Work 

Imagine a program where your clients have the opportunity to directly impact the policies that affect their lives. Walk a 

Mile is a national educational program that pairs policymakers with low-income constituents. Because we can sometimes 

accomplish more over a kitchen table than across a podium, Walk a Mile provides an up-close and personal experience 

for both participating legislators and low-income constituents. The program’s developer will explain how Walk a Mile is 

effecting change around the country and discuss the success of this powerful program in the state of New York. 

5-I Tour of National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 

Room 

Off Site 

On this afternoon tour, you will have an opportunity to learn about NREL’s research and development of renewable fuels 

and electricity that advance national energy goals to change the way we power our homes, businesses and cars. The tour is 

limited to 30 people, and advance registration on a first-come, first-served basis was required for participation. 

21


6-A Renewable Communities: The Greensburg, Kansas Case Study 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Century 

Pam Packer, Energy Outreach Colorado 

Lynn Billman, National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

The town of Greensburg, Kansas, is being rebuilt as a “green” community in the wake of a 

devastating tornado. Consider what communities of the future will look like by thinking of 

community needs from a holistic standpoint including where energy will come from, how 

buildings and homes will be impacted and how transportation needs will be met. 

6-B Impacts of a Customer Education Program Model 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 

Eric Stern, Governor’s Energy Office, State of Colorado 

Jacqueline Berger, Ph.D., APPRISE, Inc. 

Michael Blasnik, M. Blasnik and Associates 

The State of Colorado’s “First Response” program provides low cost energy savings kits (with 

light bulbs, showerheads and other items) to low-income households using three delivery 

approaches -- direct mail, local agency workshops, and direct installation by youth corps. 

This session will examine what was learned during an independent evaluation of the three 

program designs, including measured energy impacts. 

6-C A Shopping Cart Full of Aid: One Stop Assistance Services 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Roger Rees, Oregon HEAT 

Chad Quinn, Dollar Energy Fund 

Sean Smiles, Dollar Energy Fund 

Learn how a successful organization has developed a model for a program that helps 

connect low-income families to various types of assistance. The presentation features a 

non-profit agency that operates as a “one-stop shop” for intake, evaluation and referral into 

utility assistance programs as well as other private and government-funded social service 

programs. Special attention will be paid to information collection, evaluation, referral and 

case management services. The presenters will feature the profile of a typical low-income 

utility customer and his/her family. You’ll learn what a model for a one-stop shop should 

include and view a demonstration of one successful non-profit’s program administration 

system. 

6-D Let Your Fingers Do the Talking: Writing Effective News Releases (continued) 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 




Too often, agencies generate news releases that provide basic information about energy 

assistance programs but fail to “sell” the programs both to those who need help and those 

whose support for the program could be valuable. In the continuation of this interactive 2 

1/2-hour workshop, participants will learn from two former Associated Press writers and 

editors about news writing and what goes into an effective release. Then, participants will 

actually write leads and full news releases in a classroom environment and critique each 

other’s efforts. 

22

Tuesday, June 17, 3:45 pm - 5:00 pm. 

6-E The Federal Lifeline Telephone Program: Keeping America Connected 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Windows 

Chris Baker, AARP Public Policy Institute 

Pamela Gallant, Universal Service Administrative Company 

Karen Buller, National Indian Telecommunications Institute 

The federal Lifeline program helps make telephone service affordable to low-income households by providing discounts to 

eligible consumers. In many states, individuals who are eligible for LIHEAP are also eligible for Lifeline discounts. Eligible 

residents of tribal lands can receive additional Lifeline discounts that generally bring the cost of telephone service down 

to $1.00 each month. One of the best features of Lifeline is that funding is not capped at a particular level or subject to 

appropriations; rather, the discount is available to every qualifying American household. Learn how this federal program 

works and how to leverage efforts to enroll LIHEAP-eligible consumers to also enroll them in Lifeline. 

6-F Tribal LIHEAP: Federal and State Perspectives 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct B 

Jerry Snell, Cherokee Nation 


Jim Nolan, Montana State Department of Public Health and Human Services 

The Division of Energy Assistance in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the LIHEAP 

program, encourages states and tribes to work together in establishing tribal LIHEAP allotments. This workshop will describe 

the process of establishing tribal allotments, state and tribal agreements, and suggest ways states and tribes can enhance 

tribal LIHEAP programs. 

6-G You Don’t Have to be Rich to Care About the Environment 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Skip Arnold, Energy Outreach Colorado 

Floyd Ciruli, Ciruli and Associates 

Patty Bigner, Fort Collins Utilities 

Pieter Leenhouts, Xcel Energy 

You don’t have to be rich to care about the environment and it makes good sense to use energy in the most efficient 

manner. What are the perceptions of low-income consumers about renewable energy programs and energy efficiency 

endeavors? Is income a barrier to participation? How do utilities market renewable energy and efficiency programs to this 

customer demographic? 

6-H School’s in Session: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader When it Comes to Energy Literacy? 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct A 

Diane Tatum, Entergy Arkansas, Inc. 


Phil Miller, Consolidated Edison 

Jen Rodriguez, Consolidated Edison 

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has developed and is implementing an 

energy education program that is reaching K-12 teachers. Teachers attending workshops are provided with a curriculum 

and knowledge to teach energy education to our youngest consumers. ConEd’s comprehensive program reaches children 

through an interactive website. Both programs will provide you with ideas on ways to ensure that children in your area – 

the consumers of today and customers of tomorrow – are “energy literate.” 


Room 

Off Site 

This is a continuation of the afternoon tour described in session 5-I. 

23


7-A Climate Change Legislation and Its Impact on Low-Income Families 

(followup to General Session) § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct A 

Joel Eisenberg, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

Bob Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 


Rafe Pomerance, President, Clean Air-Cool Planet 

Oil companies, automobile manufacturers, utilities and environmental organizations 

all have positions on controlling greenhouse gases. These parties, along with residential 

energy consumers and their advocates, need also be concerned with the price impacts of 

such controls on limited-income families. This session will follow up on some of the issues 

identified in the immediately preceding General Session. It will examine two proposals 

for controlling emissions that are discussed frequently: “cap and trade” and “carbon tax.” 

The session will also present plans for how money generated from either method could be 

directed to offset the increased costs of home energy for low-income households during this 

energy transition. 

7-B Selling Conservation: How to Get Buy-In From Consumers 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct B 

Deb Cochenour, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania 

A. Tamasin Sterner, Pure Energy 

How do we get people on board with the concept of energy efficiency? How do you train 

or get clients to reduce energy needs so they're not as dependent upon cash assistance? 

Hear from an experienced conservation educator on how she gets buy-in from consumers. 

Learn what she hears from consumers and what you need to know to reach out to these 

audiences. 

7-C Coordinated Responsibilities in Energy Assistance Programs 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Jerry McKim, Bureau of Energy Assistance, Iowa Department of Human Rights 

Amy Oehler, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 

Donald Mussen, Michigan Family Independence Agency 

Fenton Hyacinthe, Community Action of Minneapolis 

LIHEAP and fuel funds aren’t the only players in the energy assistance process. This 

workshop provides examples from two states that are effectively utilizing the concept 

that three parties – clients, LIHEAP providers and energy vendors – have shared roles and 

responsibilities in helping clients to become more energy self-sufficient and assuring that 

resources are spent most effectively. 

7-D Marketing Availability of Assistance to the General Public 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 

Diane Tatum, Entergy Arkansas, Inc. 

James Wallace, Total Community Action, New Orleans 

Jack Parkhill, Southern California Edison 

Sheila Lee, Southern California Edison 

This workshop will explore ways for nonprofit organizations and utility companies to 

provide information about the programs offered to low-income clients. Getting the 

correct information disseminated to the community level is often difficult. Here are two 

organizations that have overcome the challenge in providing the right messages to the 

clients in need. 

24

Wednesday, June 18, 10:45 am - 12:00 pm. 

7-E The Score on the Poor is not on the Colbert Report: 

The Pros and Cons of Reporting by Utilities of Payment History § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Windows 


Ron Elwood, Mid-Minnesota Legal Services 

Patrick Walker, PERC/Information Policy Institute 

In the current economic climate, credit reporting and credit scoring is more important than ever. Some utilities report 

the customers’ bill payment behavior to credit reporting agencies. Some studies indicate that low-income consumers can 

benefit from reporting of nontraditional data, such as favorable utility payment history, while advocates express concern 

that reporting of nonpayment by low-income energy consumers is unfair and can be harmful. This provocative session will 

present both sides of the story. 

7-F Tribal and Utility Cooperation 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 

Clint LeBeau, Council of Energy Resource Tribes 

Mary Drury, Southern California Edison 

Len Mize, SourceGas 

SourceGas, a natural gas utility serving Wyoming, has been developing a connection plan for the Wind River Indian 

Reservation. Coordination and maintenance of open communication among the Wyoming Public Service Commission, 

Bureau of Indian Affairs, the governor’s tribal liaisons, the Joint Legislative Committee on Tribal Affairs, joint business 

councils of the tribes and the Fremont County government officials is key to this effort. A representative from Southern 

California Edison will discuss how, in recognizing the political sovereignty of tribes, the utility provides a full range of services 

to tribes just as it does to cities and counties. 

7-G Decoupling in the Real World: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 

Jerrold Oppenheim, Democracy and Regulation 

Steve Weiss, NW Energy Coalition 

Chuck Eberdt, The Energy Project, Opportunity Council 

Roger Colton, Fisher, Sheehan & Colton 

Decoupling by utilities means different things to different people – sometimes good, sometimes bad. This workshop 

will focus on the benefits and drawbacks of decoupling and will try to determine if there is common ground for lowincome 

consumers and utilities in the world of decoupling. A review of one case study will present the adverse impacts 

of decoupling on low-income customers. Panel members will also discuss things the consumer advocate must consider 

such as how conservation is measured; how the arrangement impacts rate stability, and whether the utility really needs this 

incentive. Discussions also will focus on the view that if decoupling is done right, it can result in a favorable rate impact and 

significant changes in utility behavior that will be an advantage to customers. 

7-H How to Reach the Hard-to-Reach Communities: Effective Outreach and Communication Tools Used by 

Utilities to Reach Multi-language and Senior Communities 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Barry K. Hedden, BGE – A Constellation Energy Company 

Kim Campbell, TXU Energy 

Louis Gonzalez, Florida Power & Light Company 

Della McCurdy, Florida Power & Light Company 

Florida Power & Light and TXU Energy have developed programs to reach low-income customers in need of assistance 

throughout the hard-to-reach communities. This workshop will provide information on ways to develop relationships 

with key community partners and the strategies to administer the customized programs. This workshop will also include 

information about providing education on energy conservation, ways to manage energy consumption and how to access 

customer assistance programs. 

25


8-A Demand-Side Management Programs: How to Preserve Energy § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct B 

Jeff Ackermann, Colorado Public Utilities Commission 

David Carroll, APPRISE, Inc. 

Howard Geller, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project 

Learn in this session what governments are doing to preserve energy from the perspective of 

demand-side management and how low-income customers are part of the program mix. 

8-B Energy Efficiency to the Rescue: Solar Water Heater Programs 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Denver 


Tim Dahl, PPL Electric Utilities 


Tim Dahl will discuss PPL’s low-income solar water heater program, which provides training 

to people to install heaters that are provided to low-income customers. Peggie Neville will 

discuss NYSERDA’s Empower New York program, which serves households with incomes 

below 60 percent of state median income. The primary services are electric reduction 

measures, including replacement refrigerators and high efficiency lighting, and targeted 

home performance measures, including air sealing, insulation, and repair or replacement of 

heating systems. 

8-C Energy Assistance Through Faith-Based Organizations 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Silver 

Sherry Vogel, National Center for Appropriate Technology/LIHEAP Clearinghouse 

Leslie Lee, Delaware Department of Human Services 

ZeeRamell Pace, THAW Fund 

Non-traditional service providers play a vital role in helping low-income families with energy 

and other critical needs. This workshop, following up on a well received session from 

recent NLIEC and NFFN conferences, will provide information on the role that faith-based 

organizations play in strengthening the overall safety net for families in need, especially in 

the area of providing energy assistance. 

8-D WRAP: Examining the Weatherization, Rehabilitation and Asset Preservation 

Partnership § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Windows 

Mark Wolfe, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association 

Spencer M. Cowan, The Center for Urban and Regional Studies 

This session will address the findings of the Weatherization, Rehabilitation and Asset 

Preservation (WRAP) Partnership. The project supported 10 one-stop programs, managed 

by community action agencies and other groups, that enhanced low-income home 

ownership by integrating weatherization, rehabilitation and social service programs. The 

workshop will address the findings of WRAP’s evaluations, challenges faced by agencies 

in integrating program services from different sources and agencies, territorial issues and 

strategies for improving the delivery of services to clients. 

26

Wednesday, June 18, 1:30 am - 2:45 pm. 

8-E You Heard It Here First: Innovative Programs 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct D 


Roger W. Rees, Oregon HEAT 

Russ Shaber, Colorado Governor’s Energy Office 

This workshop will focus on two new programs: The Colorado Governor’s Energy Office’s approach to targeting services 

to low-income households and Oregon HEAT’s statewide program that facilitates the safe disposal of waste petroleum 

products and generates additional energy assistance funds. In Colorado, the Governor’s Energy Office has developed 

programs for low-income families that target services based on energy use. Oregon HEAT, meanwhile, has partnered with 

a refinery to raise energy assistance dollars from donated petroleum products, ranging from one-time pump-out of home 

heating oil and used crankcase oil to used petroleum products from commercial or industrial businesses. Oregon HEAT 

works with community agencies to contact local businesses to procure donations on a regular pickup basis of used motor 

oils, etc. The refinery pays Oregon HEAT for the value of the product; it, in turn, credits local agencies so they have funds 

for local energy assistance. 

8-F Developing a Tribal LIHEAP Program: Guidance for New Coordinators 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Century 

Kathy Webb Howard, Quechan Indian Tribe 


Eileen Shot With Two Arrows, Rosebud Sioux Tribe 

Learn the federal requirements for the LIHEAP program, Leveraging Incentive Program and REACH. Experienced LIHEAP 

coordinators will provide tips, ideas and suggestions for running tribal LIHEAP programs and will take your questions. 

8-G To Infinity and Beyond: The Benefits and Risks of Advanced Metering Technology? § 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenters: 

Tower Ct C 

Ron Elwood, Legal Services Advocacy Project 

Janee Briesemeister, AARP 

Francine Artis, Tacoma Utilities 

With great potential comes great risk. Advanced metering technology holds the promise to provide customers with new 

tools to help them better manage their energy use. At the same time, there are legitimate concerns that the deployment 

of advanced technology may impair consumer rights and lead to unequal treatment of similarly situated customers. In this 

workshop, you will learn the experiences of a municipal utility in developing this new technology and hear an advocate 

describe the concerns that arise from such deployment. 

8-H How to be a Good Presenter: Overall Development and Presentation Skills from Start to Finish 

Room 

Moderator: 

Presenter: 

Tower Ct A 

Christopher Coll, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority 

Sue Gove, Ph.D., Gove Group, Inc. 

Are you pleased with the presentations you give? Most presenters are passionate about the subject matter they are 

presenting and can’t wait to share every detail of the subject with their audiences. However, sometimes it’s just too much 

information, and your audience is overwhelmed. This workshop will help you to hone in on the information needs of each 

individual audience, capture and hold the attention of each audience and feel comfortable and confident during your 

presentations. 

27

Our Thanks for Support and Assistance 

Financial Contributors 

NFFN and NLIEC extend our sincere thanks to the following organizations for their leadership and financial support. Their generosity and 

commitment to fostering solutions to low-income energy and utility issues have made our conference activities possible. They include, at the 

time of printing: 

Supporting Conference Partners ($15,000 - $19,999) 

Xcel Energy 

Participating Conference Partners ($10,000 - $14,999) 

Atmos Energy 

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc. 

Sponsors ($5,000 - $9,999) 

Alabama Power Company 

Citizens Energy Corporation (scholarship sponsor) 

Columbia Gas of Ohio 

Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania 

Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States 

PG&E Corporation (registration sponsor) 

Sacramento Municipal Utility District 

Contributors ($2,500 - $4,999) 

AARP 

American Water 

Aquila 

Citizens Gas 

Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities 

Colorado Governor’s Energy Office 

Duke Energy 

Florida Power & Light Company 

PECO 

Friends ($1,500 - $2,499) 

Minnesota Power 

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 

Omaha Public Power District 

Salt River Project 

SourceGas 

Supporters (up to $1,499) 

Ameren UE 

American Public Power Association 

Colorado Springs Utilities 

Energy Outreach Colorado 

FirstEnergy 

Laclede Gas 

Nicor Gas 

Northeast Utilities/Yankee Gas 

Oregon HEAT 

Rochester Gas and Electric Company 

The Salvation Army, National Headquarters 

In-Kind Supporters 

We wish to thank the following organizations for donations of staff time and/or materials. Their dedication and support have been essential to 

the presentation of the National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference and are greatly appreciated. 

Council of Energy Resource Tribes 


Entergy Corporation 


National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

Pepco 


TXU Energy 

Raffle, Silent Auction, Registration Bag Item Contributors 

The raffles are NLIEC’s vehicle for achieving good evaluation response rates so that we can continually strive to improve the conference and 

also bring some added fun to the event. Proceeds from the Silent Auction support NFFN’s Sister Pat Kelley Scholarships to members who 

otherwise might not be able to attend the conference. Specialty items contributed for inclusion in our conference registration bags also bring a 

smile to the faces of attendees who look forward to seeing what kind of “goodies” they contain. Della McCurdy of Florida Power & Light and 

Tanya Brothers of HeartShare Human Services coordinated the raffle and auction, respectively. We thank all the contributors of raffle, silent 

auction and registration bag items. At the time this publication was printed, the contributors included: 

SILENT AUCTION 

Doubletree Hotel Portland-Lloyd Center 





Gove Group, Inc. 

LIHEAP Clearing House 


Social Service Coordinators, Inc 

Tennessee LIHEAP & Weatherization Office 

Tri-State Generation & Transmission 

Association, Inc. 


RAFFLE GIFTS 

AARP 

American Electric Power 

APPRISE, Inc. 

Colorado Springs Utilities 

Dollar Energy Fund 




Gove Group, Inc. 

National Consumer Law Center 

NCAT/LIHEAP Clearinghouse 

New Jersey SHARES 

NiSource 


Portland Lloyd Center Merchants’ Association 

Pepco 

PPL Electric Utilities 


Social Service Coordinators, Inc 

Tennessee LIHEAP & Weatherization Office 

Tri-State Generation & Transmission 

Association, Inc. 


REGISTRATION BAG ITEMS 

AARP 

American Electric Power 


Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania 



NiSource 

NCAT/LIHEAP Clearinghouse 

New Jersey SHARES 

Pepco 



30

Conference Leaders 

Extra special thanks go out to our conference leaders for their time and expertise in the development of the National Energy and Utility 

Affordability Conference. Their leadership and commitment in the staging of this event, and the support from the organizations they represent, 

is deeply appreciated. 

Conference Co-Chair: Skip Arnold, Energy Outreach Colorado 

Conference Co-Chair: Ron Grosse, Secretary, NLIEC 

Conference Co-Chair: Ken Thiry, Wisconsin Public Service and Vice Chairperson, NLIEC 

A-Track Leaders and Team 



Brian Castelli and Maria Ellingson, Alliance to Save Energy 

Tim Ollhoff, Rural Renewable Energy Alliance 

B-Track Leaders and Team: 

Deb Cochenour, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania 

Jack Laverty, Columbia Gas of Ohio 

Rose Adams, Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association 

Bob Adams, National Association for State Community 

Services Programs 

Joel Eisenberg, Oak Ridge National Laboratory 

C-Track Leaders and Team: 

Kay Joslin, National Center for Appropriate Technology 

John Harvanko, NEADA 

Judi Martin, Omaha Public Power District 

Roger Rees, Oregon HEAT 

Jackie Berger, APPRISE 

D-Track Leaders and Team: 

Julie Arnestad, Tacoma Power 


Tim Lau, Utility Emergency Services Fund 

E-Track Leaders and Team: 




Scott Barnette, Colorado Department of Human Services 

F-Track Leaders and Team: 

Clint Le Beau, Council of Energy Resource Tribes 


Kathy Howard, Quechan Indian Tribe 

Jerry Snell, Cherokee Nation 

G-Track Leaders and Team: 

Linda Barnes, Entergy Corporation 



Dave Lock, Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities 

H-Track Leaders and Team: 

Don Dasher, BGE - A Constellation Energy Company 



I-Track Leaders and Team: 

Energy Outreach Colorado staff 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

Hot Topics Leaders and Team: 

Janis Foreman, Sacramento Municipal Utility District 

Collette Harrell, The Breathing Association 

Gloria Thirdkill, Laclede Gas 

We also want to express our thanks to the chair of our local conference planning committee, Jennifer Gremmert, Deputy Director of Energy 

Outreach Colorado. Our thanks also go to Edward Gingold of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Mary Grassi of PPL Electric 

Utilities for their tireless work in applying for CLE credits and to Jennie Miller of Energy Outreach Colorado for recruiting and coordinating 

conference volunteers and coordinating conference logistics. 

Scholarships 

Both NFFN and NLIEC provide scholarships to enable greater participation in the knowledge-sharing and network-building activities that 

occur at the National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference. The NFFN presents the Sister Pat Kelley Scholarship, named in honor of 

the Network’s founder. The NLIEC established the Vicky Mroczek Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2003 to honor its late board chair, a tireless 

advocate for the nation’s low-income energy consumers. It expanded upon NLIEC’s former Networking Scholarship Fund, which had been in 

effect since 1995 and provides support to those who otherwise could not attend the conference. 

The NLIEC also has reached out each year since 1998 through the Michael LeM. Kennedy Scholarship Fund, which was established in honor 

of the late chairman of Citizens Energy Corporation -- a longtime member of the NLIEC Board of Directors. The scholarship is presented to an 

individual from an organization, profession or field of interest heretofore not closely associated with the low-income energy community. 

Program Pictures 

Pictures on pages 1, 2, 3, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 35, 36 &37 courtesy of Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

Picture on page 12 courtesy of Scott Dressel-Martin for the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

31

About NEADA, NFFN and NLIEC 

NEADA 

The National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA) represents the state directors of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 

Program (LIHEAP). NEADA was formed in 1983 to support states in the development of LIHEAP policies to provide quality assistance to 

eligible households. 

NEADA accomplishes its goals through coordinating and cooperating in the collection and dissemination of information, proposing energy 

policy, providing program administrative advice, analyzing programs and benefits among public and private institutions, and enhancing each 

state’s capabilities and responsibilities in the administration and delivery of energy assistance. 

NEADA has completed two national surveys of LIHEAP recipients, for example, interviewing more than 1,100 recipients in its most recent 

study. In addition, NEADA conducts ongoing surveys of program applications, recipients, arrearages and shutoffs throughout the program year. 

Copies of all NEADA reports and surveys can be downloaded from its website: www.neada.org. 

NFFN 

Founded in 1984, the National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN) is the association of charitable fuel funds. NFFN’s mission is to increase the 

resources available to meet the energy needs of people with low income. The Network’s membership encompasses private fuel funds, also 

called energy banks or utility assistance funds; utilities; private citizens; community action and social service agencies; and government and 

Tribal programs. Together, over 300 NFFN members raise some $120 million in charitable energy aid each year. 

NFFN programs include: the National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference, advocacy for LIHEAP, including NFFN’s Washington Action 

Day for LIHEAP each winter, and media work to promote charitable energy assistance. The Network publishes the quarterly National Energy 

Assistance Report, the electronic Energy Safety Net Bulletin, and occasional reports. On September 16-17, 2008 in Baltimore, NFFN will 

convene the Victorine Q. Adams Institute, where participants will forge current best practices in fuel fund fundraising and develop strategies for 

future fundraising. The National Fuel Funds Network assists with the formation of new fuel funds and energy assistance coalitions and provides 

technical assistance to members. 

For more information and to join NFFN, visit www.nationalfuelfunds.org. 

NLIEC 

Founded in 1986, the National Low Income Energy Consortium (NLIEC) brings together organizations and individuals from the public, private, 

and nonprofit sectors for the common purpose of increasing awareness of and eliminating residential energy and utility hardships and crises 

faced by low-income consumers. 

Through the National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference, NLIEC provides stakeholders with timely and accurate information that 

can be applied to their everyday work. It also provides invaluable networking opportunities and facilitates connections with resources that 

attendees can call upon for years to come. In addition to conducting the Conference, NLIEC maintains a website – www.nliec.org – that 

includes information about the Consortium, archives of past conference presentations and an online resource center containing news stories 

and releases, editorials and published commentaries on energy issues. 

NLIEC also publishes a monthly electronic newsletter available free to all stakeholders and provides speakers for local and regional energy 

summits. In addition, it produces the quarterly Journal of Energy Assistance (www.energyassistancejournal.org), an online publication 

containing research, evidence-based articles, case studies and examples of best practices that is intended to be a relevant, valuable, 

appropriate and accurate resource for stakeholders in the energy-assistance community. 

32

NEADA, NFFN and NLIEC Boards of Directors 

NEADA Board of Directors 

Jo-Ann Choate, Maine, Chair 

John Harvanko, Minnesota, Vice Chair 

Mike Kelly, Nebraska, Treasurer 

Sherm Roquiero, Utah, Secretary 

Regional Representatives 

Phyllis Morris, New York, Northeast 

Cathy Rowe, Arkansas, South 

John Overman, Oregon, West 

Nick Sunday, Ohio, Midwest 

At-Large Representative 

Susan Brown, Wisconsin 

Jerry McKim, Iowa 

Mark Wolfe, Executive Director 

NFFN Board of Directors 

Greg Sawyers, Chairperson, Citizens Gas & Coke Utility 

James Jacob, Vice-Chairperson, New Jersey SHARES 

Nancy Udy, Secretary, The Salvation Army - Golden State Division 

Janis Foreman, Treasurer, Sacramento Municipal Utility District 

Julie Arnestad, Tacoma Power 

Skip Arnold, Energy Outreach Colorado 

Marsha Belcher, CEDA, Chicago 

Deirdra Burford, City of Detroit Department of Human Services 


Jan Marcason, Councilwoman, Kansas City, MO 

Sue Montgomery Corey, Community Power Network of New York State 

Joe Guarinello, HeartShare Human Services of New York 

Carolyn MacKool, DTE Energy 

Lindsay Parke, The Connecticut Light and Power Company 

Eva Pratt, Capital Area Legal Services Corp., Baton Rouge, LA 

Tom Stovall, Operation: New View CAA, Dubuque, IA 


Gloria Thirdkill, Consultant, Laclede Gas Company 

Ex Officio 

Mary Ann Bernald, Edison Electric Institute 



Robert Patton, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 

George Coling, Executive Director 

NLIEC Board of Directors 

Cindy Datig, Chairperson, Dollar Energy Fund 

Ken Thiry, Vice Chairperson, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation 

Ron Grosse, Secretary, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (Retired) 

Jim Jacob, Treasurer, New Jersey SHARES 

Anita E. Adams, American Electric Power 

Christopher Baker, AARP 

Linda Barnes, Entergy Corporation 

Mary Ann Bernald, Edison Electric Institute 

Brian Castelli, Alliance to Save Energy 


Don Dasher, BGE - A Constellation Energy Company 

Ron Elwood, Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance 

Mary Thompson Grassi, PPL Electric Utilities 

John M. Harvanko, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association 

Elliott Jacobson, Low Income Energy Affordability Network 

John F. Nall, Southern California Edison 

Kay Joslin, National Center for Appropriate Technology 


Clifton Lewis, Sacramento Municipal Utilities District 

Della McCurdy, Florida Power & Light Company 

Mitch Miller, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners 

Greg Sawyers, National Fuel Funds Network 

Claudia Stewart, Citizens Energy Corporation 

Frank Stewart, American Association of Blacks in Energy 

Patty Terpin, NiSource 

Timothy Warfield, National Association for State Community Services 

Programs 


Cynthia Zwick, Arizona Community Action Association 

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority 

Ex Officio 

Joel Eisenberg, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy 

Jacqueline S. Holmes, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 

David Fox, Executive Director 

Associate Members 

Alabama Power Company 


Aquila 

Atmos Energy 

Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities 

Colorado Governor’s Energy Office 

Community Action Partnership 



KeySpan Corporation 

National Oilheat Research Alliance 

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association 


33

Conference Exhibitors 

The following companies and organizations have exhibits at the 2008 National Energy and 

Utility Affordability Conference. We encourage you to stop by their exhibits and let them 

know how much you appreciate their participation in the conference. 

APPRISE 

CAP Systems, Inc. 

CS&O 


Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States 

National Fire Protection Association 

Niagara Conservation 

Pennsylvania PUC 

Resource Action Programs 

Solix, Inc. 

Social Service Coordinators, Inc. 

Soundbite Communications, Inc. 

TeleVox 

Trees, Water & People 

Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association 

U.S. Internal Revenue Service 


34

Participating Conference Partners and Sponsors 

35

Participating Conference Partners and 

36

Sponsors 

37

See you next year in Portland, Oregon 

Doubletree Hotel Portland-Lloyd Center 

June 15-17, 2009

2008 - National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference

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