Dear NEMA Member:

On February 17th, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1) following House and Senate passage on February 13th. Over the past weeks and months, NEMA has been engaged in advocating provisions to stimulate the economy and assist our members. We have been successful on a number of fronts. The stimulus legislation contains significant tax, investment, and spending provisions impacting energy efficiency, Smart Grid, health information technology, and infrastructure projects. Click here for NEMA's 7-page summary of key provisions.  

We will be working closely with Congress and the Administration to ensure provisions are implemented quickly and effectively so that their impact can be felt as soon as possible. Congress is also moving forward with separate legislation on energy policy, climate change, healthcare reform, and infrastructure, and NEMA is engaged in each of these legislative activities and in advising the new Administration.   

We invite and welcome your recommendations and comments as we advocate policies for the electrical and medical imaging equipment manufacturing industries.      

Kyle Pitsor
Vice President, Government Relations
kyle.pitsor@nema.org

Hot Topics

02.23.09
Smart Grid Funding Discussion
Electricity: CURRENT Group's Birnbaum Discusses $11 billion Smart-Grid Funding in Stimulus

Now that the stimulus has officially been signed into law, how will the funding for projects be distributed and how quickly will the United States begin to see job growth? During today's OnPoint, Jay Birnbaum, senior vice president and general counsel for CURRENT Group, a Smart-Grid technology company, discusses Smart-Grid funding in the stimulus.

02.23.09
Future of Green Buildings Depends on Profitability
Figuring out a way to unite those forces was the theme of a Lipscomb University forum conducted Friday morning by the local chapter of Ed McMahon's employer, the Urban Land Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit that focuses on building greener.

02.22.09
Energy Efficiency Not Just for New Homes
The National Association of Home Builders believes green building is not just for new construction and is taking the message to its members in remodeling.

02.20.09
Turbine Installation Makes an Example of Energy Efficiency
The Lower Colorado River Authority has used energy generated by wind power since 1995.

02.19.09
New Bluetooth Standards to Bring Speed, Energy Efficiency
If all goes according to plan, Bluetooth could soon help you monitor your heart rate.

On the Hill/Around the Nation

02.21.09
Bills Aimed at State Prioritizing, Contracting for Energy Efficiency
The Alaska Senate will consider bills to promote energy efficiency in state buildings. Legislation was introduced Friday that would create a system of prioritizing state facilities that need retrofitting and allow the state to contract with an energy services company to do the work.

02.20.09
Obama Sees Houston as a Model for Energy Efficiency
President Obama told the nation's mayors at a White House meeting Friday that Houston's residential energy efficiency program could serve as a model for the nation, Houston Mayor Bill White said.

02.19.09
ISO New England Releases Smart Grid Report
Holyoke, Ma.-based ISO New England Inc., the operator of the region's bulk power system and wholesale electricity markets, has released a report highlighting various efforts to develop and implement Smart Grid technologies.

International News

No international news in this edition of eiXtra.

NEMAVoice

Industry News

Contracts

• Nucletron and Advanced Radiation Therapy Announce Partnership for Image-Guided Breast Irradiation
  Nucletron and Advanced Radiation Therapy (ART) announced an exclusive global, strategic partnership to offer the AccuBoost^® system with the microSelectron® high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy afterloader treatment delivery solution for the treatment of breast cancer. 02/17/09
  
  
• Nexans Wins 11 Million Euro Contract for BP’s Skarv Field
  Nexans has been awarded an 11 million Euro contract by BP Norge to supply a direct electrical heating (DEH) system for the Skarv field subsea production pipeline in the Norwegian Sea. 02/13/09
  
  
• Chinese Coal Group Turns to GE Energy to Support Initiative to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
  GE Energy announced that two of its ecomagination^TM-certified Jenbacher coal mine methane (CMM) gas engines will contribute to China’s efforts to reduce the amount of methane-rich greenhouse gases that escape from the nation’s coal mines. 02/11/09

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Rockwell Automation to Acquire Rutter Hinz
  Rockwell Automation, Inc. announced it has agreed to purchase the majority of the assets of Rutter Hinz Inc., a leading engineering company. 02/12/09

Personnel

• Itron Announces Promotion of Malcolm Unsworth to President and CEO Effective March 31, 2009
  Itron Inc. announced that its Board of Directors has elected Malcolm Unsworth to succeed LeRoy Nosbaum as president and chief executive officer effective March 31, 2009. 02/20/09

Awards

• Telegra Receives Award for Promoting Road Safety
  The International Road Federation (IRF) awarded Telegra Inc. a Global Road Achievement Award (GRAA) in the safety category. Telegra received the honor for its fuel cell powered LED matrix speed display sign. 02/18/09
  
  
• Square D Manufacturing Facility Receives Top Plant Award
  The Schneider Electric North American Operating Division announced that its Square D^® molded case circuit breaker manufacturing facility in Columbia, Mo., was recognized by Plant Engineering magazine as a winner of its Top Plant award. 02/10/09

[ Industry News Archives ]

NEMA News

• Stimulus Legislation Enacted with NEMA Provisions
  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1) that President Obama signed into law yesterday contains significant tax, investment, and spending provisions impacting energy efficiency, Smart Grid, health information technology, and infrastructure projects, all of which were endorsed by NEMA. 02/18/09
  
  
• The American National Standard Lighting Group Recruiting Members for Active Participation
  The American National Standard Lighting Group is currently seeking additional membership for its Accredited Standards Committee 81 (ASC 81). 02/13/09
  
  
• NEMA Urges NARUC to Support Transmission Construction
  During its annual winter meeting in Washington D.C., the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) will consider a resolution to support current federal policy on interstate transmission line siting. 02/13/09

[ NEMA News Archives ]

NEMA/BIS

• NEMA’s Lighting Systems Index Slides during Fourth Quarter of 2008
  NEMA’s Lighting Systems Index (LSI) contracted 4.8 percent between the third and fourth quarters of 2008. 02/09/09

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