BY TY GORMAN, Beyond Coal Campaign Kansas
Kansas may be a leader in wind energy, but our state ranks 47th in the country for energy efficiency investments because we’re not using electricity wisely. Black and LatinX communities in Evergy’s service territory spend more of their income on energy bills than white communities do. That’s why you should speak out during the public comment period on Every’s plans for Kansas energy efficiency programs.
Evergy filed its first-ever energy efficiency program proposal late last year with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Sierra Club will intervene as a party to provide specific feedback for Evergy and the KCC to consider. The public will be able to comment online and at a public Zoom hearing Monday, June 27, 2022 at 6 p.m. The Commission will accept written comments about the programs through July 8.
We want Kansas Evergy customers to join us at the public hearing and submit written comments to demand that the utility triple the money it proposes to spend on efficiency and use most of the funds in energy burdened communities.
Black and Latino majority census tracts in the Wichita and Kansas City regions have an average energy burden double that of predominantly white census tracts. An energy burden more than 6 percent of income is considered high, while an energy burden of more than 10 percent is severe. Black and Latino communities in Kansas routinely spend 10-15% for electricity. A high energy burden can threaten a household’s ability to pay utility bills, leads to an increased risk of disconnection, and forces some households to choose between paying energy bills and paying rent or buying food. For renters, landlords can use utility disconnections to justify evictions, increasing the number of unhoused Kansas families. Substantial investments in energy efficiency by Evergy can help address this inequity.
This is about environmental justice. We need folks with a lower energy burden to show up and support investments in communities with a higher energy burden. We must dismantle oppressive systems, hold those who enable them accountable, and build new equitable systems that work for everyone. We are powerful when we work together.
High achievement in energy efficiency is a critical piece of an equitable, affordable, low-carbon transition, as it means that dirtier energy must be used to electrify other parts of our world. Higher levels of energy efficiency will not only make energy bills more affordable, but can also help create headroom for electrification of buildings and vehicles. Help us advocate for equitable energy efficiency programs from Evergy.
Resources:
- What’s your household energy burden? Find out using Sierra Club’s energy burden calculator.
- Read Sierra Club’s Kansas Pays the Price Volume 2 to learn more about how Evergy can help deliver on equity through a clean energy transition while saving money.