REQUESTING THE ENERGY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF THE ENERGY, MINERALS AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ENERGY CONSERVATION, SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTS AND ENERGY EFFICIENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.

WHEREAS, the winter of 2000-2001 has brought extreme increases in energy costs and in some communities in New Mexico the cost of natural gas has doubled, if not tripled, over last year's costs; and

WHEREAS, the California experience with deregulation has cast a shadow over the ability of other states to enter a deregulated market without having substantial negative effects on consumer energy costs; and

WHEREAS, regardless of the impact of deregulation, many people are now interested in learning what they can do to control the cost of energy they use, and many of those people want to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels; and

WHEREAS, high school teachers of industrial technology, science and home economics could be recipients of training to conduct community workshops in their counties to provide information about energy conservation and energy efficient construction to homeowners or prospective homeowners, for county extension service personnel and for local builders and architects; and

WHEREAS, at state universities, community colleges and vocational-technical schools, demonstration projects can be developed and opened as an ongoing display of current and new solar energy and other energy efficient technologies available for home construction and renovation; and

WHEREAS, the energy conservation and management division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department should be available to advise communities constructing community buildings on methods to use to make their new buildings energy efficient; and

WHEREAS, the manufactured housing industry, now producing more than fifty-four percent of all the new housing in New Mexico, needs to incorporate solar or energy efficient technology into the houses it produces;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the energy conservation and management division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department be requested to determine how to effectively provide training to homeowners and home construction industry personnel in energy efficient and solar energy building techniques and equipment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of energy, minerals and natural resources and to the director of the energy conservation and management division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department.