WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy has powered up an online database of U.S. state policies on energy efficiency. The new State Energy Efficiency Policy Index allows policy makers, state officials, advocates, and citizens to search for energy-efficiency laws by state or policy topic.

"Many new energy-efficiency policy initiatives are tested at the state level," says ASE president Kateri Callahan. "We hope this Web resource will help disseminate and share such policies among states and allow them to learn from each other."

The index is organized by policy issue: appliance standards, building codes, greenhouse gas emission cap-and-trade programs, energy-efficiency funds, public benefits funds, tax incentives, transportation initiatives, and other legislation. The index also allows users to click on an interactive map of the United States to download a full listing of energy- efficiency laws on the book in each state. ASE says it will continue to update the index regularly.

ASE also releases a monthly electronic State Energy Efficiency Policy Bulletin, which tracks pending legislative and regulatory action in the states.