Climate Communities weekly webinars are now for members only
Join Climate Communities today to stay connected with the webinars. E-mail andy@climatecommunities.us for membership details.
Upcoming Climate Communities webinars
- Thursday, May 2 @ 2 pm Eastern - Get Plugged In: Help Support Bipartisan Energy Efficiency Legislation
Climate Communities proposal for competitive EECBG funding
America’s cities and counties have taken the lead in implementing clean energy solutions by serving as laboratories of innovation. Local governments are providing low-cost financing for energy efficiency retrofits of buildings; setting and enforcing building efficiency standards; developing community-scale renewable energy; utilizing low-emission vehicles and fuels; installing alternative fuels infrastructure; promoting smart land use and increased mass transit to reduce vehicle miles traveled; and developing clean energy jobs. To build upon the success of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) and maintain the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) partnership with local governments, Climate Communities has developed a proposal that would dedicate $250 million to provide local grants to localities for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
An opportunity exists to urge Congress to direct a portion of the DOE funding that it traditionally earmarked into competitive EECBG funding for local governments. A $250 million competitive grant program would allow Congress to make good on its pledge reduce federal spending, while continuing to provide federal investment in important local projects that reduce energy use, save local energy costs, curb emissions and create jobs.
In 2008, Climate Communities proposed that Congress create a similar grant program for local governments to implement wide-ranging initiatives that produced significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. This proposal became the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Showcase Communities program, which has awarded $10 million in each of the last two years for municipalities to undertake climate action projects. Climate Communities will be working to duplicate this success by securing funding for the proposed energy grants.
Click here for a copy of Climate Communities' competitive grant proposal. Please provide feedback to Andrew Seth at (202) 261-6011 or andy@climatecommunities.us. |
