ENERGY BLOCK GRANTS NEED FUNDING
Last year, Congress created an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program as part of a larger energy bill. The program is meant to be a funding source for cities and states to improve energy efficiency, lower energy usage, and reduce fossil fuel emissions.
Under the program, Congress may appropriate up to $2 billion per year for grants. Of that amount, 68 percent would flow to cities and counties while 28 percent would go to the states. Cities over 35,000 in population would apply directly to the U.S. Department of Energy for grants; a city under 35,000 would apply to the state for funding under the program (each state must pass through to local governments at least 60 percent of its share of funding). The FY 2009 federal budget is being developed now, and the budget resolution as it currently stands would call for partial, but not full, funding of the program. Meanwhile, the specifics of the block grant funding will be taken up in a departmental appropriation bill, most likely the energy-water bill, beginning in April 2008.
City officials are urged to contract their members of Congress and urge "full funding" of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.
More information about the grant program can be obtained from the following document prepared by the National League of Cities: http://www.tml.org/legal_pdf/EEC-blockgrantFAQ2.pdf.