Congress and Energy Efficiency: A Mixed Bag for Green Living
Hey there, eco-warriors! Seth Leitman, your Green Living Guy, here with some important updates from Capitol Hill. While the 113th Congress might not be winning any productivity awards, they’ve made some moves in the energy efficiency arena that we need to talk about. Let’s break it down!
The Good News: Funding Boost for Energy Efficiency
First up, some positive news! Congress has given a little love to the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, bumping up their budget by nearly $25 million to a cool $1.93 billion. This is music to my green ears!
The real winners here? The advanced manufacturing office and weatherization assistance programs, with increases of 11% and 9% respectively. This means more support for cutting-edge, energy-efficient manufacturing processes and help for low-income families to make their homes more energy-efficient. That’s what I call a win-win!
The Not-So-Good News: Some Programs Face Cuts
Unfortunately, it’s not all sunshine and solar panels. The buildings, vehicles, and federal energy management programs are facing some budget cuts. It’s a reminder that we need to keep pushing for consistent support across all areas of energy efficiency.
Tax Incentives: A Second Chance for 2014
Here’s something to celebrate: Congress has extended energy efficiency tax incentives for another year! This covers energy-efficient commercial buildings, new homes, and various residential energy-efficiency retrofits. If you made any green upgrades to your home or business in 2014, you might be eligible for some sweet tax credits. Check out energytaxincentives.org for all the details.
I’m The One That Got Away: Energy Efficiency Improvement Act
Sadly, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014 didn’t quite make it across the finish line. This bipartisan bill had some great provisions for promoting energy efficiency in rental properties, commercial buildings, and even federal data centers. It’s a shame it didn’t pass, but don’t lose hope – it’ll likely be reintroduced next year.
The Green Living Guy’s Take
While it’s disappointing to see such low productivity from Congress, especially when it comes to crucial issues like energy efficiency, we can’t lose sight of the progress we’ve made. The funding increases and tax incentive extensions are steps in the right direction.
But here’s the thing, folks – we can’t rely solely on Congress to drive our green agenda. As The Green Living Guy, I’m challenging each of you to take matters into your own hands:
- Take advantage of those tax incentives if you can.
- Look into weatherization programs if you’re eligible.
- Keep pushing for energy efficiency in your homes, workplaces, and communities.
Remember, every energy-efficient choice we make adds up to big changes for our planet.
Looking Ahead: Hope for the 114th Congress
As we gear up for the new Congress in January, let’s keep the pressure on for more comprehensive energy efficiency legislation. Your voice matters – reach out to your representatives and let them know you care about these issues.
Stay green, stay engaged, and let’s keep pushing for a more energy-efficient future!
Seth Leitman The Green Living Guy
#EnergyEfficiency #GreenLiving #CongressionalUpdate #SustainablePolicy #TaxIncentives
P.S. A big shoutout to Steven Nadel and the team at ACEEE for their fantastic work in tracking and influencing energy efficiency policy. Check out more of their insights at aceee.org/blog. Knowledge is power – especially when it comes to saving energy!
To read more blog posts, visit: https://aceee.org/blog
