In my previous Blog (does anyone else dislike the term as
much as I?) I spoke of the high quality of the presentations at the Municipal
Waste Managers Association’s Fall Summit at San Diego in November. I singled out
Susan
Thorneloe’s introduction of EPA's Suite of
Homeland Security Decision Support Tools (DSTs) For Managing Disaster-Generated
Waste and Debris, outlining a single comprehensive approach to
domestic incident management for responding to, and recovering from terrorist
attacks. major disasters, and other emergencies. (Read John's Last Blog)
Today I’d like to share John Williams, Vice President and
National Director of HDR Engineering’s Sustainable Development program’s
Shades of Green; Leading the way to the right match for your community
talk, addressing the Federal Government’s Energy Efficiency & Conservation
Block Grant (EECBG) Program.
Containing at its core a $2 billion annual appropriation,
Williams pointed out that while first year funding can be used for strategy
development. Subsequent funding is for implementation of city and county
strategies approved by the U.S. DOE. What does this mean for your waste
management program? A whole lot if you consider the amount of energy available
in your wastestream that is currently headed for a landfill. After you’ve read
the following synopsis of the EECBG program, you may see an opportunity for
helping your community in developing an energy efficiency strategy that
incorporates an energy-from-waste component.
Energy and Environmental Block Grant (EEBG) Program
Background
The United States,
to remain competitive and economically viable, needs a comprehensive energy
strategy that incorporates energy efficiency and alternative energy sources. In
addition, the United States, while representing less than 5 percent of the
world’s population, releases a projected 25 percent of all greenhouse gases
emitted worldwide, the major contributor of global warming. Local governments
are particularly well-positioned to develop, implement and promote an energy
efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction strategy at the community
level.
The Energy and
Environmental Block Grant program assists local and state governments to develop
and implement a comprehensive energy efficiency strategy which emphasizes a
bottom-up, community-based approach in helping the nation meet its energy and
climate protection goals.
Program Elements of the EEBG Proposal – Eligible Communities – 70 percent of all
funds would be directed to cities with populations of 50,000 or more and
Counties of 200,000 or more based on a formula, set by the Secretary of Energy
considering residential and daytime population. States would receive the
remaining 30 percent of the funds and would be required to pass through at least
70 percent to provide subgrants to units of local governments that are not
eligible under the population formula.
* Planning Grants – The DOE
Secretary can disburse $200,000 or 20 percent of the grant (whichever is
greater) to the local and state government to assist with the development of an
Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection Strategy. The local and state
government must submit and receive approval by the Secretary of Energy of this
strategy which establishes goals for increased energy efficiency and reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions in that jurisdiction.
* Eligible Activities of the Energy Efficiency
and Climate Protection Strategy – Determination of 1990 and present levels of
greenhouse gas emissions; Conducting energy audits and weatherization
programs; Creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency
retrofits; Development and implementation of building and home energy
conservation programs; Development and implementation of transportation fuel
conservation programs; Development and implementation of alternative fuel
technologies and infrastructure that result in significant greenhouse gas
emission reductions; and Development and implementation of building codes and
inspection services for public, commercial, industrial, and residential
buildings to promote energy efficiency; Development and promotion of land use
guidelines that result in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission
reductions.
*Annual Reporting Requirements – The local and
state government will submit annual reports to the DOE Secretary regarding the
status of the Strategy’s development, implementation, and if possible, a best
available assessment of the energy efficiency gains and greenhouse gas
reductions realized.
*Appropriation Levels - $4 billion in FY 2008
– 2009; $5 billion in FY 2010 – 2011; and $6 billion in FY
2012.
Benefits of EEBG – ·
Significant Energy Savings in the New Building Sector: The updating and revision
of building codes within cities and counties will result in significant
increases in energy efficiency.
For example,
buildings and their construction account for nearly half of all the greenhouse
gas emissions and energy consumed in this country each year, according to the
American Institute of Architects. By 2031, according to a Global Insight, Inc.
25-year forecast, the nation will build 39.3 million new homes and 20 billion
sq. ft. of commercial space that will consume, at current rates, an additional
four quadrillion BTUs annually. It is estimated that 80-85% of all buildings
will be newly constructed or rehabbed/renovated by the year 2035. Updating local
codes to achieve carbon neutral 2030 goals will result in substantial energy
reductions.
Energy Audits and
Retrofits for Existing Buildings: The existing building stock utilizes
significantly less-efficient energy technology and therefore accounts for the
majority of energy consumed by building sectors. Local programs that perform
energy audits to identify costeffective retrofits in the public, non-profit,
residential and business sectors would yield significant increases in energy
efficiency through the removal of outdated and inefficient technology. The EEBG
would expand building energy retrofit programs in communities, resulting in
significant savings.
Community-based
Energy Conservation Programs: The most cost-effective and immediate way to
increase energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions is through personal,
behavioral change and participation in energy conservation programs. Local
governments can organize these voluntary programs to reduce energy consumption
by “turning the lights out”; “turning down thermostats”; conversion to compact
fluorescent lighting; performance of home energy audits; etc. Local governments
launched over 5,000 community recycling programs in the early 1990s because the
populace was energized to participate in such programs to achieve a common
public goal. Similar participatory results can be achieved for energy efficiency
initiatives that will result in significant energy
savings.
Community-based
Transportation Programs: President Bush has asked the public to reduce gasoline
consumption by 10 percent. In order to meet these goals, a mix of conservation
and alternative technologies will be required. Cities and counties are
wellpositioned to launch programs that encourage such activities as car pooling,
increased transit ridership, flex-time by employers, and other initiatives to
reduce vehicle miles traveled. These programs can also address alternative fuel
distribution systems at the local level that will encourage fossil fuel
alternatives.
Promotion of
Alternative Energy Technologies: Cities and communities are often the
laboratories for the application of new energy technologies that require
demonstration before they are fully accepted by the broader public. By
establishing and fostering such demonstration programs, cities can expedite the
acceptance of new and innovative technologies at the community and business
level, resulting in significant energy savings.
Through development
of local programs that promote alternative energy technology, cities and
counties will significantly increase the rate of adoption of these technologies
by businesses, commercial buildings, and homes.
Design for Energy
Efficient Communities: Cities can design for more energy efficiency through
promotion of transit-oriented development; mixed-use development; alternative
transportation use; pedestrian-oriented communities; and other design approaches
that encourage fewer vehicle miles traveled.
Engagement of
Citizens and Key Sectors: Full-scale city and county energy initiatives will
yield high rates of citizen participation and serve as catalysts for action
among the business, non-profit, educational and general public sectors to carry
out a variety of energy reduction and climate protection activities that benefit
the entire community.