Van Hollen, Leggett, Berliner Discuss Federal, State and Local Energy Initiatives

Press Release

Today, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) joined Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner and local clean energy business leaders to highlight federal, state and local home energy initiatives designed to reduce energy consumption and help homeowners save money on their energy bills.

At a home that has undergone energy efficiency improvements, Van Hollen discussed his recently introduced National Home Energy Savings Revolving Fund Act, a measure that would allow local governments to offer no-interest loans to over one million households to make their homes more energy efficient. Similar legislation introduced by Berliner, called the Home Energy Loan Program (HELP), passed the Montgomery County Council today. The county is the first in the Washington metropolitan region to adopt such a program.

"Maryland's effort to pursue a strong, thriving clean energy economy serves as a national example and I am committed to continuing a strong federal partnership in this endeavor," said Van Hollen. "The Recovery Act included unprecedented investments in clean energy and energy efficient technologies, and I look forward to continuing to work on federal initiatives to put our country on a path to addressing climate change and reducing our dependence on foreign oil."

"The Home Energy Loan Program and the National Home Energy Savings Revolving Fund will help our homeowners reduce their skyrocketing utility bills and their carbon footprint at the same time, while putting people to work in the new green economy," said Councilmember Berliner. "It has broad support within the environmental and business community and it should impose almost no cost on the County thanks to the good work of Congressman Chris Van Hollen and the federal stimulus bill. Congressman Van Hollen has been the ideal partner for Montgomery County in this local-federal collaboration and I commend his environmental leadership on behalf of our residents."

"My administration has been aggressively moving ahead to bring innovation and clean, green industries to Montgomery County," said Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, "and Federal stimulus resources are helping to jumpstart our efforts. Thanks to Congressman Van Hollen's efforts in securing American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for us, I'm proud to announce that the County is expected to receive nearly $12 million for energy efficiency projects, energy audits and weatherizing homes for low income families."

In addition to the energy efficiency loan program, Van Hollen has introduced the Cap and Dividend Act of 2009, which caps carbon emissions, auctions 100 percent of carbon permits, and keeps the American consumer whole by returning all auction proceeds in the form of a monthly dividend. The Congressman has also introduced the Green Bank Act of 2009, which would create an independent lending authority to provide a comprehensive range of financing support to qualified clean energy and energy efficiency projects within the territorial United States.

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