Daily Journal - McKinley, Welch Introduce Bipartisan Energy Efficiency Bills

News Article

By Pam Kasey

On Thursday, Reps. David B. McKinley, P.E. and Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced bipartisan legislation that would spur energy efficiency investments in both residential and commercial buildings. Rep. Welch and Rep. Mckinley are the co-chairs of the High Performance Building Caucus.

After introducing the legislation, Congressman Welch said, "Vermont has lead the nation in energy efficiency. These bills would take the Vermont model and apply it across the country. Encouraging energy efficiency in the private sector is a win-win-win for the consumer, the economy and the environment. And, in an era of partisan gridlock, energy efficiency is a practical, common sense idea where Democrats and Republicans can find common ground."

Congressman Mckinley said, "As a civil engineer, it's evident we need to provide financial incentives to homeowners and businesses for energy efficiency," said Rep. McKinley. "Financial incentive transcends political ideology. Not only is this good for the environment but it will save money in the end."

The first of the bills, The Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) Act, would provide rebates to homeowners who invest in energy efficiency improvements. Homeowners who demonstrate a 20 percent energy savings will receive a $2,000 rebate. For every 5 percent in additional energy savings, they can receive another $1,000 -- up to a total of $8,000 or 50 percent of the project's cost.

The Better Buildings Act would help get commercial landlords and tenants on the same page about the best energy savings practices to use when out-fitting space for their tenants needs. The legislation encourages tenants and landlords to work hand-in-hand in making commercial buildings more efficient. The Department of Energy would then issue "TENANT STAR" certifications, in the same way that buildings can qualify for an ENERGY STAR recognition, to demonstrate their energy efficiency and attract investors and occupants.

In April, Rep. McKinley and Rep. Welch also introduced The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (H.R. 1616), the House companion to the bill introduced by Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) in the Senate.

Source