Talk to your U.S. Congressperson about the U.S. House Lower Energy Costs Act

Adapted from a National League of Cities’ staff correspondence

The Chairman of the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee has introduced H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, a comprehensive energy package that contains components provided by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, House Natural Resources Committee, and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

We direct your attention to Secs. 10014 and 10016 of the Act, which would repeal provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that benefit cities and residents.

As you prepare for the upcoming Congressional City Conference (CCC), consider uplifting local energy priorities in the Congressional meetings you attend on the Hill or communicate otherwise with your Congressional members.

The programs and funding level the bill would repeal are:

• $27 billion for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to support the rapid deployment of low- and zero-emission technologies, with 40% for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
  • There is also standalone legislation to repeal this program, which NLC opposed. The Environmental Protection Agency has released initial program guidance and the Notice of Funding Opportunity is expected to open this summer. Cities are eligible to compete for $7 billion of the $27 billion of overall funding.
• $1 billion to update to the latest building energy code and zero energy/stretch codes.
  • Under this program, the Dept. of Energy (DOE) will award grants to states, local governments and other eligible entities. The Request for Information on how to design the program is expected out soon; staff from DOE will be at the NLC Energy, Environment and Natural Resources (EENR) Committee meeting during CCC to discuss the program. Anyone registered for the conference is welcome to join.
• $4.275 billion for a high-efficiency electric home rebate program.
  • This program, through DOE, provides funding to state energy offices to offer rebates to individuals.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to bring HR 1 to the floor for a vote by the end of March. The U.S. Senate is working on a version of an energy/permitting reform bill, but it will differ greatly from the House bill. The House bill has basically no chance of passing the Senate.