By Debra DeHaney-Howard and Kevin McCarty
April 19, 2010

Conference President Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz led a Conference delegation in discussions with Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu on implementation of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, explaining how this new initiative can underpin a stronger partnership between the Energy Department and the nation’s mayors on shared energy and climate goals.

Joining Kautz in the delegation were Conference Past President Trenton (NJ) Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, Elizabeth (NJ) Mayor Christian Bollwage, Hallandale Beach (FL) Mayor Joy Cooper, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Santa Ana (CA) Mayor Miguel Pulido, Gastonia (NC) Mayor Jennifer Stultz and U.S. Representative Chaka Fattah (PA).

In her remarks, Kautz underscored the mayors’ desire for a stronger partnership with Chu and his Department. “We are here seeking a stronger partnership with your department. We want to make our collaboration on the energy block program a success, especially since the mayors believe it’s vital to our efforts to move forward on energy independence and climate protection,” Kautz stated.

Citing the substantial work of the nation’s mayors on energy and climate protection, including the more than 1,030 mayors who have signed the Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, Kautz said, “Funding the energy block grant through the Recovery Act was a good first step in helping cities meet their emission reduction goals, but it’s important that the block grant has a sustained level of funding.”

Following her remarks, each of the mayors shared their perspectives, praising President Obama for his support of initial EECBG funding in the recovery legislation. Each discussed the importance of direct funding of cities for their energy and climate initiatives, the need for sustained annual EECBG funding and ways to further successful implementation of the program.

Joining the Conference delegation was Fattah, chair of the Congressional Urban Caucus and a key member of the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, who explained that EECBG funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was “not a one shot deal but an initial down payment to cities.”

Chu acknowledged that implementation of the energy block grant program started slowly but said through the work of his Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) team, lead by Assistant Secretary Cathy Zoi, block grant funds are moving out to cities faster and implementation has picked up speed, building momentum for the program. Chu explained how departmental officials were working to overcome legacy practices, such as its procurement rules, that complicated the startup of the EECBG program.

The mayors and departmental officials pledged to keep working together on ways to collaborate more effectively and to promote successes with the use of EECBG funds in cities.