By Debra DeHaney-Howard
June 28, 2010

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cathy Zoi told the mayors that our nation's energy challenges must be addressed through investing in energy efficiency, clean energy and technology in her remarks during the June 14 Annual Business Session. "We have the technology already to begin transitioning to a clean energy economy and we hope cities will be the laboratories for the investment we make."

Speaking to the Conference's top priority, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, Zoi said, "The energy block grant program is a program that translates clean energy from theory to practice at the local level across America. We have real operating clean energy projects covering building retrofits, energy efficiency financing, renewable energy systems, transportation innovation and methane abatement; under this program, thousands of projects will be underway this summer."

Zoi reported to the mayors on her agency's recent progress in allocating this first-time funding directly to cities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "Over 94 percent of the $3.2 billion in energy block grant dollars has been green lighted for spending. All conditions have been removed and over $1 billion has been obligated by cities. We now have libraries, police stations, traffic signals, street lights, and schools, which are all replicable, cost-effective projects that are creating good jobs at the local level in thousands of communities," she said.

Citing the substantial investment in energy efficiency now being made by the Department of Energy (DOE), Zoi said that her office — the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy — has received "16 billion dollars of Recovery Act funds and now has over 7000 projects and programs under its management, including the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program."

Zoi also talked about EECBG competitive grants that were recently awarded by her office, whereby 25 state and local governments received grants totaling $450 million for innovative energy efficiency projects. "The ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up- program will support large'scale models that can open new energy efficiency opportunities to whole neighborhoods, towns, and, eventually, entire states. Through this program, these communities will be able to demonstrate a variety of sustainable business models that can be replicated across the country."

To ensure accountability in these programs, Zoi indicated that DOE will continue to provide guidance to grant recipients and require them to report on the number of jobs created or retained, energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and funds leveraged.

Responding to Conference of Mayors President Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth B. Kautz- question on future funding for the program, Zoi said, "EECBG was not included in the budget that the President presented for FY -11. However, we now have a track record. Should the Congress show the same excitement for the program as you have, we at DOE will be excited and pleased to help you implement it."