Washington (DC)
July 10, 2009

No doubt, the legislative priority for The U.S. Conference of Mayors this Summer is the Senate Energy and Climate Bill. On June 26, the legislation passed the House by seven votes. Conference President Nickels was vigorous with calls and communications on the House Bill and he has announced that this is our number one legislative goal as we go through the Summer and into the Fall.

The House-passed bill does not have any of the funds derived from the sale of allowances going to cities. Instead it provides approximately ten billion or even more that will go directly to states. Unfortunately there are some states that are not inclined to accept the scientific fact that we have a climate-threatened globe. In light of what is now happening with the current stimulus monies, we have to raise the question of whether any or how much money would be passed on to cities who have signed our Climate Protection Agreement, almost 950, in every state of the Union and Puerto Rico.

It is unfortunate that our request to be included as direct recipients of funds in the House bill fell on deaf ears. Some have reported that House leaders didn’t need mayoral support or were inclined to believe we would support the bill even without the very badly needed direct funding to our cities.

In the Senate it is a different matter. They are looking for votes. We can help them if they will help us.

The number one issue for us is our number one priority under Past Presidents Palmer and Diaz – and now President Nickels – the funding of our newly created Environment and Energy Block Grant program. That’s our baby. We fought to establish it before Bush left town. We fought to have it included in the Pelosi bill last Fall. We fought to have it finally included in the Obama/Congressional stimulus that was passed as he took the oath.

$2.8 billion in stimulus is coming your way soon. We hope sooner. The Energy Block Grants will reach you as a part of the stimulus money coming from President Obama’s Department of Energy. That’s good.

But you need to know that no money was requested by the Administration, and the House has not included in the regular appropriations process any money to continue the Energy Block Grants once the stimulus money runs out and ends in 2010. That’s not good.

Our only way to get our funds to continue the Energy Block Grants is through the current Senate Energy and Climate Bill before the Senate.

Conference President Nickels is sending out a letter to all mayors who have Senators on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

We are asking the Senate and the White House to support our amendment to the Senate Bill, which would provide a 60/40 split of the state funds to be distributed under the distribution system as contained in our established Energy Block Grant program. If this language is included, we will have established solid funding for our new Energy Block Grants program for years to come.

We were very pleased that Senator Boxer included our Energy Block Grant approach in her bill that fell short in 2008. We are encouraged in our preliminary discussions that cities and counties will be included as direct recipients of the Senate Energy and Climate Bill.

But this effort is going to take laser focus and heavy lifting on the part of mayors of the Conference of Mayors. If we don’t do it, nobody will. It’s up to us – that’s a political fact. President Nickels needs your total attention to this matter and together it will be the cities and mayors who lead America toward green jobs creation and climate protection.

The mega-Transportation Bill has been shelved with an 18-month extension. This moves the Environmental Bill up front and center. We must use all efforts to secure future funding for our Energy Block Grants.

Over the days and weeks ahead – stay closely attuned to the request for action as we move to pass a Senate Bill that will provide direct funding to cities. We will need your help in this effort. Together we have prevailed in creating the Energy Block Grants. President Obama, in the White House with mayors in February, gave the mayors credit as conceiving the new Energy Block Grant program. And so this new federal initiative is in its infancy. It’s our baby. And we must fight with all our might to nurture and support it. We do this to support the 950 cities committed to Climate Change through our Mayors Climate Agreement. We do this because we know this program is the only green jobs game in town. We do this for the economic strength, the national security, and the health of our nation and our globe. And we do this for you, the mayors of the nation who have been leading the way in America for climate change. Our Energy Block Grants must be funded now and into our future. Thanks for your continued strong support now.

As President of my Butler Georgia High School Class of 1959, Carlotta, also a 1959 classmate, and I travelled to our hometown of Butler, Georgia. 1959 Classmates, Butler Mayor Joel Posey and his wife Naomi, accepted a plaque I presented making him an honorary member of USCM. Butler was where it all began for me and I learned so much there with the people of Butler that has sustained me through the 40 years I have served this great organization – The United States Conference of Mayors. Thanks to my classmates for coming and especially those who worked so hard for its success. Mayor Posey moved that we meet annually and in my world, that was it. Carlotta and I look forward to our 51st next year.