Reed and Collins Urge More LIHEAP Funding in Senate Economic Stimulus On January 23, New England Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter to Senate Leadership requesting that the Senate economic stimulus package include an additional $3.62 billion for Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to fully fund the program at $5.1 billion in FY 2008, and provide an additional $800 million in funding. A total of 37 Senators signed, including Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Ed Kennedy (D-MA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and John Sununu (R-NH).
Sen. Reed's office requested letters of support from outside organizations. NEPPA sent a letter to Sen. Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in support of the Reed-Collins LIHEAP effort.
Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reached an agreement with the White House on a $146 billion economic stimulus package that did not include any LIHEAP funding. That bill, H.R. 5140, was passed by the House of Representatives today (1/30) by a vote of 385 to 35.
Additionally, late last week Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) offered an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill which would have increased LIHEAP funding by $800 million. The amendment failed, however.
Cantwell and Snowe Try to Add CREBS, other energy incentives to stimulus bill
On Wednesday, January 30, the Senate Finance Committee plans to mark up its economic stimulus package, with Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) spearheading an effort to add a package of clean energy and energy efficiency tax incentives, including NEPPA-supported Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) provisions, to the bill. Cantwell and Snowe argue that "extending clean energy tax credits will "help ensure a stronger, more stable environment for new investments and ensure continued robust growth in a bright spot in an otherwise slowing economy." Morgan Meguire, on behalf of NEPPA, has contacted New England members on the Finance Committee to urge a "yes" vote. Sen. Kerry's office indicated he will co-sponsor the amendments with Cantwell and Snowe.
Earlier, Cantwell and Snowe circulated a letter encouraging inclusion of energy tax extenders in the economic stimulus bill. Thirty-three Senators signed the letter, including Sens. Kerry, Sanders, Sununu, Collins and Dodd. Staff to Sens. Reed, Kennedy, and Whitehouse told Morgan Meguire that their bosses decided to hold off on the Cantwell-Snowe letter because of their efforts on LIHEAP funding (see article above). However, they made clear that, if the energy tax incentives get into the bill during tomorrow's Finance Committee markup, they would support the provision on the floor.
EPA Staff Recommendations Overruled by Agency Chief
On January 2, sixteen states, led by California, Vermont and New York, agreed to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for blocking their state plans to limit vehicle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. California Attorney General Jerry Brown filed the lawsuit with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals saying that EPA was "illegally" blocking California's standards. Currently, California's law requires a reduction in vehicular emissions by 30 percent by 2016.
Last month, EPA denied a waiver to the states that would have allowed them to reduce vehicular emissions 23 percent by 2012 and 30 percent by 2016. EPA noted that Congress, in the recently enacted Energy Independence and Security Act, had approved an increase in federal mileage standards, which the EPA said was preferable to a "patchwork quilt" of individual state regulations.
Last Wednesday, January 23rd, Sen. Barbara Boxer's office released EPA staff documents, related to the decision. The documents show that EPA staff made a strong case that California should be allowed to proceed with its first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas regulations. These arguments were ignored by the EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.
Johnson testified before the Environment and Public Works Committee on January 24, where he was grilled by the Sen. Boxer as well as other Senators about his decision.