On February 4, the White House released the President's proposed budget for FY 09. The proposal is non-binding, but provides a "blueprint" for Congress in preparing its spending bills.
Of interest to NEPPA, the President's FY 09 budget:
- Eliminates all funding for the Renewable Energy Production Incentive (REPI) program. The program, which provides a production incentive for consumer-owned renewable energy projects, has received roughly $5 million each year;
- Eliminates all funding for the Weatherization Assistance program, which was funded at $250 million in FY 2008.
- Cuts funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The budget provides for $1.7 billion in block grants and $300 million in contingency funds, a 22% cut from the total FY 08 level.
The budget can be found at http://www.budget.gov/.