Geoscience Policy Monthly Review
march 2015

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energy

Senate budget would change energy efficiency scoring

March 20, 2015

On March 20, Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY), Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, introduced the Senate budget, a concurrent resolution that sets the budget for the U.S. government for fiscal year (FY) 2016 (S.Con.Res.11). Among many other provisions, the bill establishes criteria for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to determine the impact of energy efficiency on the federal budget and promotes efficiency and renewable energy. CBO has experienced problems expanding energy efficiency criteria because their current scorekeeping method does not accurately account for the benefits of increased energy efficiency. The new language would require CBO to consider energy savings as part of the net value of a project and would include a longer window for CBO to consider costs savings than the typical 10-year budget timeframe. CBO would weigh contract costs and energy savings against each other for a net price outcome.

Source: Congress, E&E News

Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill passes Senate

March 27, 2015

At 4:00am on March 27, the Senate passed Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-NH) Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 (S. 535) as part of the Senate “vote-a-rama” . Previously, similar bills were stymied by congressional focus on Keystone XL, though related language was introduced and adopted as an amendment to the Keystone XL legislation that President Obama vetoed earlier this year. The bipartisan legislation would encourage energy efficiency in commercial buildings, exempt certain water heaters from upcoming Department of Energy efficiency standards, and require federal agencies to implement energy-efficient technology and report energy usage data for buildings that do not meet Energy Star benchmarks. The bill now moves on to consideration by the House.

Sources: Congress, E&E News, National Journal, Senator Portman’s website