The 2015 Budget: Impacts on Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Channel: eesionline
Date: 2014-03-31

Learn more and download slides at: http://www.eesi.org/032814budget
Table of Contents: http://youtu.be/BVJEaLNIVds?t=20s

Friday, March 28, 2014——The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) -- in partnership with the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus -- held a briefing on the energy efficiency and renewable energy implications of the fiscal year (FY) 2015 budget proposal released by President Obama on March 4. 

Speakers:

Ashley Johnson, Office of Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)
See video: http://youtu.be/BVJEaLNIVds?t=1m24s

Jason Walsh, Senior Advisor, Dept. of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Download Jason Walsh's slides: http://files.eesi.org/JasonWalsh032814.pdf
See video: http://youtu.be/BVJEaLNIVds?t=2m48s

Fred Sissine, Energy Policy Specialist, Congressional Research Service (CRS)
Download Fred Sissine's slides: http://files.eesi.org/FredSissine032814.pdf
See video: http://youtu.be/BVJEaLNIVds?t=31m05s

Scott Sklar, Chair, Steering Committee, Sustainable Energy Coalition; President, Stella Group, Ltd.
Download Scott Sklar's slides: http://files.eesi.org/ScottSklar032814.pdf
See video: http://youtu.be/BVJEaLNIVds?t=46m10s

The $3.9 trillion budget proposal reflects the Administration's "all of the above" energy strategy as well as its focus on climate change, following the unveiling of the President's Climate Action Plan in June 2013.

Speakers from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Congressional Research Service (CRS) gave an overview of the budget requests for various clean energy programs, explained budget priorities, and provided context on how these priorities and trends compared to prior years. 

The proposed 2015 budget increases the Department of Energy's (DOE) funding by 2.6 percent over 2014 enacted levels, but reduces the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) by 3.8 percent.

The President's budget includes a $1 billion Climate Fund and a $56 billion infrastructure package that the Administration says would be used to "help our communities prepare for the effects of climate change." Related initiatives seek to make the electricity grid more resilient, not only to disasters but to attacks as well. Also of note is a requested increase of 26 percent over 2014 appropriations for the Department of Transportation. The increase is intended to go some ways to address the $86 billion maintenance backlog and help fund more energy efficient modes of transportation.

The President's budget also calls for the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, while proposing to make tax credits for renewable energy production permanent.