NARUC decries conditions on states for federal grants.
Lori A. Burkhart is Fortnightly’s managing editor.
President Barack Obama on February 17 signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known simply as the Stimulus Bill, which contained provisions allowing for investments approaching $100 billion in green energy alone. For example, some $11 billion overall will be spent on the smart grid and advanced electric meters, while $6.3 billion is slated for state and local governments to make investments in energy efficiency and $3.1 billion will go for energy efficiency and conservation block grants to states.
These grants are needed because many state governments are facing budget shortfalls and so they may lack sufficient financial resources to take advantage of the full potential of energy-efficiency programs available for implementation. The Stimulus Bill aims to help states promote clean-energy development and efficiency programs while creating jobs in the sector.