Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Chris Coons (D-DE) along with Reps. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) introduced Tuesday legislation that encourages the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESCs) in federal buildings.
Mandatory federal audits already outline energy savings projects for federal facilities, but federal agencies are not currently required to implement these changes.
The Energy Savings Through Public-Private Partnerships Act of 2019 would require that the projects be complete and that at least half of the projects be paid for by ESPCs or UESCs. It also expands the kinds of savings that can be used to repay the contracts.
ESPCs and UESCs are public-private partnerships in which private companies use their own money and resources to make energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings. In exchange for securing the upgrades, the private companies receive a portion of the money saved through the increased efficiency in the buildings. ESPCs and UESCs create private sector jobs at no real cost to taxpayers.
“More than 50 percent of the emissions reductions the United States has achieved since 2005 have been through gains in energy efficiency, and the federal government is the largest consumer of energy in America,” Sen. Gardner said. “Using ESPCs and UESCs to make the federal government more efficient while creating private sector jobs is the kind of commonsense solution that members of both parties can get behind. I’ve worked on this issue going back to my time in the House of Representatives, and I’m proud to join with my colleagues today and continue leading this effort that will help create private sector jobs, save American taxpayer dollars, and promote a cleaner environment.”
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