Increased Renewable Energy Funding from Senate Agriculture

Appropriations Subcommittee

Tuesday June 20, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture funded the valuable and popular Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvements program (Sec. 9006) at $25 million discretionary.   This is an increase of $2 million from the programs original authorization of $23 million and an increase over the FY06 funding level.  The House has funded this program at $23 million, so differences will have to be worked out in conference.

The Value-added Producer Grant program (Sec. 6401) is funded at $48 million – $20 million discretionary and $28 million mandatory, this is up from its original authorization of $40 million for FY07 and  its final appropriation of $20.5 million in FY06.  The House FY07 funding level for this program is at $28 million.

The increasingly important Federal Procurement Program of Biobased Products (Sec. 9002) is also fully funded at $1 million, plus an additional $1.5 million for research and labeling.  The Biodiesel Education program (Sec. 9004) is also fully funded at $1 million. The Biomass Research and Development Act is funded at $14 million, this is an increase of $2 million from FY06 funding level and the President’s  budget request for FY07, but does not come close to the programs new authorization of $214 million of mandatory and discretionary funding from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58).  The House has all of the above mentioned programs at the same funding levels.

The Senate bill is scheduled to go to full committee for consideration Thursday, June 22 and then to the Senate floor.  The House and Senate will then conference their two bills later this year. Increasing funding for these essential renewable energy programs is a top priority for EESI, thanks to everyone who supported these programs!

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Click here for Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee press release

 If you have questions, please email or call Jetta Wong at jwong@eesi.org or (202) 662-1885. 

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is a non-profit organization that works at the nexus of policy and innovation to promote environmentally sustainable societies.  EESI was founded in 1984 by a bipartisan group of Congressional Members dedicated to finding environmental and energy solutions.  EESI provides credible, timely information and innovative policy ideas through coalition building, media outreach, publications, briefings, workshops and task forces on the issues of energy efficiency and renewable energy, transportation, smart growth, agriculture and global climate change.  Carol Werner leads the EESI team as executive director.