U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have introduced the bipartisan Investing in New Strategies for Upgrading Lower Attaining Efficiency (INSULATE) Buildings Act. NASEO had the opportunity to work with the Senate offices in the development of the bill, which would provide grants through the State Energy Program to capitalize revolving loan funds for energy audits and efficiency upgrades in homes and businesses, with an emphasis on states with high per-capital energy consumption and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
In a joint press release issued by the Senators, NASEO’s Executive Director David Terry endorsed the bill: “The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), representing the energy offices in the states, territories and DC, supports this legislation. [It] will support state revolving loans that the energy offices have had experience operating for many years. We applaud this bipartisan effort by Senator Manchin and Senator Murkowski to fund important energy efficiency upgrades in both residential and commercial buildings. Saving people energy and money is always good policy.”
This bill text is available here.