WASHINGTON,
DC — On June 29, the Senate Committee on
Appropriations reported out the Energy and Water Development
Appropriations Act of 2007 (H.R. 5427). The Senate
appropriated $1.38
billion for Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy (EE/RE) programs for FY 2007, which is $206
million (17.5%) greater than the Administration’s FY
2007 request of $1.18
billion. By comparison, on May 24 the House Committee on
Appropriations appropriated $1.32
billion for EE/RE, which is $143
million (12.2%) above the FY 2007 request.
Renewable
Energy Appropriations
The
Senate restored two core DOE renewable energy programs,
geothermal energy and hydropower, which had been eliminated
in the FY 2007 request. The Senate appropriated $22.5
million for geothermal energy, nearly fully restoring
the program to the $23.1
million enacted in FY 2006. The Senate appropriated $4.0
million for hydropower, almost restoring the program to
the $4.9 million
enacted in FY 2005, and well above the $495,000
enacted in FY 2006. By comparison, the House, in an
amendment on the House floor, restored $5
million for geothermal energy, but did not restore
funding for hydropower.
The
Senate increased funding
for biomass and biorefinery systems R&D to $213
million, which is $63.3
million (42.3%) greater than the FY 2007 request. The
Senate reduced funding for wind power to $39.4
million, which is $4.4
million (10%) less than the FY 2007 request. By
comparison, the House accepted the FY 2007 request for both
biomass and biorefinery R&D and wind power.
Energy
Efficiency Appropriations
The
Senate increased funding for building technologies to $95.3
million, which is $18.0
million (23.2%) greater than the FY 2007 request. By
comparison, the House increased funding for building
technologies to $93.0
million, an increase of 20.3%.
The Senate accepted the FY 2007 request of $16.9
million for the Federal Energy Management Program
(FEMP). By comparison, the House increased funding
for FEMP to $18.9
million, an increase of 11.8%.
The
Senate increased funding for industrial technologies to $47.5
million, which is $1.9
million (4.3%) greater than the FY 2007 request. By
comparison, the House increased funding for industrial
technologies to $51.6
million, an increase of 13.2%.
The Senate restored most of the cuts to vehicle
technologies, appropriating $180
million, which is $14.0
million (8.4%) greater than the FY 2007 request, though $2.1
million below FY 2006 enacted appropriations. By
comparison, the House increased funding
for vehicle technologies to $178
million, an increase of 6.9%.
The
Senate restored approximately half of the cuts to
weatherization assistance program grants, appropriating $204
million, which is $40.3
million (24.5%) greater than the FY 2007 request, though
$38.0 million
below FY 2006 enacted appropriations. By comparison, the
House restored weatherization assistance program grants to $255
million, an increase of 55.0%
and $12.0 above
FY 2006 enacted. The
Senate accepted the FY 2007 request of $49.5
million for state energy program (SEP) grants. By
comparison, the House Committee eliminated funding for state
energy program grants, but in an amendment on the House
floor, added back in
$25 million for
SEP.
A
table of DOE EE/RE budgets is available on EESI's website, www.eesi.org.
The table includes FY 2005-06 appropriations, the FY 2007
budget request and House and Senate FY 2007 recommendations.
Please
contact Fred Beck at (202) 662-1892 or fbeck@eesi.org
for more information.
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