Council asks Congress to reauthorize energy grants, surface transportation funding

September 7, 2010

Summary

Emphasis on programs that create jobs, spur economic development

Story

Expressing strong support for programs that create jobs and spur economic development, the Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously supported legislation encouraging Congress to fully fund Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants and reauthorize the Surface Transportation Act.

“This is a critical time in our economic recovery to invest in energy efficiency and transportation infrastructure,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, sponsor of the motions. “Improving our energy conservation and our transportation infrastructure now will put people back to work, save tax dollars, and lay the groundwork for sustainable economic development.”

“Reauthorization of the expired Surface Transportation Act is the key to unlocking gridlock; something that the vast majority of us face every day while sitting in traffic,” said Council Vice Chair Jane Hague. “Not only would it improve our heavily burdened transportation infrastructure, but it would create and retain tens of thousands of jobs.”

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) were established by the federal government in 2007 to assist local governments and businesses in reducing fossil fuel emissions, reducing energy use, improving energy efficiency, and creating jobs. Councilmember Phillips, as National Co-Chair of Climate Communities, has made several trips to Washington, D.C. to advocate for funding the EECBG program. To date, King County has received $6.1 million in EECBG funding, which has been used to create jobs and realize long-term energy-saving improvements to county infrastructure.

Since the inception of EECBG in 2007, Congress has only appropriated funding for the program in 2009. With the Council’s action today, King County is joining the national “Energy Block Grants WORK” campaign to encourage full funding of the EECBG program in the fiscal year 2012 budget.

“We must let Congress know how Energy Efficiency grants are benefiting communities, lowering energy costs, reducing carbon emissions, and providing jobs,” said Phillips. “I have visited with the Obama administration to make this case to them, and we need to keep the pressure on.”

The federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, was enacted in 2005 and authorized appropriations for highways, highway safety, and public transportation from 2005-2009. This program has brought significant funding to King County for transportation projects such as bridge construction, road projects, multimodal congestion relief programs, and transit services.

Reauthorization of a federal Surface Transportation Act could bring tens of millions of dollars to King County and preserve and create jobs. The Council’s motion encourages timely action by Congress to reauthorize the expired Surface Transportation Act.


The adopted motions advance the Council’s priorities of Local Jobs and Economic Development and Mobility for People, Goods and Services.