ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE
1020 19TH STREET NW NO 650, WASHINGTON, DC 200366101 www.eesi.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY STUDY INSTITUTE (EESI) WAS FORMED IN 1984 AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BY A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING EESI'S FOUNDER AND BOARD CHAIR EMERITUS, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD OTTINGER (D-NY), WHO IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR

BE A TRUSTED RESOURCE ON ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE PUBLIC.

FEDERAL CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY POLICY:EESI WORKS TO CREATE AND INFORM A POLICY ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH POLICYMAKERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH KNOWLEDGE TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCREASE RESILIENCE TO CURRENT AND FUTURE CLIMATE IMPACTS IN AN EQUITABLE WAY. IT IS ALSO URGENT FOR OUR COUNTRY'S LEADERS TO BUILD AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED FOR ACTION TO REDUCE THOSE IMPACTS. EESI INFORMS POLICYMAKERS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY SECURITY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLY TAPPING THE COUNTRY'S ABUNDANT RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES. IN ADDITION, EESI SHOWCASES SUSTAINABLE POLICIES AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, BUILDINGS, DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES, TRANSPORTATION, AND UTILITIES. IN 2019, EESI SUBMITTED AN EXTENSIVE SET OF POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS. THE SELECT COMMITTEE'S WORK IS ESTABLISHING A CRITICAL FOUNDATION OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS THAT WILL INFORM CLIMATE POLICY DEVELOPMENT FOR YEARS TO COME. EESI SUGGESTED HOW TO ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, AND DEPLOYMENT; REDUCE THE CARBON-INTENSITY OF THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR; INCREASE THE USE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES IN NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS; AND ENACT NEW NATIONWIDE POLICIES TO LOWER GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. ON OCTOBER 22, 2019, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIEL BRESETTE DELIVERED TESTIMONY AT A SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE HEARING, "ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY." HE EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, CREATING A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY, ENSURING RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS AND SAVING AMERICANS MONEY. IN 2019, EESI ORGANIZED 24 CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 3,192 MEMBERS OF THE POLICY COMMUNITY. EESI'S BRIEFINGS ARE A CRITICAL RESOURCE TO INFORM AND EDUCATE CONGRESS, THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, POLICYMAKERS, MEDIA, AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE LATEST SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT. ALL CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES ARE INVITED TO EESI'S BRIEFINGS; STAFF FROM 291 CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES - FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE - ATTENDED IN 2019. EESI'S PUBLIC BRIEFINGS ARE LIVECAST AND RECORDED FOR ONLINE DISTRIBUTION, WHICH FURTHER EXTENDS THEIR REACH AND IMPACT; EESI'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL HAS MORE THAN 323,399 CUMULATIVE VIEWS. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 750 INDIVIDUALS FROM GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIA, INDUSTRY, MEDIA OUTLETS, AND THE GREATER POLICY COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED IN EESI'S FULL-DAY BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXPO AND POLICY FORUM, FEATURING 39 CLEAN ENERGY EXHIBITORS. A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SEVEN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PROVIDED REMARKS AT THE EXPO. IN 2019, EESI REDOUBLED ITS WORK ON PROMOTING FEDERAL POLICIES FOR CLIMATE-RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS. EESI RAN A BRIEFING SERIES ON REGIONAL COASTAL RESILIENCE ISSUES, FEATURING PARTNERSHIPS AND LOCAL INITIATIVES THAT ARE HELPING PROTECT SHORELINES AND COMMUNITIES FROM EXTREME WEATHER AND OTHER COASTAL HAZARDS. PANELISTS DISCUSSED EFFORTS FOR RESTORING WETLANDS AND MANGROVES, BUILDING RAIN GARDENS AND GREEN ROOFS, AND PLANTING TREES. GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS OFTEN LESS COSTLY THAN CONVENTIONAL "GRAY" INFRASTRUCTURE, CAN HELP CAPTURE AND FILTER STORMWATER TO REDUCE POLLUTION RUN-OFF, MITIGATE THE URBAN HEAT-ISLAND EFFECT, REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS AND MAKE THEM HEALTHIER, AND CREATE SUSTAINABLE LOCAL JOBS. EESI IS ALSO PROVIDING INPUT TO THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) AS THEY IMPLEMENT DISASTER MITIGATION AND RECOVERY POLICIES AND GRANT PROGRAMS TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. EESI IS ALSO EMPHASIZING THE NEED TO DIRECT RESOURCES TO U.S. TERRITORIES SUCH AS PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. IN COLLABORATION WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR ALL (EEFA), EESI HELD A SERIES OF BRIEFINGS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF - AND NEED TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR - FEDERAL HOUSING AND ENERGY PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, AND THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP) AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. DIVERSE PANELS DISCUSSED THE VALUE OF THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS IN REDUCING HOME ENERGY USE WHICH LOWERS UTILITY BILLS AND LIGHTENS THE ENERGY BURDEN FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS; IMPROVES HEALTH, COMFORT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE; AND REDUCES NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. EESI LAUNCHED A SERIES OF FACT SHEETS TO BOLSTER POLICYMAKER AND THE MEDIA'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHALLENGES TO CREATING A LOWER-CARBON AVIATION SECTOR. AIR TRAVEL IS RECEIVING GREATER PUBLIC ATTENTION AS A RAPIDLY GROWING SOURCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE EMISSIONS (IT CURRENTLY ACCOUNTS FOR FIVE PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS), AND LOWERING AVIATION'S CLIMATE FOOTPRINT WILL BE ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT. THE FIRST FACT SHEET IN THE SERIES, "THE GROWTH IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM COMMERCIAL AVIATION," WAS RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2019. UPCOMING FACT SHEETS WILL DESCRIBE MITIGATION STRATEGIES, AND EXAMINE THREATS TO AIR TRAVEL FROM A WARMING CLIMATE. EESI'S "ENERGY STORAGE" FACT SHEET HELPED SHED LIGHT ON A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IF WE ARE TO FULLY TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY: MAKING SURE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY MEETS DEMAND. TO ENSURE SUCH A BALANCE IS MET, POLICYMAKERS ARE INCREASINGLY TURNING THEIR ATTENTION TO ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS, WHICH CAN HELP ADDRESS THE INTERMITTENCY OF SOLAR AND WIND POWER. ENERGY STORAGE CAN ALSO SERVE AS AN EMERGENCY ENERGY SUPPLY, MAKING THE GRID MORE RESPONSIVE AND RESILIENT. EESI'S RESEARCH WAS WELL RECEIVED BY POLICYMAKERS AND MEDIA, RESULTING IN SEVERAL MEDIA MENTIONS. EESI DESIGNED AND LAUNCHED A NEW BIWEEKLY NEWSLETTER, "CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTIONS," TO COMMUNICATE KEY HAPPENINGS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLICY. THE NEWSLETTER, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO ALMOST 10,000 SUBSCRIBERS, INCLUDES A CURATED CLIMATE HEADLINE ROUND-UP, A SHORT VIDEO SHOWCASING AN EESI BRIEFING SPEAKER, ARTICLES ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND UPDATES ON FEDERAL CLIMATE LEGISLATION, INCLUDING A LEGISLATIVE TRACKER LISTING RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED AND PASSED. CCS ALSO LISTS ANNOUNCEMENTS OF EESI PUBLICATIONS, BRIEFINGS AND UPCOMING EVENTS. EESI HAS ISSUE EXPERTS AVAILABLE TO SPEAK AND ADVISE ON SUSTAINABLE POLICY OPTIONS IN THE CLIMATE, ENERGY, AGRICULTURE, BUILDINGS, HEALTH, AND TRANSPORTATION SECTORS. MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA OFTEN CALL ON EESI FOR INSIGHTS, QUOTES, AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AS WELL AS TO SPEAK AT A VARIETY OF WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES. EESI REGULARLY WRITES ARTICLES AND OP?EDS FOR PUBLICATIONS, FURTHER EXTENDING THE REACH OF EESI'S MESSAGE.

ACCESS CLEAN ENERGY SAVINGS:EESI ESTABLISHED AND OPERATES THE ACCESS CLEAN ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM TO PROVIDE LOCAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO UTILITY-BASED ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, FOCUSING ON RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES AND PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES. MAKING ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES MORE SUSTAINABLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON REDUCING U.S. CARBON EMISSIONS. NATIONWIDE, NEARLY 3,000 SUCH UTILITIES PROVIDE POWER TO 81 MILLION AMERICANS. GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY REDUCES HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS AND IMPROVES RELIABILITY AND COMFORT, WHILE REDUCING FOSSIL FUEL USE. THE PROGRAM PROMOTES THE ADOPTION OF ON-BILL FINANCING, A MECHANISM ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR HOME ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS OVER TIME VIA THEIR UTILITY BILLS, THEREBY EXPANDING ACCESS TO COST-SAVING ENERGY MEASURES TO HOUSEHOLDS OF ANY INCOME LEVEL. INDEED, EESI'S PROGRAM DESIGN PLACES AN EMPHASIS ON ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION BY FORGOING TRADITIONAL CREDIT APPROVAL PROCESSES. RATHER, EESI RECOMMENDS THAT CUSTOMERS WITH GOOD BILL PAYMENT HISTORY, WHETHER THEY ARE RENTERS OR OWNERS, BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, AS PART OF EESI'S PUSH FOR MORE EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAMS, EESI HAS DEVELOPED A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH NAACP'S ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE PROGRAM. EESI WORKS TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S RURAL ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM (RESP), WHICH PROVIDES PARTICIPATING ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES AND MUNICIPAL UTILITIES WITH ZERO-INTEREST FEDERAL LOANS, TO ACCELERATE CUSTOMERS' ADOPTION OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. TOGETHER WITH THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, EESI IS LEADING A CAMPAIGN TO SHORE UP SUPPORT FOR RESP. AT EESI'S JULY 2019 CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING, "EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO RURAL ENERGY BURDENS," THREE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS FROM RURAL SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICTS, MAJORITY WHIP JIM CLYBURN (SC), AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR SANFORD BISHOP (GA), AND REP. G.K. BUTTERFIELD (NC), CELEBRATED RESP'S IMPORTANCE AND SUCCESSES. EESI RECENTLY ASSISTED FOUR UTILITIES ON NEW APPLICATIONS SEEKING $27 MILLION OF THIS FUNDING TO LAUNCH ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAMS. EESI ASSISTS LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFITS, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, AND MUNICIPAL UTILITIES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAMS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THESE PROGRAMS SUPPORT BOTH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY, SUCH AS COMMUNITY SOLAR. IN 2019, EESI HELPED DEVELOP AND IMPROVE ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAMS IN 12 STATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY: ALASKA, COLORADO, HAWAII, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MINNESOTA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND WASHINGTON. IN COLORADO, EESI IS WORKING WITH MULTIPLE COOPERATIVES AND THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AS THEY ALL DEVELOP THEIR ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAMS. EESI IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE COLORADO ENERGY OFFICE AS IT DEVELOPS A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ON-BILL FINANCING IN THE STATE. IN WASHINGTON STATE, EESI HAS PARTNERED WITH ORCAS POWER AND LIGHT COOPERATIVE TO DEVELOP A NEWLY LAUNCHED ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAM THAT WILL FINANCE EFFICIENCY RETROFITS, BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECTS, AND COMMUNITY SOLAR INSTALLATIONS. EESI ALSO ENCOURAGES UTILITIES TO REPLACE DIRECT FOSSIL FUEL USE (E.G., PROPANE, HEATING OIL, GASOLINE) WITH ELECTRICITY IN A WAY THAT REDUCES OVERALL EMISSIONS AND ENERGY COSTS FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES. THIS PROCESS IS KNOWN AS "BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION." EESI IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION LEAGUE, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ESTABLISHED BY THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION (NRECA) AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL TO PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES TO THE APPROACH. EESI ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN LEAGUE-HOSTED STATEWIDE ELECTRIFICATION EVENTS FOR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES IN COLORADO, INDIANA, IOWA, NORTH CAROLINA, AND WISCONSIN. EESI CO-WROTE A MAJOR REPORT, "EQUITABLE BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION FOR RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES," WHICH SHOWCASES BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION AS AN IDEAL PATHWAY FOR RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES TO DECARBONIZE THEIR POWER GRIDS EQUITABLY. EESI ALSO HELD A CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING, "ELECTRIFICATION: OPTIONS FOR CONSUMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT," TO ENCOURAGE FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS TO THINK ABOUT WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE AND FACILITATE BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION INITIATIVES.

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