Federal Energy Grants Drove New Climate Programs in Cities

A survey examining the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program found that cities utilized the funds provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which received $2.7 billion. The survey, which included participation from Los Angeles and Gresham, found that 62 percent of respondents used the federal aid to invest in new programs not previously in their existing energy or climate plans.

The findings demonstrate that local governments leveraged federal aid to implement new energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. This shows a shift in how cities approached energy planning by using stimulus funds to create new programs outside of existing budgets.