The brand new Obama Administration is more than willing to tackle the climate energy issue and it looks like a real green New Deal may occur very soon in the United States.
After South Korea and Japan, it seems that the United Nations’ advices are being heard by the world’s largest economy as no less than $100 billion could be dedicated in the very next years to energy and environmental issues.
The US House indeed just passed a huge stimulus package with a lot of money dedicated to making the country more energy independant.
Here is what the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) wrote :
“The House is getting on board with moving America to a clean energy economy. President Obama and Congress are investing in solutions that will help solve our economic and energy challenges together.
By repowering our nation with clean energy, we will create millions of jobs that can’t be sent overseas. By harnessing the energy of the sun and wind, we can refuel our nation and end our addiction to oil.
“The economic recovery package funds vital programs to improve the efficiency of our homes, buildings and federal offices. It also includes urgently needed grants for companies to invest in renewable energy technologies. The funding to repair our nation’s crumbling water and transportation systems will immediately create jobs and strengthen our nation’s roads, bridges, and pipes.
“As the bill moves to the Senate, we will support positive changes to improve funding that will set us on a course to a clean energy future.”
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides:
- $3.4 billion for states for clean energy projects ;
- A grants program for renewable energy technologies covered by the renewable energy tax incentives ;
- $6.2 billion for weatherization of low income homes ;
- $3.5 billion for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (supports clean energy projects primarily at the city and county levels) ;
- $2 billion for clean energy research & development ;
- $6 billion for increasing energy efficiency in federal buildings ;
- $12 billion for transit (an amendment by Rep. Nadler (D-NY) increased transit funding from $9 to $12 billion) ;
- $2 billion for ready-to-go drinking water infrastructure projects ;
- $6 billion for ready-to-go sanitation infrastructure projects
This may not get the approval of the Senate – even if according to the Daily Green it could be bigger and include 50 billion for nuclear energy – but it still represents good news.
Off course more money may be needed over time to solve the overwhelming issues at hand in such a large country and even more at a global level but this is to me a brilliant start.
And you, what do you think ?