Restore School Efficiency Funding - $35 Million at Stake

Dear Conservation Voter,

It is the last week of the 61^st Session of the Montana State Legislature, and there's $35 million in energy efficiency money at stake.

A major conservation community priority to fund energy efficiency improvements for schools trudges on, but may risk losing several millions in funding.  The energy efficiency in schools effort has been led by the Northern Plains Resource Council, with help from a dozen conservation groups, labor interests, business groups, teachers and students.

Read on to learn how to help make schools lean, green machines.

2009 Legislative Scorecard available next week

Members receive a hard copy of our end-of-session analysis as soon as it's released.  Join now to enjoy this and the many other benefits on MCV membership!

In depth reporting on conservation bills

Burning curiosity on a bill you lost track of in late February?  Later this week, we'll send you a link to a complete guide of every conservation bill we've tracked this session.  The Conservation Legislation Roundup will give you a brief summary of the policy, as well as let you know the final fate of the proposal.

Don't forget to call Governor Schweitzer- urge him to protect the Renewable Energy Standard!

You've heard lots from us on the terrible bill that passed the legislature, SB 257, which destroys Montana's Renewable Energy Standard.

We know the Governor holds the Renewable Energy Standard in high regard, considering it one of his greatest accomplishments.

Please call him at 444.4111 and urge him to veto SB 257, the bill that destroys the renewable energy standard.

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Act now to Restore Full Funding for Energy Efficiency in Schools

Last week, the House rejected the Senate amendments on HB 645 on a 73-27 vote, sending the bill to conference committee.

HB 645 is the appropriations bill for the federal stimulus money that contained $35 million of funding for energy efficiency in schools, called "quick start energy grants", when it came out of the House. Last week, the Senate Finance and Claims Committee took $20 million out of quick start.

Now, four bills (HB 2, HB 5, HB 645 and HB 676) must be coordinated to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of those respective bills. There are also four separate conference committees, each with three Senators and four Representatives, for the four bills. Those conference committees will hold individual as well as combined meetings in order to work through the budget bills.

We are working to restore funding for energy efficiency in schools to $35 million. Funding energy efficiency in schools is one of the best uses of stimulus dollars. Doing so will create construction jobs, put money in local economies and save schools money by reducing energy bills.

Please call or email the conferees and ask them to invest in energy efficiency in schools by restoring HB 645 to the version that came from the House.

The members of the free conference committee for HB 645 are Representatives Sesso, Hiner, McNutt & Morgan; and Senators Esp, Peterson & Keane. That committee will meet at 10am on Monday along with the other budget-related conference committees, and may conclude its work as early as Tuesday. The conference committee report will then go to the House and Senate for final approval before the final version of HB 645 goes to Governor Schweitzer.

Call the conferees today at 444.4800.  Leave a message urging the committee to invest in energy efficiency in schools by restoring HB 645 to the House version.

Thanks for your calls, letters and emails! 

Sarah Cobler, Program Director and Lobbyist
Montana Conservation Voters
sarah@mtvoters.org