An update from Transportation Energy Partners (TEP):
Grassroots Campaign to Save Program Produces Results
Last week the Senate Appropriations Committee included $28 million for the Department of Energy (DOE) Clean Cities program for FY 2018. While this represents a modest cut from the $34 million allocated to the program in FY 2016 and FY 2017, it is much better than the House bill, which only includes language supporting Clean Cities, but not a specific level of funding for the program. It also shows that the Senate has rejected the Trump Administration’s to eliminate the program.
Special thanks to Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the leaders of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee who crafted the legislation, for their ongoing support of Clean Cities. And special thanks to all of you for signing on to our national letter to the House and Senate Appropriations leaders and for contacting your individual House and Senate Members.
More than 550 Clean Transportation leaders signed our national letter supporting Clean Cities. This truly demonstrated the broad based support across America for this important program.
We still have a ways to go before our victory is complete. The final funding level will be determined by negotiations between the House and the Senate, which could begin as early as September. So it is critical that you remain in touch with your Members of Congress and continue to urge them to maintain funding for Clean Cities.
Go here to view the Senate Energy and Water Committee report. See pages 62-63 for the language related to Vehicle Technologies and Clean Cities. The House Report can be found here. See page 82 for the Vehicle Technologies section.
We also want to let you know that the House Appropriations Committee included $75 million for the EPA Diesel Emission Reduction Grants. This represents an increase over the $60 million provided in FY 2017. The Senate is expected to consider their bill in the coming weeks.
Thanks again for all of your support and good work to defend these important programs.
Transportation Energy Partners (TEP) works closely with and provides policy support to the nearly 90 Clean Cities coalitions and their 15,000 stakeholders.