Utah Clean Energy is supporting the following investments:
Weatherization Assistance Program: One of Utah Clean Energy's priority bills is an effort to expand energy efficiency programs for low-income homeowners through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Representative Steve Handy (Layton) requested $1.5 million in ongoing funds to support WAP. The Business, Economic Development, and Labor Subcommittee chose to fund the appropriation at $500,000 as a one-time appropriation at #50 on its priority list.
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Representative Lowry Snow (St. George) and Representative Val Potter (North Logan) each requested about $5 million in funding to expand private and state electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Representative Snow’s request was prioritized as #9 of 9 on the Nature Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Appropriations Subcommittee bill list, while Representative Potter’s was included in the Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Committee Appropriations bill.
High Emissions Vehicle Replacement Grants: This request would provide $6.5 million for grants of up $5,500 to help Utah citizens with pre-2004 high emissions vehicles with funds to replace those vehicles with newer and cleaner gas-powered cars or electric cars. This request is a companion to Representative Jeff Stenquist’s (Draper) HB 295, Vehicle Emissions Reduction Program.
Energy Storage Innovation Grants: Representative Eric Hutchings requested $1.5 million in one-time funds to support innovative energy storage projects at the discretion of the Office of Energy Development (OED). This is a companion request to SB 111, Energy Storage Research, Innovation, and Grant Program Act (Senator Lincoln Fillmore). This request was prioritized at #7 of 9 on the list air quality appropriations by the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.
Separately, the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Appropriations Committee listed a one-time appropriation to provide $200,000 in funding for a transmission study work group as #16 on its priority list.
Status: Now that each of the Appropriations subcommittees has completed their work, the Executive Appropriations Committee will undertake the work to finalize the FY 2020 Appropriations bills. We will likely have to wait until the final week of the legislative session to see which requests will be fully funded by the Legislature.
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