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Today, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced bipartisan energy efficiency legislation that gives federal agencies greater opportunities to reduce energy use through Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs). The federal government is the largest consumer of energy in the country, spending $6 billion annually in federal facilities.

“Congress has had no shortage of partisan battles lately, and it can be difficult to imagine any area where both parties can find common ground – but it does exist. I believe there lies a great deal of bipartisan promise in energy efficiency,” said Gardner. “This commonsense legislation would advance important projects to allow the government to use less energy and save taxpayer dollars.”

“There is a groundswell of bipartisan support in Congress for energy efficiency investments. Extending the terms of UESCs is a positive step that Congress can take to save the taxpayer money, create jobs and improve the environment,” said Welch.

The Utility Energy Service Contracts Improvement Act of 2013 allows federal agencies to enter into performance contracts with utility companies for up to 25 years, allowing agencies to achieve longer term energy savings goals. Under a UESC, a utility negotiates a contract with a federal agency that specifies the amount of energy savings it will achieve through retrofits and other measures. The utility is then paid for its performance out of the savings it achieves. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Dan Coats (R-IN) recentlyintroduced companion legislation in the Senate.   

Yesterday, Rep. Gardner, Rep. Welch, Sen. Coons and Sen. Boozman announced a bipartisan coalition of 117 House Members and 22 Senators calling for a 5-year extension of President Obama’s federal buildings energy efficiency initiative. The 2011 executive order employed the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Services Contracts (UESCs) to achieve energy savings in federal buildings.

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