Advocacy Victory: ENERGY STAR Preserved!

• By: admin
• On: 06/21/2018 20:33:19
• In: BOMA PAC
• Comments: 0

From BOMA International's VP of Advocacy, John Bryant:
Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees passed their Interior, Environment and Related Agencies 2019 Appropriations Bill. Included in the bills, and accompanying report language, is funding for the ENERGY STAR program, which includes the popular Portfolio Manager tool.
 
As you may remember, the Trump administration previously called for the elimination of the ENERGY STAR program in its 2018 budget proposal. Preserving ENERGY STAR immediately became a top legislative priority for BOMA, as we continually engaged Congress throughout the appropriations process.
 
Earlier this year, President Trump adjusted his latest budget request to propose transforming ENERGY STAR into a user-fee based system. While an improvement over the elimination of the program, we vigorously defended the current funding mechanism and structure.
 
The language in the Appropriations Report is as follows:
 
In addition, the Committee continues to support the EnergySTAR program at the fiscal year 2018 enacted level, and does not recommend a shift to a fee-based funding mechanism as proposed.
 
BOMA played a pivotal role in ensuring this language was included. We met with senior staff on the Appropriations Committees and worked with a coalition of real estate interests to make the case for ENERGY STAR, resulting in this victory.
 
The bills will now go to the full House and Senate for a potential floor vote.