WaterWired

CRS Report: 'Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives - A Summary of Federal Programs' Updated: 15 November 2019

Comprehensive CRS report by Lynn J. Cunningham: Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs

Download CRS_Report_Renewable_Energy_Incentives_15Nov2019

Summary

Energy is crucial to operating a modern industrial and services economy. Concerns about the availability and cost of energy and about environmental impacts of fossil energy use have led to a wide variety of federal incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency. These incentives aim to implement renewable energy and energy efficiency measures and to develop and commercialize renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Many of the existing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs have authorizations tracing back to the 1970s. Many programs have been reauthorized and redesigned repeatedly to meet changing economic factors. The programs apply broadly to sectors ranging from industry to academia and from state and local governments to rural communities.

Since 2005, Congress has passed several major energy laws: the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005; P.L. 109-58); the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA; P.L. 110-140); the Energy Improvement and Extension Act (EIEA), enacted as Division B of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA; P.L. 110-343); and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA; P.L. 111-5). Each of those laws established, expanded, or modified energy efficiency and renewable energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) programs.

The Department of Energy (DOE) operates the greatest number of efficiency and renewable energy incentive programs, including RDD&D grants and contracts, weatherization assistance, production incentives, loan guarantees, and technology transfers. DOE also provides grants to states for energy policy development and assists other federal agencies in developing and implementing energy efficient and renewable energy resources.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs several programs that largely focus on biofuels, such as ethanol and wood energy. Other USDA programs include assistance to rural communities with high energy costs, biomass crop assistance, grants and loans to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy for agricultural producers and rural businesses, assistance to general consumers for rural energy savings, and sustainable agricultural research.

The Department of the Treasury administers tax credits and other incentives for energy efficiency and renewable energy. Eligible activities include energy efficient home improvements, renewable energy production, and business investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Other federal agencies with energy efficiency and renewable energy programs include the following:

 Department of the Interior (DOI), with programs on tribal energy production and use;

 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with energy efficient mortgages and loan programs;

 Fannie Mae, with a “Green Initiative” loan program;

 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which provides energy assistance to low-income households; and

 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which provides energy efficient mortgages.

A wide range of entities are eligible for these energy efficiency and renewable incentives, including biofuels producers; state, local, and tribal governments; businesses; schools and universities; research organizations; builders and developers; homeowners; utilities; and veterans. Eligibility also includes a variety of energy-related technologies, such as advanced batteries, heating and cooling systems, vehicles and biofuels, appliances, building envelope technologies, renewable energy production technologies, lighting, and electricity generation and transmission.

Enjoy!

“No society is healthy without both the will to create anew and the will to save the best of the old.” – Wallace Stegner

G. Tracy Mehan III Essay: 'Found Water. Water Reuse and the Deconstruction of "Wastewater"'

G. Tracy Mehan III, Executive Director of Government Affairs at AWWA, sent me this essay. Here is the message he included:

Dear Friends,

Attached is my recent essay on water reuse, part of the collection entitled, A Better Planet. 40 Big Ideas for a Sustainable Future, published by Yale University Press. I thought you might find it of interest.

I want to thank my AWWA colleagues, Steve Via, Barb Martin and Alex Gerling for their assistance in writing this piece.  The views contained therein are entirely mine,

All the best.

Tracy Mehan

 

 

 

Here you go:

Download Found_Water_Mehan

Enjoy!

"Those who know, won't answer, and those who answer, won't know." - Unknown

CRS Report: 'Agricultural Conservation - A Guide to Programs' Updated: 15 August 2019

This CRS report by Megan Stubbs was published on 15 August 2019: Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs.

Who knew? A lot of these ag-based programs are important to water stewardship as well as land/environmental stewardship.

Download CRS_Ag_Cons_Pgms_Guide_15Aug2019

Summary
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently administer over 20 programs and subprograms that are directly or indirectly available to assist producers and landowners who wish to practice conservation on agricultural lands. The number of these programs and the differences among them have created some confusion about the purpose, participation, and policies of the programs. While some effort has been made to remove duplication, a large number of programs remain. The programs discussed in this report in tabular form are as follows.

 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

 Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)

 Conservation Operations (CO); Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

 CRP—Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

 CRP—Farmable Wetland Program

 CRP—Grasslands

 Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

 Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)

 Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP)

 Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP)

 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

 EQIP—Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)

 EQIP, CIG—On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials

 Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program

 Grassroots Source Water Protection Program

 Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)

 Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

 Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program

 Water Bank Program

 Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations

 Watershed Rehabilitation Program

This tabular presentation provides basic information covering each of the programs. In each case, a brief program description is followed by information on major amendments in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334, 2018 farm bill), national scope and availability, states with the greatest participation, the backlog of applications and other measures of continuing interest, program funding authority, FY2019 funding, FY2020 Administration budget request, statutory authority, the authorization expiration date, and a link to the program’s website.

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"The supreme goodness is like water. It benefits all things without contention. In dwelling, it stays grounded. In being, it flows to depths. In expression, it is honest. In confrontation, it stays gentle. In governance, it does not control. In action, it aligns in timing. It is content with its nature and therefore cannot be faulted." - Tao Te Ching Passage #8 (thanks to Raymond Kang)

Lane Community College's Online Water Conservation Technician Program - Fall 2019 Apps Accepted

Brenda Cervantes of Lane Community College in Eugene, OR, sent me this information on LCC's new online Water Conservation Technician program. It's funded by the National Science Foundation.

Here is the blurb from the website:

The Water Conservation Technician program consists of an inspiring community of students and faculty dedicated to improving community water security and quality using ecologically sustainable practices. Through the two-year Water Conservation Technician online program, you will be prepared for the growing field of Water Conservation and the challenges a shortage of water will bring. 

The Program trains individuals to evaluate water use patterns; develop, implement, market and maintain conservation programs; perform public outreach; recommend water efficiency techniques; integrate alternative water sources, and perform systems analysis to solve problems.

As water-related issues continue to increase, more voluntary and mandatory water conservation opportunities are being created that require a technical skill set like that which is offered within this program. Employment opportunities in Water Conservation are excellent. Students must consider the Western United States when seeking employment as those willing to relocate will have greater employment opportunities. 

What's the starting pay?

• Oregon state wages range from $32,000 to $48,500  annually plus benefits. Wages will vary in other states.

Prepare for a career in the water field as water efficiency technicians, coordinators, or specialists, or as water management specialists and technicians. The program prepares students to design, implement and evaluate water conservation programs.

For more information on the two-year degree programs and training for water professionals contact Roger Ebbage, ebbager@lanecc.edu or (541) 463-6160. 

The fall term starts on 30 September 2019. Admissions close one week before that date. The program does have requirements that must be satisfied before admission so check with Roger. 

Here is a video:

Information from an alternate site - the Northwest Water and Energy Institute at LCC:

Graduates Of The Program Are Able To

• Design, implement, evaluate, and market water conservation programs to a broad audience
• Evaluate water usage patterns for rural, urban, residential, and commercial sites; recommend efficiency measures as well as alternate water sources.
• Understand water distribution, flow, and elimination systems; basic hydraulics; quality issues; balance and time of use.
• Understand the many stressors to water accessibility and how they interact to affect supply and demand along with other issues.
• Monitor, collect, interpret and analyze data to evaluate effectiveness of programs and modify them over time.
• Calculate water and cost savings and produce comprehensive cost/benefit analysis reports.

Some relevant job titles are:

• Water Conservation - Program Specialist, Manager

• Water Resource - Analyst, Specialist

• Rainwater Harvesting Tech

• Stormwater - Coordinator, Technician

• Wastewater - Manager, Stores Supervisor, Program Analyst

• Conservation Warden

• Stewardship Coordinator

Looks awfully good. Glad to see such a broad approach. Apply for Fall 2019 now!

Enjoy!

"The purpose of education is not to make men carpenters, but to make carpenters men." -- W.E.B. Du Bois

CRS In Focus Report: 'WaterSense Program - Congressional Authorization'

This CRS In Focus report (8 March 2019) was penned by Elena H. Humphreys: WaterSense Program: Congressional Authorization.

Download CRS_IF_EPA_WaterSense_8March2019

Introduction
WaterSenseis a voluntary labeling program created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to encourage the development and use of water-efficient products and services. Through WaterSense, EPA develops water efficiency specifications for products, certain services, and homes; licenses third-party certification bodies; and maintains a registry of WaterSense-labeled products and certified services.

EPA initially established WaterSense in 2006. The 115thCongress authorized and expanded WaterSense inAmerica’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA; P.L. 115-270), Section 4306 (42 U.S.C. §6294b).

WaterSense funding has garnered public and congressionalinterest as a result of the Trump Administration’s proposalsto eliminate program funding for FY2018 and FY2019. In FY2018, EPA funded WaterSense with $3.1 million fromthe agency’s discretionary appropriations. The ConsolidatedAppropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-6) included FY2019 appropriations for EPA and other federal agencies: FY2019 funding for WaterSense is the same as the FY2018 enacted level, according to the conference report (H.Rept. 116-9) that accompanied P.L. 116-6. AWIA does not include an authorization of appropriations for WaterSense.

A description of the WaterSense program, authorization, and revisions follows.

 

Fix a Leak Week is 18-24 March 2019!

Enjoy!

"Any plan conceived in moderation must fail when the circumstances are set in extremes." - Klemens von Metternich (quoted in @FDRLST via @TheWeek)