Environmental advocates are regrouping today and Monday after a failed attempt to convince state legislators to amend the legislative budget, which diverts $12.5 million from energy efficiency programs to the state’s General Fund.
The House of Representatives voted 64-11 last night to approve a $9.2 billion state budget with virtually no debate over the energy efficiency language, according to Erika Niedowski, policy advocate for an environmental organization called the Acadia Center.
Dozens of environmental groups, including the Acadia Center, signed a letter that was sent to state lawmakers Wednesday expressing their concerns about the scoop of energy efficiency funding, which is about 10 percent of the total funds collected for the programs.
Niedowski said the funds for Rhode Island’s energy efficiency programs are collected from electricity ratepayers. She said the state needs to keep using that money for its intended purpose.
“If you divert those ratepayers’ funds to another purpose, that essentially amounts to an energy tax because this money is collected from ratepayers and then would be transferred and used for other purposes,” Niedowski said.
Niedowski said Rhode Island has been a leader in energy efficiency, but that could change if funding for those programs is cut.
“The less energy efficiency we do here in Rhode Island will make it more difficult and (maybe even impossible) to reach our climate goals in the state,” Niedowski said.
The letter said diverting the funding would negatively impact public health, hurt lower-income families, and put the state’s clean energy economy at risk.
Businesses in the region and across the country expressed their concerns about the cuts in a separate letter.
State lawmakers were not available for comment.
The legislative budget is now up for debate in the Senate.
This story has been updated.
