March 30 --
The Senate environment committee has approved a bill that would require the federal government to improve energy efficiency at many of the more than 8,000 buildings it owns or leases across the country.
The measure next must be considered by the full Senate, but it has the support of Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., environment committee chairwoman; Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., the committee´s ranking member, and the White House.
Senate Bill 992 would require the General Services Administration, which is in charge of most of the federal government´s buildings, to establish a formal program for improving energy efficiency and reducing operating costs in buildings. Among the measures it is to consider are improvements in building insulation, updating heating and cooling systems, and installing energy efficient lights.
"Our government must lead by example," Boxer said.
The bill would also establish a grant program to provide as much as $20 million each year in matching grants of up to $1 million each to help counties and municipalities increase the efficiency of their own buildings.
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