House Democrats’ green stimulus package

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House Democrats today released their proposed economic recovery spending package. The $825-billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 would channel $54 billion to energy efficiency, renewables and other green projects. Those include:

• $11 billion for “smart grid” products to modernize the nation’s electrical grid
• $8 billion in loans for renewable energy generation and transmission projects
• $6.0 billion for energy efficiency upgrades of federal buildings
• $6.9 billion in block grants to state and local governments to help them reduce their carbon footprints
• $2.5 billion to weatherize low-income housing
• $2 billion in development grants for efficiency/renewable research
• $2 billion in loan guarantees and grants for U.S. makers of advanced batteries
• $1.5 billion in loans and grants to school districts, colleges, local governments and municipal utilities for energy efficiency projects
• $6.2 billion to weatherize low-income homes
• $300 million for consumer rebates on efficient appliances
• $600 million to upgrade federal fleets with efficient vehicles
• $200 million in grants for electric vehicle technology
• $2.4 billion for carbon capture demonstration technology
• $350 million for research into using renewable power for military purposes
• $400 million to help state/local governments purchase efficient vehicles
• $500 million for demonstration projects on industrial efficiency
• $300 million in grants and loans to state/local governments for projects to reduce diesel emissions
• $400 million to NASA to do more climate-change research
  

The proposal is less than many green advocates had hoped for. And it’s more than some opponents want to spend. Republican leadership quickly jumped on the NASA research and new cars for the federal government as wasteful pork-barrel spending.

-- Marla Dickerson