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American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

Section 264

SEC. 264. LOW INCOME COMMUNITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.

    (a) In General- The Secretary of Energy is authorized to make grants to private, nonprofit, mission-driven community development organizations including community development corporations and community development financial institutions to provide financing to businesses and projects that improve energy efficiency; identify and develop alternative, renewable, and distributed energy supplies; provide technical assistance and promote job and business opportunities for low-income residents; and increase energy conservation in low income rural and urban communities.

    (b) Grants- The purpose of such grants is to increase the flow of capital and benefits to low income communities, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses and entrepreneurs and other projects and activities located in low income communities in order to reduce environmental degradation, foster energy conservation and efficiency and create job and business opportunities for local residents. The Secretary may make grants on a competitive basis for--

      (1) investments that develop alternative, renewable, and distributed energy supplies;

      (2) capitalizing loan funds that lend to energy efficiency projects and energy conservation programs;

      (3) technical assistance to plan, develop, and manage an energy efficiency financing program; and

      (4) technical and financial assistance to assist small-scale businesses and private entities develop new renewable and distributed sources of power or combined heat and power generation.

    (c) Authorization of Appropriations- For the purposes of this section there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2015.