Washington, D.C., May 7, 2009 – The Alliance to Save Energy today applauded President Obama’s FY10 budget proposal, which will provide a steady increase in most energy-efficiency programs and reinforces the President’s goal of a new, clean energy economy.

“President Obama’s budget request makes a strong statement that energy efficiency is and will continue to be a large priority for his administration,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “Our current economic situation makes it imperative that we put a high priority on creating a new, robust energy policy. The funding requested for the FY10 budget, combined with funding provided in the economic recovery bill, will significantly move us towards that goal.”

The president’s FY10 budget calls for an increase across many different energy efficiency programs, including a $10 million increase for the industrial sector and a $98 million increase in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Program, which includes $10 million for building energy codes. “This dramatic increase is critically important and urgently needed,” Callahan stated, “because buildings currently account for 40 percent of U.S. energy use and 39 percent of carbon emissions.”

Other budget items include $10 million for the Federal Energy Management Program, a $25 million increase for the State Energy Program, and increases for DOE’s ENERGY STAR program, commercial buildings, residential buildings, research and development, and equipment standards.

The Alliance was disappointed, however, that the president did not recommend a substantial increase in the ENERGY STAR program at the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Six days after taking office, the president said his goal was to weatherize two million homes over the next two years, make energy efficiency upgrades to 75 percent of federal buildings, double the country’s renewable energy resource base, and create nearly 500,000 new green jobs,” Callahan noted. “This budget is certainly a step in that direction.

“We certainly hope that Congress follows the president’s lead in seeing the validity and importance of sufficiently investing in these programs,” Callahan continued. “Energy efficiency is the cleanest, most affordable way to meet our nation’s energy needs; and the president has shown great leadership in prioritizing these crucial programs.”