Mayor Muriel Bowser
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mayor Bowser,
Thank you again for signing the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act last month. The Sierra Club wrote you on January 22 asking for robust public engagement on the transportation electrification program you must establish within 180 days of the law's enactment. We reiterate that request.
The law also requires the Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) to group buildings by type (for example, office and multifamily buildings) and establish a minimum building energy performance standard for each building type that is no lower than the median performance of the peer group. Though the general parameters have been set, the law creates a Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) Task Force to work through the nuance of rulemaking and implementation, including establishing the efficiency standards. The law requires that the mayor appoint members to the Task Force within 90 days of the law entering into effect.
The Sierra Club asks that you quickly solicit and review nominations for appointment to the BEPS Task Force with a goal of convening the Task Force well before the 90-day deadline.
There are undoubtedly many qualified candidates to serve on the BEPS Task Force. The Sierra Club asks that Cliff Majersik of the Institute for Market Transformation be appointed to the task force. He’s a leading expert on energy efficiency in buildings and assisted in writing the BEPS portion of the law. He is uniquely qualified for the task force, and we believe his knowledge and insights will make BEPS implementation a success.
In addition, we ask that DOEE draft a statement of work for a study to analyze the costs and benefits of the BEPS program. The clean energy law provides $250,000 in funding for this study in Fiscal Year 2020. We ask that options for engaging the study begin before October 2019.
The Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act is an incredible opportunity for the District of Columbia to move toward net zero emissions and serve as a model for cities around the globe. Successful implementation of BEPS will be a key part of our transition away from dirty energy. The Sierra Club looks forward to engaging with you on the law’s implementation.
Sincerely,
Mark Rodeffer
Chair, Sierra Club DC Chapter
CC:
Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy & Environment
Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
Letter to Mayor Bowser on Energy Efficiency
February 13, 2019