Eli Hopson
Chief Executive Officer
DC Green Finance Authority
Dear Mr. Hopson,
Thank you for your September 15 response to the Sierra Club’s letter asking that the DC Green Bank honor Mayor Bowser’s climate commitments, which require DC to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. We look forward to participating in the stakeholder working group you mentioned and we eagerly await the details on when those sessions will take place.
We were pleased to hear that the Green Bank is seeking equitable solutions for low and limited income households in DC and that the bank will support electrification conversion projects. We agree with your assessment that fossil fuel projects already have access to commercially available financing and thus do not require support from the Green Bank. For this reason, and because of Mayor Bowser’s bold climate commitments, we believe the Green Bank should enact a policy of not financing any fossil fuel projects.
Today we write with a two questions:
- Of the projects the Green Bank has financed so far, is any Green Bank financing going to projects that involve fossil fuels?
- Is the Green Bank currently considering financing any projects involving fossil fuels?
The Sierra Club appreciates the Green Bank’s work to make DC a more sustainable city. We request a timely response to our questions of whether the bank is financing or anticipates financing any fossil fuel projects.
Sincerely,
Mark Rodeffer
Co-Chair, Beyond Gas Subcommittee
Matthias Paustian
Co-Chair, Beyond Gas Subcommittee
CC:
Director Tommy Wells, DC Department of Energy and Environment
Councilmember Mary Cheh, Transportation and Environment Committee Chair