Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)

Federal Programs for Energy and Housing

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A live webcast will be streamed at 9:00 AM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a briefing to discuss the role of energy efficiency in reducing the cost of housing, especially for low-income families who must spend a greater percentage of their income on energy bills and so have a heavier “energy burden” than higher-income households. According to a 2016 study of America’s largest cities by EEFA and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the median low-income household spent 7.2 percent of its income on energy, twice as much as the median for all households (3.5 percent). The energy burden is even greater for rural households. A new EEFA/ACEEE report released this month finds that rural households have a median energy burden of 4.4 percent, and rural low-income households are even worse off, shouldering a median energy burden of 9 percent. In this forum, a panel of experts on housing and energy policy will review federal energy efficiency services and programs that are serving the most vulnerable U.S. citizens.

Decommissioning Nuclear Power Plants

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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on the urgent need to safely decommission nuclear power plants, which are increasingly shutting down. The United States is facing a significant wave of nuclear plant closures for which it is unprepared. Most of the existing U.S. reactor fleet will inevitably close over the next two decades, as plants near the end of their operational lifespans. Decommissioning is the process of dismantling the closed plant and securing or removing radioactive waste while lowering the site’s residual radioactivity to safer levels. Getting decommissioning right is critical to communities’ health and safety, while getting it wrong could pose an existential threat.
Leading scientists, policy experts, NGO advocates, and local elected officials with experience on decommissioning will speak at the briefing. It will cover the impacts of decommissioning, current decommissioning options, waste storage vs. transport, thorny unsolved problems and best practices, financing and liability, a just transition for communities and workers, how communities and states can and can’t weigh in on these issues, and how they should inform the fast-changing legislative and regulatory landscape.

The State of Germany’s Energy Transition

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A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Embassy of Germany invite you to a briefing showcasing how Germany has been successfully integrating renewable energy into its electrical grid and decoupling energy demand from economic growth. Indeed, Germany's energy policies have led to the creation of new, technologically advanced industries and the addition of about 350,000 jobs. High-level representatives from the public and private sectors on both sides of the Atlantic will discuss parallels between the German and American economies and how the United States may benefit from energy policies Germany has developed and implemented over the course of its nearly 20 year-long national Energiewende ("energy transition") program.

Biogas as a Waste Management Solution

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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the American Biogas Council (ABC) invite you to a briefing about the numerous challenges posed by organic wastes—to human health, water and air quality, and to businesses that must manage these wastes—and how anaerobic digestion offers solutions to these pressing issues. Anaerobic digestion is the process of converting organic materials, typically viewed as wastes, into usable products, including biogas, renewable natural gas (RNG), as well as valuable organic fertilizer and compost. These biogas systems turn a waste management issue into a revenue opportunity for America’s farms, dairies, food processing, and wastewater treatment industries. Speakers for this forum will discuss the tremendous opportunities for rural and urban communities alike to use anaerobic digestion systems to foster healthy communities and businesses.

Growing Jobs and Rural Economies: The Farm Bill’s Energy Title

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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
Since their inception in the 2002 Farm Bill, Energy Title (Title IX) programs have helped farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and rural communities generate thousands of jobs and millions in economic development. The sectors impacted by the Energy Title range from renewable energy—including wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, and advanced biofuels—as well as energy efficiency and biobased chemicals and products. The Farm Bill Energy Title programs have played an important role in the greater diversification of rural economies across the country.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Agriculture Energy Coalition invite you to a briefing examining the outsized positive impact on rural America of the investments made through the Energy Title and how to make its suite of innovative programs even stronger.

Hidden in Plain Sight? Why Resilient Buildings Are Critical U.S. Infrastructure

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A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) invite you to a briefing on the public/private drive toward resilient buildings –– structures that are located, designed and built (or renovated) to withstand extreme weather, cyberterrorism, and other hazards now and for years to come. Federal, state and local governments, working in partnership with standard-setting and private sector organizations, are responding vigorously to the need for increased resilience. Recent events have demonstrated that whether it’s a medical center in Houston, a military base in Florida, or a university in New Jersey, communities rely on public buildings as a shelter of last resort in a disaster.
This briefing will explore what makes buildings resilient; why resilience is important for multiple policy challenges, including infrastructure modernization, emergency preparedness, disaster response, and research funding; and how public-private sector collaboration in research, worker training and investment partnerships benefit society now and well into the future.

Warning Signs: New Report Outlines the Impacts of Proposed Budget Cuts to Climate and Environmental Research

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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Novim Group, in partnership with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, invites you to a briefing discussing a new report on the environmental and societal impacts of the Administration’s proposed climate and environmental research program cuts for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. Congress must act on funding the remainder of FY 2018 by March 23. Given that the Administration’s FY 2019 proposed climate and environmental cuts are quite similar to those in the FY2018 budget, the briefing will also highlight the similarities and differences between these two budgets. The briefing's speakers, who helped author the Novim report, will give an overview of its findings and conclusions.

2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

Hosted in coordination with the House and Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses
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A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute invite you to attend a lunch briefing on the 2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.
Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, will give an overview presentation of the 2018 Factbook findings.
A moderated panel of industry experts will discuss the findings and policy implications for the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy sectors.

Building Climate Resilience in the Real Estate Sector

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A live webcast will be streamed at 3:30 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) invite you to a briefing to explore the climate risks facing the U.S. real estate sector, as well as policy solutions and innovations to help protect this crucial piece of the American economy. The turbulent 2017 hurricane season has sparked a national dialogue on how future extreme weather events may impact the security of homes, businesses, and other built infrastructure. Given the economic activity and investment tied to the buildings sector, its long-term health will depend on the capacity of public officials, insurance agencies, and property managers to adapt to climate change risks.
Join us for a discussion on ways the public and private sectors can collaborate to develop the policy tools necessary to safeguard America's buildings and homes from future natural disasters.

Lessons in Resilience from America’s Coastal Communities

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A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) invite you to a briefing to discuss climate/weather risks to America's coastal communities and the types of resilience plans local governments and regional partnerships are developing to safeguard their residents, built assets, and economies. The briefing will explore current and future infrastructure challenges facing public officials and how the federal government fits into the pursuit of these shared development goals.