DOE Approves 50 State and Territory Energy Plans Under Federal Recovery Act

Within the past month, the U.S. Department of Energy has approved State Energy Program (SEP) plans for 50 states and territories submitted per the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). To date, DOE has approved more than $1.188 billion in Recovery Act funding to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in these jurisdictions (see MAP).

Among the activities eligible for the $3.1 billion appropriated for SEP funding (including energy audits, building retrofits, education and training efforts, alternative fuel & hybrid vehicle programs), states and territories had the opportunity this spring to apply for funding to implement building energy codes of equal or greater stringency to the current national model codes -- the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007.

These states and territories will now have received 50% of their total Recovery Act SEP funding. The initial 10% of total funding was previously available to states to support planning activities; the remaining 50% of funds will be released once states meet reporting, oversight, and accountability milestones required by the Recovery Act. DOE continues to review SEP spending plans from 9 other states and U.S. territories. Action on the plans is expected by the end of this summer.

**Click on the links below for more information regarding the individual SEP plans approved for the following states and territories:

Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, the Northern Mariana Islands, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, the Virgin Islands, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.