Energy Efficiency Bill Has Lengthy Debate In State House

A bill to promote energy efficient state buildings, cars and homes got bogged down Thursday, as lawmakers tried to keep their own counties from having to meet new building codes.

State Representative Les Winningham says his measure was originally aimed at state buildings.

“It actually started with a focus on making all state facilities energy-efficient, retrofitting them, and we think it will save enough money to pay for them in five, six, seven years.”

But it was the requirement for new energy-efficiency standards for single family housing and duplexes that became controversial.

To keep the new standards statewide in scope, Winningham fought off more than twenty amendments, as fellow lawmakers tried to exempt their counties.

Only three Upper Cumberland counties won an exemption. Winningham says he will try to add them back, in vote on Tuesday.

The bill also requires all state cars purchased to be fuel efficient– the existing goal is 30% of those bought each year. In areas which have ozone problems, like Nashville, the bill requires that a quarter of the state fleet be hybrid electric cars.

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The bill is SB 2300 Kyle/HB 2318 Winningham.

The bill was amended before it passed in the Senate Tuesday, 28-1 with three abstentions.

Thursday, the House exempted three counties in the House District of John Mark Windle – Fentress, Morgan and Overton.
The latest summary is here.

Representative Winningham says he’s not deterred by the length or tone of the debate over the bill.

“By and large, it’s environmentally friendly, it’s something that needs to be done, and we need to spend whatever time it takes to get it done.”

Claudia Crook contributed to this story.