Governor Phil Bredesen signed the Clean Energy Future Act into law Wednesday. He also announced the state would offer grants to small towns that choose not to opt out of a new statewide building code.
The Clean Energy law puts a first-ever building code into effect starting July 2010, but local governments can choose to not participate. That’s why Bredesen is offering grants to small and medium sized towns that don’t try to back out. He says more than two-thirds of counties have no building codes.
“I think to the extent to which we can make people comfortable, that this is all going to be done sensibly and done in a way that they understand and its not just the state coming in and telling you how to run your business, I think it will work just fine.”
Bredesen says the residential building code could cut energy usage by 30% per home. The incentive amounts to $9.3-million , which comes from federal stimulus money. Grants will be handed to counties so they can make energy upgrades to government buildings.
The Clean Energy Future act also includes new efficiency standards for state vehicles and an industry tax credit for the clean energy tech sector.
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