The D.C. council is moving to increase funding for climate and environmental programs, after Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed a 14% cut in her budget for the upcoming 2024 fiscal year. The council is also proposing to restore the original timeline for a key climate program, the building energy performance standards, after the mayor asked for a three-year delay.
“The District has been leading the way on climate action for years. However, I was disappointed to see that the mayor’s proposed FY 24 budget, it lacks significant funding for, or even discussion of the District’s climate goals,” said Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), ahead of a committee budget vote.
“We know that climate change results in rapidly escalating hazards including heatwaves, extreme storms, heavier rainfall, and water and food scarcity,” said Allen, who chairs the transportation and environment committee. “The District must make critical investments in addressing this crisis even in tight financial times.”
The mayor’s budget included a proposal to delay by three years implementation of the city’s building energy performance standards, known as BEPS, in an effort to aid struggling building owners. Downtown office building owners, in particular, are facing high vacancy rates and an uncertain post-pandemic future, and some said the energy standards would be an additional burden.
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