Money set aside for energy-efficiency projects could soon get slashed as state legislators work to close a large budget deficit.
The proposed cut passed out of the legislature's finance committee last week and looks to divert $22 million from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, into the state's general fund.
Currently, that cash is earmarked for efficiency, renewable, and non-carbon energy projects.
Chris Phelps opposes the cut. He's an advocate with Environment Connecticut.
"What raiding these rate payer clean energy funds would do is raise people's energy bills," Phelps said. "Because we'd be investing less in energy efficiency measures that help families and businesses cut their energy bills."
RGGI went into effect in 2008. It's an agreement between nine states to cap carbon emissions. Under the agreement, power plants exceeding emission limits can buy credits and a portion of the revenue generated from those sales gets reinvested into clean energy projects.
Projects funded, in part, with RGGI money include HVAC upgrades at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, in addition to "any of the thousands of Connecticut families that have put solar panels on their roof," Phelps said. "Part of what has made that possible is incentives and investment from RGGI funding."
In an email, a spokesperson from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said taking money out of the RGGI fund would "devastate Connecticut's efforts to build a clean energy future -- and would likely contribute to increased energy prices in our state."
Advocates opposing the measure are scheduled to speak out at the state Capitol on Tuesday.
