Determinants and Evaluation of Local Energy‐Efficiency Initiatives from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Abstract

This article examines variation in local-level energy-efficiency grants and corresponding initiatives from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in the United States. The analysis is based upon a hurdle model of counts of energy-efficiency grants received by 348 local governments that received these grants from 2009 to 2013, as well as 348 matched local governments that did not receive such funds. City-level characteristics including amount of federal financial support, per capita income, signaling of preferences for sustainability policies, manufacturing, and political influences are shown to be empirically important determinants of variation in local energy-efficiency initiatives. The evidence suggests that all else held equal, the $21.8 billion in ARRA funds expended with the intent of increasing local energy-efficiency programs and policies successfully led to this end.KEY WORDS: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), energy-efficiency programs and policies, sustainable energy, hurdle models 美国复苏和再投资法案中地方能源效率倡议的决定因素和评价 本文检验了美国地方级能源效率拨款的差异, 同时检验了美国复苏和再投资法案(American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA)中的相应倡议。本文的分析基于一项关于能源效率 拨款总数的栅栏模型(hurdle model) ,

Politics and Corporate‐Sector Environmentally Significant Actions: The Effects of Political Partisanship on U.S. Utilities Energy Efficiency Policies

“…In regard to government policy, several studies document that Republican‐dominated governments are less likely to adopt or initiate policies consistent with environmental protection (see Adua, 2021; Bromley‐Trujillo et al, 2016; Bromley‐Trujillo, Holman, & Sandoval, 2019; Carley, 2011; Chandler, 2009; Coley & Hess, 2012; Fowler & Breen, 2013; Gerber, 2013; Huang et al, 2007; Lester, 1980; Lim & Bowen, 2018; Lyon & Yin, 2010). Huang et al (2007), for instance, report that states dominated by the Republican Party are significantly less likely to adopt renewable energy portfolio standards than those dominated by the Democratic Party.…”

“…In fact, these authors report that Republicans are altogether unresponsive to temperature anomalies consistent with climate change. At the local level, Gerber (2013) finds that Democratic cities are more likely to maintain or adopt climate change policies than are Republican cities, while Lim and Bowen (2018) report that cities that voted at a higher rate for the Democratic candidate in the 2012 presidential elections tend to adopt energy efficiency policies at a higher rate.…”

“…U.S. states differ quite substantially in the kinds and specifics of energy and environmental policies they adopt, including those directly related to utilities (Carley, 2011). It has been suggested that this variability in policy choices is often shaped by the partisan and ideological orientation of state officials, especially elected office holders (see Bromley‐Trujillo, Butler, Poe, & Davis, 2016; Lim & Bowen, 2018; Lyon & Yin, 2010). The question we consider here is increasingly important, given that political party alignment is known to influence concerns about and actions related to environmental protection (see Lester, 1995; McCright & Dunlap, 2011).…”

Dynamic Collaboration: The Effects of External Rules and Collaboration Scope on Interlocal Collaboration

“…These infrastructures may be thought of as accumulated experiences (Lim, 2017) or knowledge acquisition (Leach, Weible, Vince, Siddiki, & Calanni, 2014) on collaboration. This includes the type of mechanism used to govern the collaboration (e.g., contracts, special districts, formal/informal collaborations) (Terman & Feiock, 2016) in addition to information on current, past or potential collaborators (Bertelli and Smith, 2010).…”

Polycentric Systems and Multiscale Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Built Environment

“…With regard to mitigation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) aimed to provide investments and tax incentives for a wide array of clean energy initiatives across the country, including improving energy efficiency (e.g., residential retrofits and weatherization) and expanding renewable energy generation (The White House, ). Subsequent analysis suggests that the ARRA was successful in several respects, in terms of not only programs created and funding distributed, but also emission reductions achieved (Lim & Bowen, ; Tonn et al, ). Other actions include, but are not limited to, the Clean Power Plan (reduce emissions at new and existing fossil fuel power plants), the Better Buildings Initiative (an effort to increase commercial and municipal building efficiency), and the establishment of new appliance efficiency standards.…”