On June 2, 2020, two unrelated groups sent letters to Congressional leaders and lawmakers urging the government to increase support for the clean energy industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first letter, 57 Democratic Senators and Representatives, led by Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., called for “additional flexibility” for energy tax credits in order to support the clean energy sector and work force.[1] According to the letter, the clean energy sector has seen a 17.4% decline in employment—nearly 600,000 jobs—compared to the April 2020 national unemployment rate of 14.7%.

The second letter included about 80 companies and organizations and proposed federal appropriations of $22 billion over five years to retrofit critical public facilities.[2] The group has also proposed $18 billion for state and local public buildings through the federal State Energy Program over five years, $2.5 billion for improvements to federal buildings through the Federal Energy Efficiency Fund, and $1.5 billion for energy efficiency improvements in public housing. The funding would go toward a range of efficiency and resilience measures. The letter claims that the federal funding could help leverage an estimated private investment of $88 billion to deliver a total of $110 billion in economic activity. Organizations signed on to the letter include: ConEdison Solutions, Constellation, DuPont Specialty Products USA, FPL Energy Services, Greentech Energy, Schneider Electric, Siemens Corporation USA, and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association.

[1] https://www.heinrich.senate.gov/press-releases/heinrich-tonko-lead-bicameral-call-for-inclusion-of-clean-energy-workforce-support-in-covid-19-economic-recovery-packages

[2] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6935575-Mission-Critical-Facility-Renewal-Letter-to.html