House Approves Bill To Speed Rural Efficiency Upgrades

摘要

The House Thursday approved by a vote of 240-172 legislation to make Rural Utilities Service funds available for electric cooperatives to finance consumer energy efficiency improvements.rnSponsored by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C), the bill (H.R. 4785) would allow the Rural Utility Ser-rnvice (RUS) to create a loan program that over five years could leverage nearly $5 billion in loan volume available to cooperatives at a zero percent interest rate.rnCooperatives would make this money available to members in the form of micro-loans with an interest rate of no more than 3 percent, which would bernpaid back primarily through savings on their electric bills.