Environmental and Energy Study Institute

Policymaker education (federal climate and clean Energy policy program). Founded by a bipartisan group of members of congress, eesi has worked since 1984 to provide science-based information about Environmental, Energy, and climate change topics to policymakers and the public. Eesi briefings, fact sheets, articles, newsletters, and podcasts are informative, objective, nonpartisan, and available at www.eesi.org. In 2022, eesi educational resources reached at least 368 congressional offices and more than 3,242 people attended the 26 briefings held. More than 13,000 subscribers received the biweekly newsletter, climate change solutions, and more than 7,200 people received the daily newsletter, cop dispatch, during cop27. Eesi published 151 climate-related articles and two white papers. Key accomplishments in 2022 included extensive coverage of the global climate summit (cop27), the congressional renewable Energy and Energy efficiency policy forum, a white paper about sustainable aviation fuels, an online map of climate solutions by state showcasing eesi resources, and resources about potential farm bill climate measures.

Opportunities for students (richard l. ottinger internship and future climate leaders scholarship programs). Eesi offers paid internships to undergraduate students pursuing studies in fields related to climate policy. Interns gain experience in policy, communications, research, and nonprofit management. The internship program is named for eesi co-founder and board chair emeritus richard l. "dick" ottinger, who formerly represented new york in congress. Eesi also has established a merit-based future climate leaders scholarship program, administered by uncf (united negro college fund) and available to undergraduate students pursuing relevant studies at mid-atlantic historically-black colleges and universities.

Technical assistance (access clean Energy savings program). Eesi provides technical assistance to help rural utilities develop and implement inclusive on-bill financing programs for Energy efficiency, renewable Energy, and beneficial electrification. Eesi worked with more than 30 rural utilities and assisted with 10 rural Energy savings program loan applications (for a cumulative total of 31 with funds secured worth $268 million) in 2022. Eesi-assisted on-bill financing programs financed at least 590 clean Energy projects worth about $14 million (for a cumulative total of 2,480 worth about $42 million). Eesi participated in six webinars about Energy efficiency and the renew america's nonprofits grant program that reached about 1,100 people affiliated with diverse nonprofits across the country. Key accomplishments in 2022 included the launch of the beneficial electrification toolkit (www.betoolkit.org), engagement with nonprofits about the multiple benefits of Energy efficiency, assistance to the first green bank to secure a rural Energy savings program loan from the u.s. department of agriculture, and support for a clean Energy program in the u.s. virgin islands.

Direct lobbying