DOE Publishes Draft Monthly Reporting Guidelines for EECBG

On January 21, 2010, the Department of Energy (DOE) published proposed monthly reporting requirements on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program in the Federal Register. This will impact more than 120 counties nationwide. Currently, EECBG reporting runs on a quarterly basis. The Register notice also contained performance metric guidelines for the quarterly EECBG reporting rules to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). According to the proposal, the monthly reporting requirements will apply solely to formula grantees receiving over $2 million in EECBG funds. The first monthly reporting deadline is scheduled for March 10, 2010. The DOE will be taking public comments on the monthly reporting plan until February 4, 2010. Please click here for more information.

NACo opposes changing the quarterly reporting requirement to monthly reporting without significantly streamlining the process. Many of our counties are reporting problems with the quarterly reporting system ranging from duplicative paperwork to online system glitches. Additionally, since many of the projects require public input and county board approval, tracking monthly progress may be difficult to quantify. 

Written comments may be sent to DOE Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10102, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20503; and Frank Norcross, EE-2K, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290, Fax: 202.586.1233, or frank.norcross@ee.doe.gov.