Udall Provisions to Help Military Save Money, Lives with Renewable Energy Included in Major Defense Final Senate Defense Authorization Bill Finds Responsible Savings in Military Spending
and our troops at risk," Udall said. "Pentagon leaders want to move toward renewable energy to save lives and make the military more nimble, and these provisions will help them get on track to do that."
The five DODESA provisions in the FY2012 NDAA:
1. Authorize the Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP)
Sec. 202 of DODESA
• ECIP provides critical funding for novel and forward-thinking energy efficiency investments that ultimately provide cost-savings to the Department of Defense.
• The estimated average annual savings is projected at $4 million dollars or 258 billion British Thermal Units (BTU).
2. Require Installation Energy Metering Data to be Captured and Tracked
Sec. 206 in DODESA
• In order to best manage energy usage at DOD facilities, energy managers need sufficient and appropriate data to make well-informed decisions; this provision aims to provide energy managers with that information.
• DOD has made encouraging investments in metering, but that data is typically not utilized to its fullest value. The lack of effective tracking and analysis of installation energy consumption renders data collection useless and, in the process, precludes DOD from savings taxpayer dollars by implementing wise energy management practices.
3. Set Interim Renewable Electricity Standards (RES) Goals
Sec. 207 of DODESA
• Current DOD goals for RES leap from 7.5% in 2012 to 25% by 2025. This provision adds interim goals of 12% by 2016, 16% by 2019 and 20% by 2022.
• Providing interim goals will keep DOD accountable to ensure they attain their renewable energy goals on time and in full.
4. Identify Energy Efficient Products and Technologies for use in DOD Facilities
Sec. 204 of DODESA
• The NDAA provision calls for the inclusion of "direct use solar technology" in the existing list of energy efficient products in facilities.
5. Help Enhance Cyber Security on Military Installations
Sec. 212 & 213 of DODESA
• Given the vulnerability of the nation's electrical infrastructure to cyber attacks and other disruptions, this provision helps installations prepare to respond in the event of a failure or extended interruption in the commercial power grid.
Land Conservation
• Udall authored two provisions to allow DOD to work with other federal and state agencies for the purposes of land management. In the first, DOD could partner directly with federal and state agencies to develop conservation easements that would protect land the military is interested in sustaining - while also preserving natural habitat. The other would allow DOD to provide funds to other agencies for the purpose of land conservation. The provisions have the support of DOD and numerous conservation groups.
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury
• The provision, co-sponsored by Udall, urges DOD to speed research and authorization of TBI treatments for service members by encouraging DOD to shift the management of DCOE to one of the service branches with a better understanding of TBI and the needs of military personnel. Currently, the DCOE is organized under TRICARE, the DOD's insurance network, but the
