On January 20, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Kelly Speakes-Backman provided remarks to mayors from across the country at the 90^th Winter Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM).

The USCM is the official, non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. Each city is represented in USCM by its chief elected official, the mayor. The Conference holds its Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. each January, during which USCM members convene to discuss organizational policies and goals.

During a one-hour session, Speakes-Backman shared EERE’s programmatic priorities and highlighted programs and initiatives that directly benefit municipalities and local governments. She emphasized the important role that local programs and policies play in helping to decarbonize the national economy. 

“Our greatest solutions start with communities, and I am excited to share some of our impactful programs that can accelerate your city’s transition to a clean energy economy,” said Speakes-Backman. “As we work to decarbonize the economy and implement IIJA provisions, our partnerships with states, local governments and communities, tribes, and other stakeholders are more important than ever.”

At the Winter Meeting, Speakes-Backman was joined by West Coast Regional Specialist Rose Stephens-Booker and Northeast Regional Specialist Spencer Thibodeau from the Department of Energy’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs. Stephens-Booker and Thibodeau are two of the Department’s seven regional specialists, who coordinate with state, local, and tribal leaders to ensure access to the programs, processes, and resources that aid development and implementation of national energy policies and programs.

Following Speakes-Backman’s remarks, she and Stephens-Booker answered questions from mayors and their staff members about opportunities to access funding, technical assistance, and other resources from EERE. They also discussed results from a recent USCM report that analyzes how cities are using energy technologies and infrastructure upgrades to advance local energy and climate goals.

“This challenge is simply too large and complex for any one agency or state or local government to solve alone; it will all of us collaborating and leveraging the strengths we each bring to the table,” said Speakes-Backman. “EERE is proud to join state and local governments in supporting efforts to significantly improve resilience, financial, and environmental outcomes in communities through investments in efficiency, storage, and modernized building codes and standards, as well as other cross-cutting initiatives.”

To learn more about the EERE resources available to state and local stakeholders, please visit the State and Local Solutions Center. For more information on the USCM, visit their website.