--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17154" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "17154" heading: "Use of funds" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17154" units: - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security" - "Subchapter IV — Energy Savings in Government and Public Institutions" - "Part C — Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants" --- # §17154. Use of funds An [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1) may use a grant received under this part to carry out activities to achieve the purposes of the [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5), including— - (1) development and implementation of an energy efficiency and conservation strategy under [section 17155(b) of this title](/usc/42/17155.md?p=b); - (2) retaining technical consultant services to assist the [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1) in the development of such a strategy, including— - (A) formulation of energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy usage goals; - (B) identification of strategies to achieve those goals— - (i) through efforts to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption; and - (ii) by encouraging behavioral changes among the population served by the [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1); - (C) development of methods to measure progress in achieving the goals; - (D) development and publication of annual reports to the population served by the [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1) describing— - (i) the strategies and goals; and - (ii) the progress made in achieving the strategies and goals during the preceding calendar year; and - (E) other services to assist in the implementation of the energy efficiency and conservation strategy; - (3) conducting residential and commercial building energy audits; - (4) establishment of financial incentive [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for energy efficiency improvements; - (5) the provision of grants to [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations and governmental [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for the purpose of performing energy efficiency retrofits; - (6) development and implementation of energy efficiency and conservation [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for buildings and facilities within the jurisdiction of the [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1), including— - (A) design and operation of the [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5); - (B) identifying the most effective methods for achieving maximum participation and efficiency rates; - (C) public education; - (D) measurement and verification protocols; and - (E) identification of energy efficient technologies; - (7) development and implementation of [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) to conserve energy used in transportation, including— - (A) use of flex time by employers; - (B) satellite work centers; - (C) development and promotion of zoning guidelines or requirements that promote energy efficient development; - (D) development of infrastructure, such as bike lanes and pathways and pedestrian walkways; - (E) synchronization of traffic signals; and - (F) other measures that increase energy efficiency and decrease energy consumption; - (8) development and implementation of building codes and inspection services to promote building energy efficiency; - (9) application and implementation of energy distribution technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency, including— - (A) distributed resources; and - (B) district heating and cooling systems; - (10) activities to increase participation and efficiency rates for material conservation [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5), including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) that lead to increases in energy efficiency; - (11) the purchase and implementation of technologies to reduce, capture, and, to the maximum extent practicable, use methane and other greenhouse gases generated by landfills or similar sources; - (12) replacement of traffic signals and street lighting with energy efficient lighting technologies, including— - (A) light emitting diodes; and - (B) any other technology of equal or greater energy efficiency; - (13) development, implementation, and installation on or in any government building of the [eligible entity](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1) of onsite renewable energy technology that [generates](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=8) electricity from renewable resources, including— - (A) solar energy; - (B) wind energy; - (C) fuel cells; and - (D) biomass; - (14) [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for financing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission transportation (and associated infrastructure), capital investments, [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5), which may include loan [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) and performance contracting [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5), for leveraging of additional public and private sector funds, and [programs](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) that allow rebates, grants, or other incentives for the purchase and installation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and zero-emission transportation (and associated infrastructure) measures; and - (15) any other appropriate activity, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3), in consultation with— - (A) the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1); - (B) the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Transportation; and - (C) the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Housing and Urban Development. ## Source credit (Pub. L. 110–140, title V, § 544, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1669; Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, § 40552(a), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1076.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 2021—Pars. (14), (15). Pub. L. 117–58 added par. (14) and redesignated former par. (14) as (15). ### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries ### Effective Date Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress. ### Wage Rate Requirements For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.