---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17156"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17156"
heading: "Competitive grants"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17156"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter IV — Energy Savings in Government and Public Institutions"
  - "Part C — Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants"
---

# §17156. Competitive grants

- (a) **In general—** Of the total amount made available for each fiscal year to carry out this part, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall use not less than 2 percent to provide grants under this section, on a competitive basis, to—
  - (1) units of local government (including [Indian tribes](/usc/42/17151.md?p=4)) that are not [eligible entities](/usc/42/17151.md?p=1); and
  - (2) consortia of units of local government described in [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Applications—** To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a unit of local government or consortia shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) may require, including a plan of the unit of local government to carry out an activity described in [section 17154 of this title](/usc/42/17154.md).
- (c) **Priority—** In providing grants under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall give priority to units of local government—
  - (1) located in [States](/usc/42/17151.md?p=6) with populations of less than 2,000,000; or
  - (2) that plan to carry out [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that would result in significant energy efficiency improvements or reductions in fossil fuel use.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title V, § 546, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1673.)

## Notes

### 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.