Joe Poehling, chairman of ASA and head of the W.A.T.E.R. ACt Coalition, participated in the visits and provided leadership during the preparation phase of the fly-in.
In addition to its ongoing work to include water efficiency incentives into jobs legislation, the American Supply Association-led W.A.T.E.R Act Coalition recently took action in support of theCash for Green Energy Programbeing advocated by President Obama.
Formally known asHOMESTAR Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program, Cash for Green Energy was created by the Federal Government as an incentive program for homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient and introduced during President Obama’s State of the Union Address to Congress in January.
On March 5, 2010, 13 coalition partners, including Kohler, Moen, PHCC and MCAA, joined ASA in visiting 12 Senate offices to discuss adding the W.A.T.E.R. Act to the Cash for Green Energy Silver Star Rebate Program. This would provide end-users with a product rebate of up to 50 percent of the price of a product certified to carry the WaterSense label, with a maximum of $150 per product. The program also will provide an installation rebate of 50 percent of the installation cost of products installed by a licensed or certified contractor with a maximum rebate of $300 on the installation. The rebates will provide for the purchase and/or installation of WaterSense products, including those purchased by the consumer for “do-it-yourself” installation.
Launched in 2006, WaterSense is an EPA-sponsored partnership program that seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting water efficiency and enhancing the market for water-efficient products, programs, and practices.
“Promoting water-efficient retrofits creates near-term jobs in the plumbing manufacturing, distribution and installation industry on the order of 18 jobs per million dollars of direct investment in replacing plumbing fittings and fixtures,” saidMike Adelizzi, ASA’s executive vice president. “In addition, water-efficient retrofits will save up to 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $18 billion per year. The message we emphasized was that incentives for purchasing WaterSense products through programs such as these rebates can be quickly deployed to build consumer demand, and would both create and retain jobs.”
In meetings with the White House and Senate, the Coalition was successful in convincing key lawmakers of the benefits to job creation as well as water and energy conservation that this program will create.Joe Poehling, chairman of ASA and head of the W.A.T.E.R. Act Coalition, participated in the visits and provided leadership during the preparation phase of the fly-in. “After our meetings, it was evident the Democratic Leadership was on board with including water conservation in a jobs stimulus bill, and we are hopeful that within the next few months, water products such as toilets, faucets and shower heads will be included in the Cash for Green Energy rebate program,” concluded Poehling.
For more information on the W.A.T.E.R. Act Coalition and ASA’s other advocacy efforts, please visitwww.asa.netor contact Mike Adelizzi at 312.464.0090 ext. 201 ormadelizzi@asa.net.
