The following statement is from DC Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6), Chair of the DC Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment, following the Council’s first vote approving the District’s FY26 budget, which included a restoration of more than $20 million to the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund and no changes to the District’s two leading climate laws.

“The impacts of climate change are evident locally, nationally, and internationally. We can’t keep putting off the work to next year or waiting for a better budget. The budget proposed was a retreat and a broken promise on almost every climate and environmental law and goal. But even in a tough budget, this Council is reversing much of the damage done and ensuring we both leave a better future for our children and ensure that right now, today, families can benefit from lower monthly utility bills by tapping into clean energy and more energy-efficient homes. I want to thank Council Chairman Mendelson and my colleagues for their support and for standing strong when there are so many challenges to try and address in just one budget.”

The Council’s budget changes will:

• Allow DC’s Department of Energy and the Environment to continue its work modernizing homes by replacing gas-burning appliances and HVAC with electric ones through Councilmember Allen’s Healthy Homes and Residential Electrification Act;
  
  
• Ensures funding is available to assist affordable apartment buildings in improving energy efficiency to comply with the Building Energy Performance Standards Act;
  
  
• Inject $3.5 million in new capital into the DC Green Bank and sets aside $250,000 for the bank to pursue bond issuance in future years. Investments into the DC Green Bank yield 14 to 1 private to public investment in new development;
  
  
• Restore all funding cut from the “bag fee” that funds much of the Anacostia River clean-up and experiential education work connecting residents back to the river;
  
  
• Make clear starting Oct. 1 that DC residents will correctly see on their monthly bills the percentage of the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund fee actually going to intended sustainable purposes and allow residents to identify how much is being misdirected by the Mayor to pay DC government bills. This chart lays out the severity of the misallocation: