§ 8–171.03. Energy policy of District.

The energy policy of the District of Columbia shall be the following:

(1) To ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, an adequate, economically affordable, and reliable supply of energy for all citizens, businesses, and industries in the District;

(2) To foster prudent research, development, and use, within the District, of a diverse array of energy resources, with emphasis on renewable energy resources;

(3) To employ energy conservation techniques, including performance standards, and energy audits, in the design, construction, and renovation of District-owned and assisted facilities, and in the procurement of District materials and supplies for the District government;

(4) To promote energy conservation in the construction and operation of residential and nonresidential buildings through energy efficient guidelines, energy audits, and through proven techniques for heating, lighting, cooling, ventilating, insulating, and building design and operation;

(5) To cooperate and assist departments and other agencies or instrumentalities of federal, state, and local government, in the development, implementation, and coordination of energy policies and programs;

(6) To encourage energy efficient modes of transportation for people and goods, including, but not limited to, public transportation, park-and-ride lots, van pools and car pools, electric and hybrid vehicles; and other energy efficient forms of transportation, variable work schedules, preferential traffic controls, and urban area traffic restrictions;

(7) To assist District citizens and industry, during emergency energy shortages, in managing scarce energy resources in order to maintain the public health, safety, and welfare, and to minimize the adverse impact on the physical, social, and economic well-being of the District of Columbia;

(8) To assist and advise industries, businesses and public utilities of the District in the application of energy conservation and supply enforcement measures in industrial and commercial apparatus and processes, and to promote the availability of reliable and abundant energy resources for the use of industrial, commercial, and public utility energy users in the District;

(9) To promote community development and job creation by encouraging establishment of District-based conservation and renewable energy businesses and cooperatives;

(10) To promote and secure the location within the District of Columbia of projects, programs, installations, grants, loans, funds, and other public or private capital investments for the research, development, innovation, and demonstration of uses, processes, apparatuses, and other applications of energy technologies utilizing renewable energy resources;

(11) To assure that the District’s energy policies and plans developed under this chapter shall be, to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with the statutory environmental policies of the District;

(12) To protect energy consumers and users from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive acts and practices employed in the marketing, advertising, and selling of energy conserving goods and services;

(13) To utilize public funds as a means of ensuring equity in the way energy costs are allocated, including, but not limited to, programs which will aid low- and moderate-income citizens in developing energy efficient housing, in gaining access to renewable sources of energy and in meeting the costs of high utility bills;

(14) To assist small businesses in developing energy efficient management techniques, and assist with energy conservation efforts as well as other related activities which will alleviate the burden of escalating costs;

(15) To provide a source of impartial and objective information in order that this energy policy may be achieved; and

(16) To encourage and ensure full and effective public participation in the formulation and implementation of a District energy policy.