§6371b Preliminary energy audits and energy audits

Summary

After the Secretary issues the guidelines under section 6371a(a), a State governor can apply for federal grants to pay for preliminary energy audits and full energy audits of school and hospital buildings in the State. The Secretary can award grants for preliminary audits under those guidelines. If a State does not complete preliminary audits within two years after November 9, 1978, the Secretary may step in and do those audits. The Secretary can also award grants for full energy audits under the separate guidelines. If a State already pays for audits without using these grants, and those audits meet or are approved under the Secretary’s guidelines, the grant money for this program is instead added to that State’s funds for energy conservation projects and is extra money beyond other available funds. Normally federal funds may not pay more than 50 percent of any audit’s cost. If the governor asks, the Secretary may fund up to 100 percent of an audit’s cost, subject to the requirements in section 6371g(a)(3).