The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is an independent, non-profit organization that works to create societies that protect the environment. It is based in Washington, DC, and was started in 1984 by members of the United States Congress from both political parties and both houses of Congress. These members were concerned about global environmental and energy challenges.

EESI helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution near the ground. It also works to improve public health, energy security, and economic opportunities. The organization promotes the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency. To achieve its goals, EESI educates lawmakers, builds partnerships with groups, and develops policies. Charity Navigator, an independent non-profit evaluator, has given EESI a rating of 4 out of 4 stars since October 1, 2015.

Formation

EESI began as the Environmental Study Conference (ESC), a group of House members from both political parties started in 1975 by Rep. Richard (Dick) Ottinger (D-NY) and Rep. Alan Steelman (R-TX). James H. Rathlesberger (1975-76), the first staff director, was brought in from Rep. Henry S. Reuss’s (D-WI) office. He hired five skilled staff members and received help from excellent interns. The ESC’s Weekly Bulletin, called “the Green Sheet,” was delivered to members’ desks every Monday morning before meetings began. This was made possible by the staff working late on Fridays and interns like Edward V. Kislik organizing and distributing the bulletin on weekends. The Green Sheet provided analysis of bills, hearings, and floor actions, along with special alerts, fact sheets, and meetings for members and staff. Within a year, the ESC had more than 150 House members participating. Popular briefings for staff included a session on “Cancer and the Environment,” featuring expert speakers like Ralph Nader on January 12, 1976. This early success helped Ottinger gain recognition as a key influencer in the House.

In 1976, the ESC became bicameral, meaning it included both the House and Senate. This allowed the group to use funds from unused “clerk-hire” budgets for staff salaries, improving its financial stability. However, this shift slightly reduced the focus on serving House members, who had smaller staff compared to senators. In 1984, the Study Conference leaders created an independent non-profit, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), to continue providing information and policy resources to Congress on energy and environmental issues. EESI was set up as a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit, managed by an independent board of directors that included several members of Congress.

The founders of the Institute were: Anthony C. Beilenson (D-CA), George Brown, Jr. (D-CA), Bob Edgar (D-PA), Joseph L. Fisher (D-VA), S. William Green (R-NY), Gilbert Gude (R-MD), John Heinz (R-PA), James M. Jeffords (R-VT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Paul N. McCloskey, Jr. (R-CA), Richard L. Ottinger (D-NY), Claudine Schneider (R-RI), John F. Seiberling (D-OH), Vin Weber (R-MN), Howard Wolpe (D-MI), Louis Stokes (D-OH), Augustus Hawkins (D-CA), John Chafee (R-RI), Slade Gorton (R-WA), and Gary Hart (D-CO).

Areas of Work

EESI helps create policy changes and strategies that allow the United States and other countries to reduce the effects of climate change. These efforts also help improve the environment, economy, national security, and public health through energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. In practice, this means encouraging federal lawmakers to pass laws and policies that support renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reducing harmful climate pollutants. EESI works on policies that many people from different political backgrounds agree on, including topics like buildings, climate change, communities, energy efficiency, industry, public health, renewable energy, rural issues, and transportation.

In addition to working on federal policies, EESI started a community-focused energy efficiency program in 2014. This followed years of testing a similar program in South Carolina, which began in 2010. The On-Bill Financing Project is a long-term effort to help families use less energy, lower their energy bills, and improve home comfort. This is done through a special type of loan called on-bill financing. Organizations that join the program offer loans to customers for home improvements, such as better insulation or more efficient heating and cooling systems. Customers repay these loans through a monthly charge added to their utility bill. When the program is designed well, the money saved from using less energy is more than the cost of the loan, so customers save money each month.

EESI’s on-bill financing program has grown into a nationwide effort to greatly improve the energy efficiency of homes served by rural electric cooperatives and public power utilities. This approach requires no upfront money and can be set up so that customers save money each month. This makes it possible for low-income families to participate, even if they cannot use rebates or other energy efficiency incentives.

Briefings and Publications

EESI holds 25 to 30 meetings each year for members of Congress and their assistants, as well as other federal officials and the public, to share information about energy and environmental issues. These meetings invite experts from government, industry, and community groups to discuss topics with people from both political parties. They talk about new research, successful projects, lessons learned, and feedback from people who care about these issues.

Meeting topics have included resilience, national security, water, energy efficiency, solar power, wind power, geothermal power, hydropower, fuel cells and hydrogen energy, biofuels and biomass, clean energy funding, electric vehicles, public transportation, walkable cities, climate change effects, short-lived climate pollutants, power grid systems, district energy, and microgrids.

All meetings are free and take place on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Most are open to the public. In 2013, EESI started broadcasting most meetings online.

EESI also creates web articles, reports, and fact sheets about energy and environmental issues. They send out two free newsletters each week: "Climate Change News" (CCN), which covers important climate-related news, and "Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests" (SBFF), which focuses on policies related to bioenergy and land use. All EESI publications and newsletters are given away for free.