From Boomerang Federalism to Hybrid Governance in Sustainable Cities

• In Event: 083 - Section on Environment and Technology Paper Session. Open Topic 1

Abstract

In the face of political stagnation of national climate change policies in the United States, how do low carbon energy policies come about at the local level? In particular, what are the mechanisms by which federally-funded sub-national programs are implemented and sustained? Building off of previous research on boomerang federalism, which finds the federal government financially supporting sub-national climate policy efforts, this paper explores the emergence of hybrid governance arrangements during the local implementation of federal programs in US cities. We look at the effects of one effort to encourage a sub-national low carbon energy policy: the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program administered by the Department of Energy. The paper is separated into three sections. First, we review the concepts of boomerang federalism and hybrid governance, discussing how they are related to environmental policy implementation. Next, we present the ways that data were collected to assess low carbon energy policies that were supported by the EECBG program in American cities. Third and finally, we present findings from research on the programs supported by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants in cities throughout the US. This paper concludes by discussing how these specific programs, which were initially supported by boomerang federalism, have created hybrid arrangements to sustain their projects after the federal support ends. In other words, our findings show that boomerang federalism can transition over time into hybrid governance.

Authors

• Dana R. Fisher, University of Maryland

• Anya Mikael Galli, University of Maryland-College Park