John W. Olver: “But arguments in the builders' letter to Members promoting the amendment are specious and deliberately misleading. First…”

“But arguments in the builders' letter to Members promoting the amendment are specious and deliberately misleading. First of all, all references to LEED have been removed. Secondly, the letter greatly exaggerates the cost of green community criteria which are so strongly supported by the U.S. Council of Mayors and 40 other major organizations. A well-documented study of some 20 completed projects using these criteria, completed projects using these criteria, showed an average of only 2.4 percent increase in cost. We all need to remember that we build housing for 50 to 100 years. The small increased construction costs produce huge savings in lower monthly bills for energy for tenants. The low-income tenants have all of the remaining 50 years to accrue those savings after the payback comes within the first 5 to 7 years of the program. I urge defeat of the amendment.”