Whenever we act to heal our environment, the pessimists say it will hurt our economy. But today our economy is the strongest in a generation -- and our environment is the cleanest in a generation. Whether the problem was acid rain, deadly pesticides, polluted rivers, or the ozone hole, the ingenuity of the American people has always proven the pessimists wrong. And we will do it again, working together we will overcome the threat of climate change.

- President Bill Clinton
May 4, 1998

Today, President Clinton attends an event in Los Angeles, California to launch the Partnership for Advancing Technologies in Housing (PATH) -- a public-private partnership designed to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of our homes -- saving consumers money while reducing pollution that contributes to global warming.

Advanced Housing For The 21st Century. The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) brings together federal agencies, state and local governments, and the building, finance and insurance industries to spur design and construction innovations for the next generation of American housing. PATH's goal is to create homes that are stronger, more affordable, more comfortable and far more energy-efficient.

• Over the next decade, PATH aims to cut energy use by 50 percent in new homes, and by 30 percent in 15 million existing homes.
• By 2010, PATH will save consumers $11 billion in energy costs and reduce annual carbon emissions by nearly 24 million tons -- the amount produced each year by 20 million cars.

Meeting The Challenge Of Climate Change. Rising emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, threaten to warm the planet 2 to 6 degrees over the next century. Likely results include rising sea levels, the spread of infectious disease, increased flooding and drought, and extreme weather like that caused by this winter's El Nino. Energy use at home accounts for 20 percent of U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases. PATH is part of a comprehensive Administration strategy to fight climate change through cost-effective steps that curb emissions while creating new opportunities for economic growth.

A Commitment To Work Together. PATH joins government and industry in a coordinated strategy to identify promising housing technologies and swiftly move them to market.

• Federal partners, led by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Energy, commit to support research and provide leadership and technical assistance.
• Industry partners commit to fund research, bring advanced products to market, share information and work with government to demonstrate new technologies.
• State and local government partners commit to streamline approval processes so new technologies are rapidly deployed and devote resources to local pilot projects.

Tax Incentives For Energy Efficiency. To further promote energy efficiency and clean energy technologies, the President's Fiscal Year 1999 budget proposes a five-year $6.3 billion package of tax incentives and research investments. Included are $200 million in tax credits for the purchase of ultra-energy-efficient homes and $1.4 billion in tax credits for the purchase of energy-saving heating and cooling systems and other major appliances. The budget also proposes $200 million next year to accelerate R&D for appliances and construction.