Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven
Chu announced today that more than $38 million in funding from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is being awarded to 4 states
to support energy efficiency and conservation activities. Under
DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)
program, these states – Alaska, Kansas, Utah and West
Virginia - will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce
carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.
"This funding will allow states across the country to make major
investments in energy solutions that will strengthen America's
economy and create jobs at the local level," said Secretary Chu.
"It will also promote some of the cheapest, cleanest and most
reliable energy technologies we have - energy efficiency and
conservation - which can be deployed immediately. Local communities
can now make strategic investments to help meet the nation's long
term clean energy and climate goals."
Today's awards to the State Energy Offices will be used to
support state-level energy efficiency priorities, along with
funding local conservation projects in smaller cities and
counties. At least 60 percent of each state's award will be
passed through to local cities and counties not eligible for direct
EECBG awards from the Department of Energy. The EECBG Program
was funded for the first time by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act and provides formula grants to states, cities,
counties, territories and federally-recognized Indian tribes
nationwide to implement energy efficiency projects
locally.
Projects eligible for support include the development of an
energy efficiency and conservation strategy, energy efficiency
audits and retrofits, transportation programs, the creation of
financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements,
the development and implementation of advanced building codes and
inspections, and installation of renewable energy technologies on
municipal buildings.
Transparency and accountability are important priorities for the
EECBG program and all Recovery Act projects. All grantees have
specific measures they must take before spending the full amount of
awarded funding, such as ensuring oversight and transparency,
submitting a conservation strategy to the Department of Energy, and
complying with environmental regulations.
Throughout the program's implementation, DOE will provide strong
oversight at the local, state, and tribal level, while emphasizing
the need to quickly award funds to help create new jobs and
stimulate local economies. Communities will be required to report
regularly to DOE on the progress they have made toward successfully
completing projects and reaching program goals.
For a full list of awards to date, visit the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program.
DOE announced today that the following states are receiving
their state-level EECBG awards:
ALASKA - $9,593,500 awarded
Alaska will use its Recovery Act EECBG funding to implement energy
efficiency and renewable energy projects in local communities
across the state, including energy audits and building retrofits,
transportation efficiency programs, and installations of renewable
energy technologies on government buildings. The Alaska
Housing Finance Corporation will work in coordination with the
Alaska Energy Authority to administer the funding, including
competitively passing a majority of the state's funding onto local
cities and counties.
Promoting efficiency in local communities is particularly
important in Alaska, which faces very high electricity and heating
costs, and has more than 180 villages that are only accessible by
water or air and have to operate independent, stand alone electric
grids. Under the EECBG program, community-owned facilities,
city offices, health clinics and other buildings will be able to
access funding for building retrofits and other efficiency
projects, which will reduce energy consumption and save money for
rural Alaskans.
Alaska will put its remaining EECBG funds toward a variety of
initiatives, including an energy efficiency public education
program, energy data management, waste heat capture projects from
power plants in rural communities, and the establishment of a
Technical Energy Advisory Group. Overall, these Recovery
Act-funded projects will lead to substantial energy and cost
savings, and create or save more than 75 green jobs statewide.
KANSAS - $9,593,500 awarded
Kansas will use its Recovery Act EECBG funds to implement
a range of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives in
both the public and private sector, including building retrofits,
direct incentives for renewable energy projects, and support for
local government energy managers. These projects will reduce
energy consumption, limit carbon pollution, and create hundreds of
jobs statewide.
Recovery Act funding will provide direct grants to cities and
counties to encourage broader participation in the state's existing
Facility Conservation Improvement Program (FCIP), which helps local
governments implement energy performance contracts with energy
service companies. The state will also encourage local
communities to install alternative energy generating systems (wind,
solar, fuel cell or bio-based), by offering competitive grants for
up to 25 percent of the cost. These grants will leverage private
sector investments and are expected to support more than $11
million in new renewable energy projects. With the remaining
Recovery Act funds, the state will allow local units of governments
to compete for funding to hire energy managers.
UTAH - $9,593,500 awarded
Utah will use its Recovery Act EECBG funds to improve energy
efficiency and reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions in
communities throughout the state. Utah will direct all of its State
Energy Program funding to local city and county governments that
did not receive direct EECBG grants from the Department of
Energy. Awards will be based upon a competitive process that
will choose a wide variety of projects focused on meeting community
needs for energy efficiency, conservation, and job creation.
The Utah State Energy Office will administer this program,
awarding funds in two general areas. First, grants to local cities
and counties to develop community and building energy efficiency
strategies, monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and innovative
policies that will promote energy efficiency and conservation.
Second, funding will support the implementation of a range of
efficiency initiatives, including energy efficiency retrofits,
installing on-site renewable energy technologies for existing
buildings, replacing traffic signals and street lights with energy
efficient lighting, and other energy efficiency improvements.
Utah's Recovery Act-funded projects will lead to substantial energy
and cost savings and will create nearly 100 jobs statewide.
WEST VIRGINIA - $9,593,500 awarded
West Virginia will use its Recovery Act EECBG funding to
empower local governments and communities with the knowledge and
resources they need to improve building energy efficiency.
Through its Local Government Grant Program (LGGP), the West
Virginia Department of Energy will work with the state's eleven
regional planning and development councils to coordinate and
distribute nearly $9 million for local energy retrofit
projects.
EECBG funding will also support local training and education
initiatives. The West Virginia University Industrial
Assessment Center, which has significant experience advising
business and industry, will help local city and county governments
in understanding energy efficiency measures, and their costs and
benefits.
Additionally, the state's Building Energy Collaborative will use
EECBG funds to work with local stakeholders – including
contractors, realtors, building inspectors, product suppliers, and
city and county officials - to determine how to most effectively
implement and enforce building codes.
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