Community block grant money will help create jobs, lower energy costs
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced that over $11 million in money from the economic recovery act will be coming to Maine to fund energy efficiency and conservation projects in the state.
“This money is coming to Maine at a critical time,” Pingree said. “As part of the stimulus package it is designed to put people back to work immediately. But it also has long term benefits by helping us become more energy efficienct and reduce our energy bills.”
The money Pingree announced today is part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, and will fund projects at the state and local level that reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions.
“Getting stimulus money into the Maine economy quickly is critical,” Pingree said. “We learned today that Maine lost another 2,600 jobs in February, which highlights how important it is to create and protect jobs in the state.”
Altogether Maine is in line to get $11, 281,300 under the program. Efficiency Maine will get the bulk of the funding---about $9.6 million. (Sixty percent of that money is then distributed directly to communities.) Towns and cities are also in line to receive direct funding as well. For example, Portland will get just under $685,000 and Biddeford will get about $93,000. (PDF table attached with specifics.)
The block grants for communities can be used in a number of different ways. For example, a community might choose to use the money to do residential and commercial energy audits or install energy efficient streetlights.
More information on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program is available here: http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/#lc
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