Obama Administration Block Grants To Support Jobs, Cut Energy Costs, Increase Energy Independence

Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel announced that Rockland will be receiving $1,656,600 – specifically for county government and the Towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown - from President Obama’s $3.2 billion investment in energy efficiency and conservation projects.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will provide formula grants for projects that reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency.

The funding for Rockland breaks down as:
• County of Rockland - $749,300
• Town of Clarkstown - $751,300
• Town of Orangetown - $156,000

The funding will support energy audits and energy efficiency retrofits in residential and commercial buildings, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections, and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements. Other activities eligible for use of grant funds include transportation programs that conserve energy, projects to reduce and capture methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, renewable energy installations on government buildings, energy efficient traffic signals and street lights, deployment of Combined Heat and Power and district heating and cooling systems, and others.

Rep. Engel has introduced legislation to help break America’s addiction to foreign oil. The Open Fuel Standards Act (H.R. 1476) would require half of all cars made or sold in America by 2012, and 80% by 2015, to be flexible fuel vehicles. These vehicles would be able to run on gasoline, or alcohol-based fuels such as methanol or ethanol, or a combination of both. Alcohol fuels, including both ethanol and methanol, offer the potential for significant supplies of fuels that can be produced in the United States, and in other Western Hemisphere countries friendly to the United States.

“This type of investment in energy solutions will strengthen our economy and create jobs at the local level,” said Rep. Engel. “It is through this type of local investment that our nation will not only start the process of recovery by creating immediate jobs, but it will also lay the groundwork needed for an America that is energy independent.

To ensure accountability, the Department of Energy will provide guidance to and require grant recipients to report on the number of jobs created or retained, energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and funds leveraged. Funding is based on a formula that accounts for population and energy use.

“I want to thank President Obama for having the foresight to include in ARRA such funding that finally addresses our long-ignored energy crisis. This coupled with badly needed upgrades to our nation’s infrastructure begins America’s climb back from it’s current economic situation and towards a brighter future where we reduce our dependence on foreign oil, become better stewards of our environment, save our citizens in their energy costs, and create green collar jobs,” added Rep. Engel.

Funding for state, city, and county governments