Environment Briefs
Updated December 1, 2009
EDA accepting applications for Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund assistance
EDA’s Global Climate Change Mitigation Incentive Fund (GCCMIF) was established to strengthen the linkages between economic development and environmental quality. The purpose and mission of the GCCMIF is to finance projects that foster economic development by advancing the green economy in distressed communities. The GCCMIF supports projects that create jobs through, and increase private capital investment in, efforts to limit the nation's dependence on fossil fuels, enhance energy efficiency, curb greenhouse gas emissions and protect natural systems. Click HERE for more detailed information.
Updated October 27, 2009
DOE Announced a New Local Government Funding Opportunity
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) Competitive Solicitation, in two parts. Topic 1, the Retrofit Ramp-up Program, provides up to $390 million, for large-scale projects focused on building retrofits and energy efficiency improvements. Topic 2, General Innovation Fund Programs provides approximately $64 million for projects that contribute to reduced energy use in the commercial, residential, transportation, manufacturing or industrial sectors. DOE is interested in projects that substantially contribute to market transformation and utilize innovative financial strategies. Topic 1 funding is available to units of local government eligible to receive EECBG formula grants; topic 2 is available to local governments not eligible for formula grants (e.g. below population threshold), including consortia of such local governments, such as regional planning organizations. Please see http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/about/competitive_grants.html. A voluntary letter of intent is due November 19, 2009; grant applications are due December 14, 2009. If you are interested in the opportunity to explore grant partnerships, please contact Naomi Friedman, naomi@NARC.org.
Updated September 22, 2009
DOE to Fund up to $454 Million for Retrofit Ramp-Ups in Energy Efficiency
Projects Seek to Make Efficiency Accessible to Every Business and Homeowner
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced a new $450 million program designed to catalyze a nationwide energy upgrade that experts estimate could save $100 million annually in utility bills for households and businesses. The Recovery Act’s “Retrofit Ramp-Up” program will pioneer innovative models for rolling out energy efficiency to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in a variety of communities. Much like past roll-outs for cable TV or the Internet, DOE intends to create models that, when undertaken nationally, will save consumers billions of dollars on their utility bills and make the huge savings of energy efficiency available to everyone.
“Energy efficiency isn’t just low-hanging fruit; it’s fruit lying on the ground. We have the tools to reduce energy use at home and at work and to provide huge savings to families and businesses on their energy bills. But use of these technologies has been far too limited because we lack the simple and effective ways for people to access them,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
“The ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up’ program will support large-scale models that can open new energy efficiency opportunities to whole neighborhoods, towns, and, eventually, entire states,” continued Secretary Chu. “The Recovery Act will allow innovative communities to demonstrate a variety of sustainable business models that can be replicated across the country.”
The Request for Information (RFI) being issued today is for competitively-selected local energy efficiency projects. This competitive portion of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program will target community-scale retrofit projects that make significant, long-term impacts on energy use and can serve as national role models for grassroots energy efficiency efforts. DOE is seeking public comment on this newly funded program under the Recovery Act. Public comment ends on September 28, 2009.
The Department of Energy is accepting feedback on both the competitively-selected portion of the EECBG program for up to $390 million for neighborhood-scale building retrofits, as well as up to $64 million for local governments that were not eligible to receive the formula grants announced earlier this year. The EECBG program empowers local communities to make strategic investments to meet the Nation's long-term goals for energy independence and leadership on climate change.
This first topic area under the funding solicitation will target a select number of innovative programs that are structured to provide whole-neighborhood building energy retrofits. These will be projects that demonstrate a sustainable business model for providing cost-effective energy upgrades for a large percentage of the residential, commercial, and public buildings in a specific community. Possible approaches could include innovative partnerships between the public and private sector, utility retrofit and audit programs, alternative financing, retail partnerships, and others. The Department of Energy will award up to $390 million for these projects.
The second topic area for up to $64 million is reserved for cities, counties and State-recognized Indian Tribes that were not eligible to receive population-based formula grant allocations from DOE under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. These funds are intended to help expand local energy efficiency efforts and reduce energy use in the commercial, residential, transportation, manufacturing, or industrial sectors.
“The aim of the ‘Retrofit Ramp-Up’ program is to jump-start an industry that makes energy efficiency savings easy to access and available to everyone. By encouraging partnerships between local governments and effective private enterprises, we hope tune-ups for buildings will become as accepted as tune-ups for cars. These efforts will save Americans millions of dollars, reduce carbon pollution, and create new green jobs,” said Secretary Chu.
The complete Request for Information is available at http://doe-iips.pr.doe.gov/iips/faopor.nsf/1be0f2271893ba198525644b006bc0be/daf445e535572106852576310046fae5?OpenDocument. Public comment is requested by September 28, 2009. The Funding Opportunity Announcement is expected to be released in early October, following the public comment period.
For more information on the EECBG program, visit www.eecbg.energy.gov.
Updated September, 2009
Clean Air Excellence Awards Program
US Environmental Protection Agency
For more information, visit EPA's website by clicking here.
EPA is now requesting applications for the 10th Annual Clean Air Excellence Awards.
The Clean Air Excellence Awards Program, established in 2000 at the recommendation of the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, annually recognizes and honors outstanding innovative efforts to help make progress in achieving cleaner air. Award-winning entries must directly or indirectly reduce pollutant emissions, demonstrate innovation, offer sustainable outcomes, and provide a model for others to follow.
If you have any questions about the Clean Air Excellence Awards Program, please contact Pat Childers of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation at (202) 564-1082, or childers.pat@epa.gov.
There are five categories in which a program, project, or technology may be entered:
- Clean Air Technology
- Community Action
- Education/Outreach
- Regulatory/Policy Innovations
- Transportation Efficiency Innovations
Award-winning entries are programs, projects, or technologies that directly or indirectly (i.e., by encouraging actions) reduce emissions of criteria pollutants or hazardous/toxic air pollutants; are innovative and unique; provide a model for others to follow; and result in positive outcomes that are continuing/sustainable.
In addition to the five award categories described above, the Clean Air Excellence Awards Program will annually recognize two special award categories.
The Thomas W. Zosel Outstanding Individual Achievement Award. This category recognizes up to one individual for outstanding achievement, demonstrated leadership, and a lasting commitment to promoting clean air and helping to achieve better air quality. The candidate should be an innovative leader in his or her field and demonstrate a lifetime of achievement in promoting clean air. Candidates for this award must be nominated by a third party.
Gregg Cooke Visionary Program Award. This category recognizes an outstanding project or program that has achieved environmental excellence in more than one of the five general award categories (i.e., Clean Air Technology, Community Action, Education/Outreach, Regulatory/Policy Innovations, and Transportation Efficiency Innovations).
Updated August 27, 2009
Cities Trying to Address Their Energy Assurance and Reliability Concerns Now have Access to Federal Grant Funding
Washington, DC, August 27, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Energy is making $10.5 million in competitive grant funding available to U.S. cities to prepare energy assurance and reliability plans. This funding is made available through the Local Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) initiative as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Cities can receive between $60K and $300K for this effort.
Public Technology Institute (PTI) conducts a variety of energy assurance educational and outreach programs tailored specifically for local officials through the support of the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Reliability. PTI is available to provide support, free of charge, to cities as they prepare their proposals. Please contact Ronda Mosley at rmosley@pti.org for more information.
Published by PTI with support from the Department of Energy, Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines is designed to help city and county officials address energy assurance and security concerns for mission-critical government facilities and will serve as a resource for cities interested in submitting proposals for funding as part of the LEAP initiative. A PDF of this guide is available at no charge at http://www.pti.org/index.php/ptiee1/more/410/. A soft cover version of the guide can be purchased for $33.49 plus shipping.
According to the Department of Energy, the goal of this funding program is to facilitate recovery from disruptions to the energy supply and enhance reliability and quicker repair of outages. This initiative will create jobs at the local level and allow cities to have well-developed, standardized energy assurance and resiliency plans that they can rely on during energy emergencies and supply disruptions.
Under the LEAP initiative, city governments will address energy supply disruption risks and vulnerabilities in their plans to lessen the devastating impact that such incidents have on the economy and the health and safety of citizens.
Cities that apply for funding will focus on developing new, or refining existing plans to integrate new energy portfolios (renewables, biofuels, etc) and new applications, such as Smart Grid technology into their energy assurance and emergency preparedness plans. Better planning efforts will help contribute to the resiliency of the energy sector, including the electricity grid, by focusing on the entire energy supply system, which includes refining, storage, and distribution of fossil and renewable fuels.
"PTI applauds the Department of Energy?s Office of Energy Reliability for their efforts to educate and promote awareness of energy assurance to local officials," said Ronda Mosley, Executive Assistant Director of Research and Government Services with PTI and editor of the publication Local Government Energy Assurance Guidelines. "By making these funds available, local agencies now have the resources to take their planning efforts to the next level to ensure that their municipal facilities and their energy infrastructure are able to handle an energy emergency."
Consolidated city-county governments will be considered as cities and will be eligible for grant funding.
The due date for cities to submit their proposals to the Department of Energy is 3:00 PM ET on October 8, 2009.
Information on the LEAP initiative can be found on Fedconnect at https://www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/ (see the public opportunities section, funding number DE-FOA-0000098).
Updated June 17, 2009
EPA Announces $10 Million in Grants to "Climate Showcase Communities"
EPA has announced the availability of up to $10 million in first of its kind, “Climate Showcase Communities” grants to local governments, councils of governments, and tribal governments to establish and implement climate change initiatives that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (Eligible entities are listed below.) The agency expects to award approximately 30 cooperative agreements, each one ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. Approximately 5 percent of the funds ($500,000)are set-asides for tribal governments.
“Ending climate change and moving to a sustainable, clean energy future begins on the ground in our communities,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re offering a helping hand to local areas that are leading the way in confronting climate change, and a call to action for anyone concerned about making a difference where they live. We can cut energy costs and reduce harmful emissions at the local level, and build a model for fighting climate change in every community.”
EPA requests proposals to create replicable models of sustainable community action, generate cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions, and improve the environmental, economic, public health, and social conditions in a community. A 50 percent cost-share is required for recipients, with the exception of tribal governments and intertribal consortia which are exempt from matching requirements under this grant.
Over the course of the grant program, EPA will offer training and technical support to grant recipients, and share lessons learned with communities across the nation.
Proposals are due by July 22, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. EDT. Grants are expected to be awarded in January 2010.
Additional grant information: http://epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-programs/state-and-local/showcase.html
According to EPA, eligible applicants include: local governments—a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority (including any public and Indian housing agency) school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, any other regional or interstate government entity, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government.
Federally recognized Indian tribal governments: any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including Native villages) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided by him through the Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as any organization or intertribal consortium that represents federally recognized tribes.
Updated March 24, 2009
EPA Announces $211 Million of Recovery Act Funding Available to Reduce Diesel Emissions, Spur Redevelopment, Create Jobs
EPA: This funding will create jobs to help the public breathe cleaner air and support brownfields redevelopment.
Contact (media only): Enesta Jones, 202-564-7873/ jones.enesta@epa.gov
(Other inquiries on diesel): cleandiesel@epa.gov
(Other inquiries on brownfields): Brownfields-Web-Comments@epamail.epa.gov
(Washington, D.C. - March 20, 2009) State and local governments, nonprofit organizations and tribal agencies can now apply for up to an estimated $211 million in funding that will help create jobs for redevelopment nationwide and protect communities and the environment from diesel emissions. This is EPA funding available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 that President Obama signed into law Feb. 17, 2009.
Diesel grantees will use the total estimated $206 million to implement clean diesel projects that would cut thousands of tons of diesel emissions, including particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. As a result, the projects would also reduce premature deaths, asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments, lost work days, and many other health impacts every year.
Brownfields grantees will use the total estimated $5 million to provide training for jobs and to facilitate job creation in the assessment, remediation, or preparation of brownfields sites for sustainable reuse. EPA anticipates awarding 10-12 cooperative agreements, whose maximum value each shall not exceed $500,000.
Preference will be given to projects that can be started and completed expeditiously. EPA plans to provide the funding in June.
More information on the diesel and brownfields grants: http:///www.epa.gov/recovery
Closing date for receipt of applications: April 20, 2009
EPA is accepting applications from eligible governmental entities and nonprofit organizations to provide environmental job training projects and to facilitate job creation in the assessment, remediation, or preparation of brownfields sites for sustainable reuse. EPA anticipates awarding 10-12 cooperative agreements, whose maximum value each shall not exceed $500,000.
Eligible applicants must identify and propose to serve a community that currently receives, or has received, financial assistance (federal, state, or tribal) for brownfields assessment, revolving loan fund, cleanup, site-specific work carried out by state or tribal response programs, and/or targeted brownfields assessments performed directly by EPA.
The Agency is soliciting applications for projects that can be started expeditiously by applicants who can demonstrate the ability to contribute to economic recovery through the creation and/or preservation of jobs.
For more information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/eparecovery/index.htm.
Updated March 14, 2009
USDA Announces Energy Audit Applications for Grants Now Being Accepted
EESI Contact: Jesse Caputo at 202.662.1882 or jcaputo@eesi.org
On March 11, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the USDA is accepting funding applications from eligible entities for grants to conduct energy audits under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The audits are intended to help agriculture producers and rural small businesses identify ways to reduce energy consumption.
Audits are required for energy efficiency projects funded by REAP costing over $50,000. Parties seeking audits must pay 25 percent of audit costs. State, tribal or local government, land-grant colleges and universities, or other institutions of higher education, rural electric cooperatives, and public power entities are eligible to receive funds.
Applications for grants must be submitted on paper or electronically no later than June 9. Application materials may be obtained through www.grants.gov or by contacting one of Rural Development's Rural Energy Coordinators.
For more information regarding application procedures, eligibility rules, and a list of Rural Development Rural Energy Coordinators, see the Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) in the Federal Register.
Environmental and Energy Study Institute Press Release