Palm Beach County has been awarded a $6,587,600 grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support the county’s energy efficiency strategy and conservation activities. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program is providing $3.2 billion in total funding to more than 2,300 local governments to help them improve energy efficiency, reduce energy usage and fossil fuel emissions, and create green jobs.
“We are very pleased to have seven of our major green initiatives approved,” said Assistant County Administrator Shannon LaRocque-Baas.
The county’s Economic Development Office (EDO) is administering the energy efficient grant programs, which will create and/or retain a minimum of 148 green jobs.
Approved energy-saving county projects include:
- $1.5 million to replace chillers at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with high-efficiency modular units to insure that computers and other systems run properly during storms;
- A $1.2 million state-of-the-art methane recovery system for the county’s Southern Region Water Reclamation Facility in Boynton Beach, which will convert methane to electricity for 100 percent on-site use;
- $1.2million for Parks and Recreation to install energy-efficient lighting at three county sports facilities; the new lamps reduce consumption by up to 50 percent;
- A $1.1million revolving loan pool for local government organizations seeking to invest in new, cost-saving energy projects;
- An $850,000 innovative and competitive energy grant pool for all governmental agencies to modernize facilities and to lower costs. This grant initiative encourages all agencies to find best means to save dollars on a competitive basis;
- $200,000 to synchronize traffic signals on major thoroughfares, reducing the amount of time vehicles spend waiting in traffic and reducing emissions;
- A $175,000 solar-power retrofit of the Cooperative Extension Service offices and the Mounts Botanical Garden; a monitor will display long-term energy cost reductions.
“With the money received through the energy block grant program, Palm Beach County can go much further with its energy goals and help our local economy thrive,” said EDO Director Kevin Johns. “It’s a win-win-win situation by creating new jobs, reducing the cost of doing business, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.”
Green initiatives are being coordinated with Palm Beach County departments, the Overall Economic Development Planning Committee, the state’s Energy and Climate Change Commission, Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Environmental Studies (CES), the Business Development Board, and the Palm Beach County School District, along with municipal partnerships to share best practices. The BDB has organized a broad coalition of leaders called the Green Energy Council dedicated to supporting the Green Energy Cluster, a group of businesses involved in clean, renewable, and sustainable energy and energy efficiency. The Green Energy Council serves as a liaison between the business community and educational institutions on green initiatives within local schools, colleges and universities.
For more information about the EECBG program, contact Economic Development Specialist Pam Nolan at 561-355-3624.
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