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National Goals and Purpose Established by the United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy administers the funding for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act - Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to all eligible applicants – U.S. states, territories, local governments, and Indian tribes.
In February 2009, the United States Department of Energy issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement through the FedConnect.net website, describing the purpose, eligible activities, and application requirements. Ohio’s ten largest counties and thirty-three largest cities are eligible to receive direct funding from the federal government, totaling $59.2 Million. The State of Ohio is also eligible to receive $24.9 Million with 60 percent to be awarded to local governments which did not receive direct funding and 40 percent to other government facilities.
With input from stakeholders and work by an interagency task force, the State of Ohio submitted its proposal by June 23, 2009, for approval by the United States Department of Energy to utilize the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding of $24.9 Million allocated to the State of Ohio. An executive summary of Ohio’s proposal is available for review.
Each of Ohio’s local counties and cities eligible for direct funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program must file a proposal by June 25, 2009 to utilize their allocated funds. For a list of these local governments, please click here.
Below is information included in the Funding Opportunity Announcement requested by the United States Department of Energy.
Purpose: To assist eligible entities in creating and implementing strategies to:
- Reduce fossil fuel emissions in a manner that is environmentally sustainable and, to the maximum extent practicable, maximizes benefits for local and regional communities;
- Reduce the total energy use of the eligible entities; and
- Improve energy efficiency in the building sector, the transportation sector, and other appropriate sectors.
Activities:
- Development of an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy: Entities may use a grant received under this part to develop and/or implement a strategy for energy efficiency and conservation and to carry out activities to achieve the purposes of the program. All entities receiving direct formula grants from the U.S. Department of Energy are required to submit a proposed strategy for approval.
- Technical Consultant Services: Entities may retain technical consultant services to assist the eligible entity in the development of such a strategy, including formulation of energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy usage goals; identification of strategies to achieve those goals through efforts to increase energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel emissions or reduce energy consumption through investments or by encouraging behavioral changes. Entities may develop methods to measure progress in achieving the goals. Entities may develop and publish annual reports to the population served by the eligible entity describing the strategies and goals and the progress made in achieving them during the preceding calendar year.
- Residential and Commercial Building Energy Audits: Entities may support the conduct of residential and commercial building energy audits.
- Financial Incentive Programs: Entities may establish financial incentive programs and mechanisms for energy efficiency improvements such as energy saving performance contracting, on-bill financing, and revolving loan funds.
- Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Grants may be made to nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies for the purpose of retrofitting existing facilities to improve energy efficiency.
- Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programs for Buildings and Facilities: Entities may develop and implement energy efficiency and conservation programs for buildings and facilities within the jurisdiction of the entity. The range of activities includes the design and operation of the programs; the identification of the most effective methods for achieving maximum participation and efficiency rates; public education; measurement and verification protocols; and identification of energy efficient technologies.
- Development and Implementation of Transportation Programs: Entities may develop and implement programs to conserve energy used in transportation, including but not limited to:
- Employee flex time programs;
- Promoting use of satellite work centers;
- Development and promotion of zoning guidelines or requirements that promote energy efficient development;
- Development of infrastructure such as bike lanes and pathways and pedestrian walkways;
- Synchronization of traffic signals;
- State/locals/regional integrated planning activities (i.e. transportation, housing, environmental, energy, land use) with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled;
- Incentive programs to reduce commutes by single occupancy vehicles;
- Improvements in operational and system efficiency of the transportation system such as implementation of intelligent transportation system (ITS) strategies;
- Idle-reduction technologies and/or facilities to conserve energy, reduce harmful air pollutants, and greenhouse gas emissions from freight movement; and
- Installation of solar panels on interstate rights-of-way to conserve energy in highway operations and maintenance activities.
- Building Codes and Inspections: Entities may develop and implement building codes and inspection services to promote building energy efficiency.
- Energy Distribution: Entities may implement distributed energy resource technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency, including:
- Absorption chillers
- Combined heat and power systems
- Cogeneration systems
- District heating and cooling systems
- Desiccant humidifiers
- Ground source heat pumps
- Energy storage systems
- Micro turbines
- Material Conservation Programs: Entities may implement activities to increase participation and efficiency rates for material conservation programs, including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement programs that lead to increases in energy efficiency.
- Reduction and Capture of Methane and Greenhouse Gases: Entities may use grant funds to purchase and implement technologies to reduce, capture, and, to the maximum extent practicable, use methane and other greenhouse gases generated by landfills or similar waste-related sources, such as wastewater treatment plants, operations producing food waste, dairy farms and other animal operations.
- Traffic Signals and Street Lighting: Entities may use grant funds to replace traffic signals and street lighting with energy efficient lighting technologies, including light emitting diodes; and any other technology of equal or greater energy efficiency.
- Renewable Energy Technologies on Government Buildings: Entities may use grant funds to develop, implement, and install on or in any government building of the eligible entity onsite renewable energy technology that generates electricity from renewable resources, including solar energy; wind energy; fuel cells; and biomass.
- Any Other Appropriate Activity: Entities may submit any other appropriate activity for approval in the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.
NOTE: Applicants proposing projects in support of activities 4, 5, 7D, 11, 13, and 14 must supply the environmental information contained in NETL F 451.1-1/3 – EECBG. To download a copy of this form, please click here.
Funding Level for Ohio:
- A direct allocation to Ohio city and county units of local government: $59,203,700; and
- A direct allocation to the State: $24,979,600, of which 60 percent ($14,987,760) has to be provided as sub-grants to eligible city and county units of local government that did not receive a direct allocation.
For more information on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Program, please visit: http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/.