Cantwell: $55 Million for Washington State Communities to Improve Energy Efficiency and Conservation Will Create Jobs

Block Grant Funding for Energy Efficiency Conservation Direct to Communities is Part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that Washington will receive $55,359,400 in funding to invest in energy efficiency and conservation projects. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will provide formula grants for community projects to reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and improve overall energy efficiency nationwide. Cantwell was one of authors of this program as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Since then, Cantwell has been fighting to get it fully funded so communities across the country can implement new clean energy technologies, create jobs and reduce their citizens’ energy costs.

“As communities across Washington state look for ways to increase economic activity, this funding will create green jobs, deploy energy efficient programs, and use new technologies to curb greenhouse gas emissions,” said Cantwell. “City, county, and state governments are ready to step up and address our country’s significant energy challenges, and these funds will allow them to do that today with dividends for years to come.”

EECBG was authorized as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which Cantwell helped write. This program, modeled after the successful Community Development Block Grant program, gives financial support to cities, counties, states, and tribes working to lower greenhouse gas emissions, achieve greater energy efficiency, and increase use of renewable energy technologies.

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. Funding is based on a formula that accounts for population and energy use.

Below is the direct funding amount for state, city, and county governments in Washington:

State:

Washington State Energy Office -- $10,645,900

Cities:

Auburn -- $235,500
Bellevue -- $1,295,700
Bellingham -- $780,100
Edmonds -- $160,200
Everett -- $1,045,400
Federal Way -- $777,700
Kennewick -- $589,700
Kent -- $845,400
Kirkland -- $211,500
Lacey -- $164,900
Lakewood -- $541,000
Longview -- $165,400
Olympia -- $220,600
Pasco -- $495,500
Puyallup -- $164,500
Redmond -- $272,000
Renton -- $617,500
Richland -- $204,300
Sammamish -- $135,000
Seattle -- $6,142,300
Shoreline -- $472,800
Spokane -- $1,947,300
Spokane Valley -- $823,400
Tacoma -- $1,947,300
Vancouver -- $1,574,800
Yakima -- $814,000

Counties:

Clark County -- $2,282,900
King County -- $6,141,100
Kitsap County -- $2,229,100
Pierce County -- $4,376,400
Skagit County -- $495,100
Snohomish County -- $4,828,400
Thurston County -- $617,200
Whatcom County -- $470,000
Yakima County -- $629,500