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Butler Co. receives $1.9 million for energy
Jillian Dickman
Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: Community
Butler County is receiving nearly $1.9 million from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is looking to create jobs in energy with the allocated funds, according to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded block grants totaling more than $2.7 billion to states, territories and local governments in the United States, said Haley Morris, a congressional staffer for Sen. Brown.
These block grants, referred to as Energy Efficiency and Conservation block grants, represent a priority to provide the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies across the county, Morris said.
The funds that are distributed from these grants to the different sectors are set to decrease energy use, reduce carbon dioxide and create green jobs within Ohio, Morris said.
"Butler County has received its proportion based upon their population and demographics," said David Fehr, planning director for the Butler County Department of Development.
With the $1,885,000 Butler County is receiving, Fehr said the county intends to improve energy efficiency in six county buildings.
"We will be replacing windows and doors due to the fact they were installed back in 1976 and they are much more energy efficient windows now," Fehr said. "Also, we will be replacing heating and cooling systems."
Every awarded sector must use the initial funding to develop a conservation strategy that will detail how it wishes to spend the money on activities that reduce greenhouse gases, create new jobs and energy savings and retain existing jobs, Morris said.
"As far as the jobs are concern(ed), Butler County will be creating jobs based upon a system," Fehr said. "We will be creating about 17 to 19 jobs and we were able to calculate this number by dividing $92,000 into the total amount of money awarded."
Before spending the full amount, grant applicants must follow certain steps such as ensuring supervision and submitting the conservation strategy to the Department of Energy.
Butler County has planned to focus on implementing a variety of programs, according to Morris.
"Butler County will invest the funds to perform energy audits, build retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, develop and implement advanced building codes and inspections and create financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements," Morris said.
Other activities that qualify for the funds include building transportation programs to preserve energy, the installation of energy efficient traffic signals and energy technologies on government buildings, Morris said.
The first block grants were awarded July 24. Butler County received its funds Oct. 20. These grants will continued to be distributed under the criteria of the Department of Energy, Morris said.
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded block grants totaling more than $2.7 billion to states, territories and local governments in the United States, said Haley Morris, a congressional staffer for Sen. Brown.
These block grants, referred to as Energy Efficiency and Conservation block grants, represent a priority to provide the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies across the county, Morris said.
The funds that are distributed from these grants to the different sectors are set to decrease energy use, reduce carbon dioxide and create green jobs within Ohio, Morris said.
"Butler County has received its proportion based upon their population and demographics," said David Fehr, planning director for the Butler County Department of Development.
With the $1,885,000 Butler County is receiving, Fehr said the county intends to improve energy efficiency in six county buildings.
"We will be replacing windows and doors due to the fact they were installed back in 1976 and they are much more energy efficient windows now," Fehr said. "Also, we will be replacing heating and cooling systems."
Every awarded sector must use the initial funding to develop a conservation strategy that will detail how it wishes to spend the money on activities that reduce greenhouse gases, create new jobs and energy savings and retain existing jobs, Morris said.
"As far as the jobs are concern(ed), Butler County will be creating jobs based upon a system," Fehr said. "We will be creating about 17 to 19 jobs and we were able to calculate this number by dividing $92,000 into the total amount of money awarded."
Before spending the full amount, grant applicants must follow certain steps such as ensuring supervision and submitting the conservation strategy to the Department of Energy.
Butler County has planned to focus on implementing a variety of programs, according to Morris.
"Butler County will invest the funds to perform energy audits, build retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, develop and implement advanced building codes and inspections and create financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements," Morris said.
Other activities that qualify for the funds include building transportation programs to preserve energy, the installation of energy efficient traffic signals and energy technologies on government buildings, Morris said.
The first block grants were awarded July 24. Butler County received its funds Oct. 20. These grants will continued to be distributed under the criteria of the Department of Energy, Morris said.
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