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WRC Energy Audit Funding is Open for Round Two of Applications
Application
New WRC Energy Efficiency Program Coming Soon
Energy Program Power Point slide show
The Windham Regional Commission anticipates the receipt of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding, in two
separate allocations under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, also called “Economic Stimulus”). The first is $80,000
that was designated to each of Vermont’s 11 regional planning commissions in the FY2010 state budget. The second is $130,800 that was
awarded to Windham County, after the WRC successfully appealed an earlier denial of federal funds to the county.
The program and allocations are complicated not only by multiple funding sources for what could essentially be the same uses, but also by
the fact that the WRC’s 27-town region extends beyond Windham County’s 23 towns, making the strict accountability requirements more complex
than would otherwise be the case.
We are now in the midst of complying with a number of state and federal requirements, and we hope to have approval by early November to
begin developing an “Energy Efficiency & Conservation Strategy”, which is a required first step. A PowerPoint presentation outlines some of
the history of this program and the process that we expect to follow as potential uses of these funds are identified.
Plans at this time are extremely tentative, but the WRC Energy Committee has identified these preliminary guidelines:
- Seeking ways to get the most “bang for the buck.” That may mean developing tactics such as:
- Trying to do one or a very few large activities instead of a lot of small ones, to minimize the bite taken by management costs,and
- Looking for ideas that would be county- or region-wide in their impact, so that we still address—and properly account for—the
regional intent of the funding
- Looking for specific ideas that if implemented would continue to provide energy savings after the funding has ended
- Aiming at activities that would touch on the main EECBG themes of (1) energy efficiency & conservation, (2) climate and air quality
benefits, and (3) job creation or retention benefits
Ultimately, the EECBG plan that results from the EECS process would go to the WRC Executive Board and the full Commission for approval. We
have an awful lot on our plates these days, so please give us the benefit of all your good ideas, but please also understand that there
will be points at which we simply won’t have the luxury of as much flexibility as we’d like.
For more information: Jim Matteau, Executive Director,jmatteau@sover.net
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Last Updated: 1/22/2010 |
