McCaskill: Over $14 Million In Stimulus Grant Money To Missouri To Increase Energy Efficiencies, Create Green Jobs

September 14, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill announced today that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) awards will provide money to the state of Missouri and Jefferson and St. Charles counties. The entities are receiving $14,027,200 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to improve their efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and create green jobs locally.

According the DOE, activities eligible for EECBG funding include energy audits and building retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.

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A total of $14,027,200 in EECBG grants has been allocated throughout the state:

* State of Missouri – $12,568,100
* St. Charles City - $615,600
* Jefferson County – $250,000
* St. Charles County – $593,500

Funding to states and localities through the economic recovery package will be allocated through existing federal programs like these, rather than earmarks, in order to ensure prompt distribution and better accountability. Local projects receive funds from these grants by following the process set up by each program. During Congressional consideration of the economic recovery bill, McCaskill worked to put additional accountability measures in place.

­­­­­ McCaskill believes that federal grants and loans are a positive alternative to earmarks, which in the past have frequently had too little accountability. Competitive merit and need based federal grants and low-interest government loans bring federal assistance to Missouri in an honest and fiscally responsible manner.

Source: Senator Claire McCaskill