Massachusetts Governor Patrick Announces Communities Will Receive $42m In Energy Grants

Federal Recovery Act will create jobs and help municipalities save on energy costs by investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy measures

BOSTON– Thursday, March 26, 2009 – Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick announced today that the White House has released funding amounts for Massachusetts communities under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

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Of the $42.2 million allocated to Massachusetts under federal formulas, 42 communities will directly receive amounts ranging from $149,000 to $6.5 million to be used for job-creating investments that reduce energy use and reliance on fossil fuels. Communities under 35,000 in population will be served by $14.8 million administered by the Department of Energy Resources, the state’s energy office.

“These energy block grants will fund job-creating investments in municipal facilities, and these investments will in turn give cities and towns permanent savings on energy costs,” said Governor Patrick. “In this way, the federal recovery act will pay off for Massachusetts today and for years to come.”

“These recovery dollars will create green jobs, reduce our energy use, and cut polluting emissions,” said Senator John Kerry. “From every angle, this means more money in the pockets of working people in Massachusetts. Anytime you can create jobs and save taxpayers money, it’s a smart investment.”

“The emergence of clean energy and energy efficiency industries—which has already begun right here in Massachusetts—is a bright spot in these tough economic times and will be the economic engine that drives us out of this crisis,” said Representative Edward J. Markey, who chairs key energy panels in the U.S. House of Representatives. “These new energy funds will create jobs, cut emissions, and reduce energy bills, keeping Massachusetts moving towards economic and environmental sustainability.”

“Investing in energy efficiency and renewables puts people to work and helps grow the clean energy industry already taking root in Massachusetts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles. “These federal funds will further the objectives of the Green Communities Act in making our cities and towns greener along with our economy.”

“The Department of Energy Resources stands ready to help every city and town in the Commonwealth put these funds to work creating jobs and saving money,” said DOER Commissioner Philip Giudice.

This announcement comes on the heels of the White House announcement March 12 that Massachusetts would receive $54.9 million for the State Energy Program under ARRA. Those funds can be used for a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy investments as part of Governor Patrick’s Massachusetts Recovery Plan. The state’s Department of Energy Resources (DOER) is preparing a spending plan for those funds based on guidance from the U.S. Department of Energy, which must approve the plan. The block grant funds allocated today are also subject to DOE approval of spending plans.

Source: Massachusetts Governor