Published: October 26, 2009 10:53 pm      

County, city to get more than half-million dollar energy grant

CUMBERLAND — Thanks to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, 13 counties and 147 municipalities throughout Maryland will receive funding for cost-effective energy efficiency measures and renewable energy systems.

Both Allegany County and Cumberland will see a piece of the money. The county was allocated $417,000 while Cumberland was awarded $93,000.

“We have not actually decided what we will spend this on since we have not received the actual paperwork yet,” said City Administrator Jeff Repp. “But most likely it will be used to retrofit existing city-owned street lights and lights at facilities with more energy-efficient fixtures to reduce our electrical costs.”

Repp said the city has not been given a date the money will be released.

The funds are a complement of the $40 million in federal grants provided earlier this year as part of the Gov. Martin O’Malley administration’s EmPOWERing Clean Communities program.

“The cities and counties receiving funding through the EmPOWERing Clean Communities program are uniquely positioned to understand the energy needs and opportunities within their own communities,” O’Malley said in a press release. “The energy improvements made possible through this program will help create jobs, save taxpayer dollars and advance our goal of making Maryland’s future cleaner, greener and more sustainable for all our citizens.”

The funds will be coordinated by the Maryland Energy Administration. The MEA will also offer technical assistance, including energy engineering services, at no cost to the local governments.

“The Maryland Energy Administration is pleased to partner with interested local governments to realize our shared energy efficiency and clean energy goals,” MEA Director Malcolm Woolf said. “The additional funding from the EECBG program will create an estimated 70 new jobs for our workers and produce energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions equivalent to powering over 6,900 homes for a year, along with taking close to 20,000 cars off the road over the life of the investments. These results will continue to support our strides toward a Smart, Green and Growing Maryland.”

The funds are designed to help grant recipients reduce consumption at facilities owned or operated by the governments and prepare local greenhouse gas inventories.

The mayor and council will announce the award through a letter from O’Malley at the public city meeting tonight.

Also on the agenda is an update from city Economic Development Coordinator Brenda Smith. The meeting will be held in City Hall at 6:15 p.m.

Contact Tess Hill at thill@times-news.com.