The U.S. Department of Energy is taking applications for the competitive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.
Grant recipients will receive a combined $8.8 million through funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to an April 5 news release. The grants will go toward projects that reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and reduce overall energy use.
“For many families, the cost of energy is a burden they live with every day; getting federal assistance directly to their communities is the best way to transform those challenges into opportunities for cheaper, cleaner power,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release. “Today’s funding will help lower utility costs, cut emissions and create healthier environments for families in every corner of the country."
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., pointed out many families cannot afford the investment to improve efficiency, as much as they would like to see energy bills come down, the release reported. Merkley said that with money from the EECBG program, Oregon communities would have the chance to "efficiently and effectively transition to clean energy — putting more money in Oregon families’ pockets, and a lot less pollution in our skies fueling catastrophic wildfires, droughts and other disasters."
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, noted the grant money could help local governments lead the way in the transition to going green by switching to electric vehicle fleets and using clean energy technologies that are also highly efficient, the release said.
"These efforts have a real impact on people’s everyday lives by lowering utility costs, reducing pollution and creating new jobs," Heinrich said in the release.
U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., helped spearhead the push in Congress to reestablish the program for the foreseeable future, according to the release.
“We have an urgent responsibility to invest in energy efficient infrastructure that’s both sustainable and cost-effective,” Stanton said in the release. “This historic funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives local governments the resources to spur community-level clean energy projects — and I’m proud to lead the bipartisan effort in Congress to reauthorize this critical program for years to come.”
