City Eligible for $8 Million in Grants

City Eligible for $8 Million in Grants over Two Years

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants will fund sustainability projects

Energy audits and retrofits of buildings, renewable energy projects and green roofs, are examples of sustainability projects that could launch soon as a result of federal stimulus dollars heading to Indianapolis. The City is eligible to receive $8,032,300 over the next two years as part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program from the U.S. Department of Energy. The formula grants announced yesterday are part of a $3.2 billion investment in energy efficiency and conservation projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“This funding is a welcomed catalyst that will allow us to take immediate action on a number of citywide sustainability initiatives,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. “We plan to focus these resources on projects that produce long-term cost savings and improve both the local environment and quality of life for our citizens.”

The City’s Office of Sustainability is reviewing EECBG requirements and conditions and is developing a process to determine which projects are eligible for funding.

“We’re looking for ways to put these dollars to work quickly and to fund as many projects as possible that advance the mission of SustainIndy,” said Kären Haley, Director of the Office of Sustainability.

Energy audits, energy efficiency retrofits of buildings, development and implementation of advanced building codes, transportation programs that conserve energy, renewable energy installations, and energy efficient traffic signals are among the programs generally recognized as appropriate uses for grant funding. Green roofs are one strategy to increase a building’s energy efficiency and may be eligible under the grant.

About SustainIndy:

Mayor Ballard launched SustainIndy and created the Office of Sustainability in October of 2008. Both represent an innovative enterprise aimed at delivering long-term cost savings to the city, building the local economy, improving our quality of life and enhancing our environmental and public health. Its efforts are designed to aggressively move Indianapolis forward in making it one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest. For more information, visit www.sustainindy.org.