EPA’s Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program will help the communities increase energy efficiency, save consumers money and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by providing technical assistance, tools, and guidance to implement policies and programs to mitigate climate change.
The projects will help in increasing energy efficiency in homes and businesses, helping residents save fuel by decreasing the number of miles they drive thereby covering all aspects of a community’s carbon footprint.
Preliminary calculations estimate that by 2012 the projects will reduce about 135,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually and save more than $4.5m per year in energy costs. Several projects are expected to create or maintain jobs and provide green job training.
The funded communities are contributing more than $5.6m in matching or leveraged funds. Grantees selected for the Climate Showcase funds were required to show their ability to achieve ongoing GHG reductions and to track, measure, and show progress toward their goals.
EPA will monitor the progress of grant recipients and will post quarterly updates about each recipient online. EPA plans to grant another $2.2m in the next few months to five additional local and tribal governments.
Lisa Jackson, administrator of EPA, said: ”These communities see the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change and are working with EPA to fight back. We’re working on innovative, win-win strategies that reduce greenhouse gases and cut energy bills for families and businesses , strategies that can be put in place to fight climate change in communities from Utah and Ohio to China and India.”
