MONTGOMERY— Many Alabama counties and municipalities may be eligible for funding for energy-related projects from more than $6 million made available to the state through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.   

The funds, totaling $6,210,120, are part of the $10.3 million allocation by the U.S. Department of Energy to Alabama for projects through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, administered by the Energy Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

ADECA is seeking applications for projects to help local governments decrease energy consumption, improve the energy efficiency of buildings, reduce fossil fuel emissions and create or retain jobs. Only municipalities and counties not receiving Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds directly from the U.S. Department of Energy, called non-entitlement communities, are eligible to apply for these grants.  Grants will be awarded within 180 days of U.S. Department of Energy approval of the state’s plan which is pending.

The types of projects eligible for funding are:

·        Establishment of zero-interest-rate loan programs by local governments to help industries and businesses make energy-efficiency improvements to buildings

·        Retrofits to improve the energy efficiency of government-owned facilities

·        Projects that capture methane gas from landfills or wastewater treatment facilities and use it as a renewable energy onsite or sell it to the power grid as alternative energy

·        Replacement of traffic signals and street lights with energy-efficient lighting technology

·        Installation of solar, biomass or other renewable energy technology at government buildings

The application deadline is 5 p.m. Aug. 7. A copy of the request is available at www.adeca.alabama.gov/C5/EECBG under “Request for Applications.”  For more information, contact ADECA’s Energy Division at (800) 392-8098.

The cities and counties receiving Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funding directly from the U.S. Department of Energy and not eligible for grants are:

            Cities 

Auburn, Birmingham, Decatur, Dothan, Florence, Gadsden, Hoover, Huntsville,  Madison, Mobile, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa

Counties

Baldwin, Calhoun, Cullman, Jefferson, Madison, Marshall, Mobile, Shelby, Talladega and Tuscaloosa

ADECA is currently developing a separate request for applications for the remaining portion of the state’s allocation. That portion will be available for projects proposed by non-entitlement communities as well as nonprofit organizations, public and private industries and agricultural operations.

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Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers