Showcase Communities Get $7.8 M in Grants to Fight GHGs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Feb. 25 announced that 20 U.S. communities, including two Indian Tribes, will receive $7.8 million in grants for projects that will reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs).
The funds will help Climate Showcase Communities increase energy efficiency, saving consumers money and reducing GHGs.
The recipients and their projects are:
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James City County, Va., Advancing GHG Reduction through Affordable Housing;
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Baltimore, Md., Baltimore Nonprofit GHG Reductions Program;
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Springfield, Mass., Building a Municipal Energy Conservation Corps;
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Warwick, R.I., Building Capacity through Intergovernmental Partnerships;
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City and County of Denver, Colo., Denver Neighborhood Climate Prosperity Project;
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Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Mont., Efficiency and GHG Reduction on the Northern Cheyenne Tribe Reservation;
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Eugene, Ore., Eugene SmartTrips;
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Sacramento County, Calif., Expanding River Friendly Landscaping Practices ;
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City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, GHG Reductions for Marginalized Communities;
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Bremerton, Wash., Innovative Master Planning for the South Kitsap Industrial Area;
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Lake of Sky Regional Planning Council, N.C., Reading, Riding and Retrofit;
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Durham City-County, N.C., Reducing GHGs Through Neighborhood Home Efficiency Upgrades;
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Gila River Indian Community, Ariz., Reduction of GHGs Through Innovative Climate Projects;
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Township of Cherry Hill, N.J., Sustainable Energy Efficiency Demonstration Project;
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Salt Lake City, Utah, Sustainable Transportation for a Sustainable Future;
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Chicago, Ill., The Chicago Green Health Care Initiative;
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Cincinnati, Ohio, The Green Cincinnati Plan;
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El Cerrito, Calif., The Small Cities Climate Action Partnership;
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West Chester Area School District, Pa., The Student Conservation Corps; and
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Bellingham, Wash., Whatcom Energy Challenge.
“These communities see the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change and are working with EPA to fight back,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “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.”
The projects will target every aspects of a community’s carbon footprint, from increasing energy efficiency in homes and businesses, to helping residents save fuel by decreasing the number of miles they drive.
Preliminary calculations by the grant applicants estimate that by 2012 the projects will reduce about 135,000 metric tons of GHG emissions annually — equivalent to the emissions from 25,000 passenger vehicles or 12,000 homes and save more than $4.5 million per year in energy costs. Several projects are expected to create or maintain jobs and provide green job training.
The communities are contributing more than $5.6 million in matching or leveraged funds and committing to sharing lessons learned. Grantees selected for the Climate Showcase funds were required to show their ability to achieve ongoing GHG reductions as well as to track, measure, and show progress toward their goals.
EPA will monitor grant recipient progress and post quarterly updates online. An additional $2.2 million is still under review and is expected to be awarded in the next few months to five additional local and tribal governments.
The Climate Showcase Communities Grant Program is administered by EPA, providing technical assistance, tools, and guidance to help state, local, and tribal governments implement policies and programs to mitigate climate change.