-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Governor Kaine Announces $40 Million in Recovery Funds for
State Energy Plan
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:41:34 -0400
From: stimulus <stimu...@governor.virginia.gov>
To: stimu...@virginiainteractive.org
*/COMMONWEALTH/**//* */ OF VIRGINIA
Office/**/ of the Governor/*
*//*
*Timothy M. Kaine FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *
* Governor October 6, 2009 *
*Contact: Gordon Hickey*
*Phone: (804) 225-4260*
*Cell Phone: (804) 291-8977*
*Internet: www.governor.virginia.gov
<http://www.governor.virginia.gov/>*
*GOVERNOR KAINE ANNOUNCES $40 MILLION IN RECOVERY FUNDS FOR STATE ENERGY
PLAN*
/~ Additional $9.7 million announced for conservation block grants ~/
*RICHMOND* -- Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced the allocation
of $40 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to
implement the Virginia State Energy Plan (SEP), a blueprint for funding
energy-related initiatives throughout Virginia. The funding will help
create jobs, encourage energy conservation, and promote alternative
energy generation through rebates to residential and commercial
consumers, as well as grants to localities and individual projects.
"Today's announcement is another positive step forward in improving the
high quality of life that Virginia is known and continually recognized
for," Governor Kaine said. "Energy efficiency and conservation---along
with renewable and alternative energy production---will lower utility
bills for consumers, decrease our dependence on foreign energy sources,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide a safer and cleaner
environment for Virginians to live, work and play."
The $40 million in ARRA funding will be allocated as follow:
· $15 million to the recently announced Virginia Energy
Efficiency Rebate Program which will provide rebates to consumers who
purchase energy efficient products and equipment.
· $15 million to the new Renewable Energy Rebate Program which
will provide rebates to Virginians who install renewable energy
generation systems---such as solar or wind systems.
· $10 million for biomass and waste-to-energy projects, available
to localities and individual projects.
The Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate Program provides rebates of 20%
for expenses, or up to $2,000 per household, for residential consumers
and $4,000 for commercial consumers on purchases made after June 25,
2009. Virginians can also receive up to $250 of the cost of having an
energy audit conducted by a certified energy auditor. Those wishing to
receive a rebate will be required to complete an application and proof
of purchase. Beginning today, consumers can visit the Department of
Mines, Minerals, and Energy website to sign up for email notification
when applications are available.
The Renewable Energy Rebate Program provides rebates on purchases made
after June 25, 2009. Rebates will be based on the capacity of the
generating system---for example a residential photovoltaic system is
eligible for $2,000 per kilowatt , up to 10 kilowatts in size.
Residential and commercial consumers can receive a $1,000 per kilowatt
rebate for solar hot water systems.
The $10 million for biomass and waste-to-energy projects
will fund a wide range of initiatives such as digesting agricultural
waste into biogas, using landfill gas to produce electricity, and using
biomass for combined heat and power.
In addition to the $40 million for the SEP, Governor Kaine
also announced $9.7 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grants (EECBG). These grants will be distributed to small local
governments for a number of eligible purposes, including:
· Development and implementation of an energy efficiency strategy.
· Energy audits and retrofits of homes and commercial buildings.
· Energy efficiency retrofits of nonprofit organizations and
governmental buildings.
· Transportation measures to conserve energy.
· Financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.
· Application of energy distribution technologies such as
district heating and cooling systems.
· Installation of light emitting diodes (LED) in traffic signals
and for indirect lighting of the outside of buildings.
· Use in any government building of onsite renewable energy such
as solar thermal, solar electric, wind energy, or geothermal.
Finally, Virginia's can save even more on energy efficient products
October 9-12, 2009 during the state's third annual sales tax holiday on
ENERGY STAR and WaterSense qualified products. During this annual
holiday, consumers can save money by buying certain qualified products
tax-exempt, which will also deliver savings for years to come through
lower home utility bills. As with last year's holiday, high-efficiency
products with ENERGY STAR or WaterSense certification will be exempt
from sales tax.
Today's announcement comes as Governor Kaine continues to advance his
"Renew Virginia" initiative---an effort to promote renewable energy,
create green jobs, and encourage preservation of the environment. During
his administration, Governor Kaine has incentivized the production of
cleaner energy, surveyed the emissions of facilities previously
grandfathered out of the Clean Air act, dedicated over a billion dollars
to Chesapeake Bay cleanup, protected nearly 350,000 acres of open space,
and led the effort to promote regional cooperation to combat climate change.
/ /
/For more information on Renew Virginia, visit www.governor.virginia.gov
<http://www.governor.virginia.gov/>. /
Click here to view a Fact sheet detailing the programs above
<http://www.governor.virginia.gov/EnergyInitiativesFactSheet.pdf>
# # #
--
Lenna Storm
Sustainability Coordinator
George Mason University
lst...@gmu.edu <mailto:lst...@gmu.edu>
703-993-4220
/Your commitment matters - sign the Mason Climate Pledge and join your
friends and colleagues to help us win the America's Greenest Campus
contest:/
http://sustainability.gmu.edu/climate/
http://americasgreenestcampus.com//
Join our Google Group and be privy to local and regional
sustainability-related happenings and discussions/:
http://groups.google.com/group/sustainability-at-mason
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