County Bests Competition for Green Grants

By Desiree Parker Thursday, March 11, 2010

James City County has picked up a state grant, which, when combined with a federal grant supervisors accepted Tuesday, will give the county over $802,000 for energy conservation and green job development.

Of the total awards, $303,828 is federal money from a climate change mitigation program and $498,625 is part of a conservation block grant through the state.

The federal grant supervisors accepted at their meeting this week comes from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Showcase Communities program. The program aims to create models of sustainable community action that generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while improving environmental, economic, public health or social conditions in a community.

The grant was very competitive and just 25 communities of 450 that applied were accepted.

The state grant is through the Virginia Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant administered by the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. This money will be used to establish a Climate Coordinator position to administer the program and develop an implementation strategy; capitalize a revolving loan fund for audits and energy efficient retrofits; and develop a training program for local contractors.

The plan provides the community with a single point of contact and clearinghouse of information on this topic, seed money for project financing and a channel to develop the local contractor expertise building owners will require.

The county was one of 26 receiving the state money, out of 150 applicants.

“These efforts will create and retain jobs in an environmentally sustainable manner and reduce the community’s total energy use. It’s a win-win for the community and the environment,” said Supervisor John McGlennon, also a member of the Green Building Roundtable. The Roundtable is made up of elected officials, businesses, local architects, designers and county staff who promote the conservation of natural resources and encourage responsible energy usage for public and private facilities. They’ve been working to get both grants.

“It also opens partnership opportunities with regional, State and national initiatives such as the City of Charlottesville and the County of Albemarle’s Local Energy Alliance Partnership (LEAP) and a Program Sponsorship for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Performance with Energy Star program,” McGlennon said.