Pioneer Valley
Planning Commission

Eric Carle Museum, Amherst, MA

Media Release

CONTACT: Catherine Miller, PVPC Principal Planner (413) 781-6045
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2010

Energy Efficiency Funding Will Support Clean Energy Plan

Several Pioneer Valley region communities will receive Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds with application assistance provided by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Among the successful applicants, five municipalities will receive a total of $401,083 for energy efficiency improvements to municipal buildings and eight municipalities will receive an additional $400,000 in technical assistance for energy efficiency projects.

Projects funded include thermal efficiency measures and energy management systems in Belchertown, Northampton, Ware, and Williamsburg, and installation of a solar hot water system in Palmer. Eight municipalities will also receive an estimated $50,000 each for technical assistance, after working with PVPC last year to engage Siemens to investigate ways to dramatically reduce energy use in municipal buildings, at no cost to the municipality, via performance contracting.

In addition to the competitive EECBG funds administered by the state, five other Pioneer Valley region municipalities—Amherst, Chicopee, Holyoke, Springfield, and Westfield—have already received direct allocations from the federal government.

PVPC is awaiting word on a competitive EECBG grant submitted to the United States Department of Energy for $5 million to dramatically expand energy efficiency work throughout the Pioneer Valley.

PVPC has been working with its member cities and towns to help them secure funding for local implementation of the Pioneer Valley Clean Energy Plan, which seeks to reduce energy use in the region, site sufficient new clean energy capacity to generate 214 million kilowatt hours, reduce our region’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent, and create local jobs in the clean energy sector.

For more information about the Clean Energy Plan, contact Catherine Ratté, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission principal planner, at (413) 781-6045.