Sacramento County Eligible for $5.3 Million in Energy Efficiency Grants
Board of Supervisors to review strategy on Tuesday

With $3.2 billion in federal stimulus funds set aside for state and local governments to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, Sacramento County is prepared to stake its claim on more than $5.3 million in funding.

On Tuesday, June 2, the Board of Supervisors will be presented with an Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy and asked to authorize county staff to submit the formal application for funding to the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant program requires no matching funds, and will provide County wide economic benefit through job creation and generation of sales and property taxes. The grant money would also be used to improve energy efficiency at a wide variety of County facilities, thereby reducing Sacramento County’s operational costs.

Economic Development Chief and lead for the County’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act efforts, Robert Leonard says, “This is a win-win for the county and the community. This unique partnership of local entities makes Sacramento’s submission one that is likely to set the standard for interagency cooperation.”

The stakeholders involved are City of Sacramento, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Los Rios Community College District and Community Resource Project. The joint coordination of governmental, non-governmental and private entities will allow each to leverage the others’ resources and funding.

The Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program will assist Sacramento with reducing greenhouse gas emissions in an environmentally sustainable manner, and will include improved energy efficiency in building, transportation and housing sectors. Proposed projects and programs are available for review on the County’s Recovery Act website, and are still subject to change. Feedback has been solicited from the Sacramento County Planning Commission and the Sacramento Environmental Commission.

Active with this grant proposal is Sacramento County Sustainability Program Manager Cecilia Jensen, who added, “The program requirements build accountability and success tracking right from the beginning. Taxpayers will see how the programs reduce costs and increase jobs, throughout the effort.”

Funds are expected to be awarded late summer 2009. The Board of Supervisors will discuss the proposal at its hearing June 2, 2009, at 11:00 am. Details of the Board agenda and this item can be found on the Sacramento County website.