ARRA Energy Funding Process Begins

Texas cities and counties will soon be getting greener thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. On March 26, the US Department of Energy announced it would be releasing the $3.2 billion in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants funded by the ARRA. As expected, more than $208 million dollars will be available to entities in Texas to support energy efficiency initiatives, with approximately $163 million available to large cities and counties according to pre-defined formulas based on population and energy use statistics. The remaining balance, approximately $45 million, will go to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), which will be responsible for allocating sixty percent of the funds to smaller cities and counties and dispersing the leftover forty percent via a discretionary grant process. To find out when and where the funds could end up, see below.

The funds are meant to assist localities as they try to reduce emissions and implement energy efficiency projects. Keeping in line with the stated goals of the ARRA, local officials are also encouraged to maximize economic growth and job creation.

Though the funds have been released via formula block grants, state and local entities must still apply for the funds to ensure they have the correct reporting and implementation processes in place. The deadline for the state to apply to get its share is May 26, while cities and counties have until June 25 to file their applications. Eventually, more than $22 million in these energy efficiency ARRA funds will go to Houston, over $12 million to Dallas, and over $7 million to Austin.

To learn more about the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, visit www.eecbg.energy.gov. For more information on the newly released funds and a complete list of the amounts allocated to eligible cities and counties, see the attached letter from Representative Jim Dunnam, Chairman of the House Select Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization. The Comptroller's Local Government and Economic Development Assistance staff can be contacted at (800) 531-5441, ext. 3-4679.