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Another $9.6M to NMI for energy conservation
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Posted on Mar 30 2009
[B]WASHINGTON, D.C.[/B]–CNMI Rep. Gregorio “Kilili” C. Sablan said the White House has alerted him that another $9.6 million is headed to the Northern Marianas to help make the Commonwealth more energy efficient. The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in February. The CNMI share, $9.6 million, is set by formula in law.
“The Northern Marianas is being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reduce the amount of energy we use and by doing so reduce the amount of money we send out of our economy to pay for oil,” said Sablan. “Every dollar that stays in our economy can be spent here, helping local businesses and preserving jobs.
“Now it is up to us to use the $9.6 million the White House announced this week, together with the $19.4 million awarded two weeks ago, to make the changes that will help make our economy healthy again,” he added.
The $9,593,500 the CNMI is receiving comes from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The money is administered by the CNMI Energy Office.
Funds can be used for a variety of purposes to save energy. Non-profit organizations and government agencies can receive grants to retrofit buildings to increase energy efficiency. Homeowners can receive loans to reduce energy use and pay the loans back through their regular utility bills. The money can be used to replace existing streetlights with energy-saving, solar-powered lighting.
“The only real limit on the use of this money is our imagination and our ability to administer the funds wisely and well,” Sablan said. “I would hope that there would be an outpouring of good ideas from everyone in the community and that the best of those ideas will get some of this $9.6 million.
“This money gives us a chance to turn ideas into action.”
Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands also each received grants for $9.6 million from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program under the formula based distribution system.
The $19.4 million previously announced, also distributed by formula, includes $700,000 for home weatherization and $18.4 million for energy efficiency and conservation. The Governor is required to attest that the CNMI is adopting green building codes and provide a prioritized list of projects to the Department of Energy for the funds to begin flowing. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]
