#05 Energy Efficiency Block Grant Memo
Community Development Department Memorandum
June 22, 2009
TO: Janesville City Council
FROM: Al Hulick, Development Specialist
SUBJECT: Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the City Manager to
apply for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. (File
Resolution No. 2009-620)
RECOMMENDATION
The City Administration recommends the City Council authorize the submission
of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant application.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager supports the recommended plan for the Energy Block Grant.
SUGGESTED MOTION
I move to approve Resolution #2009-620, authorizing the City Administration to
submit an application for the City’s direct allocation of $618,500 for the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.
REQUEST
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the
Department of Energy has allocated $618,500 as part of the Energy Efficiency
and Conservation Block Grant Program. The City of Janesville has been
allocated $618,500. Although this is a direct allocation from the Federal
Government to the City of Janesville, Federal Law requires that the City apply for
these funds and present a plan for using the funding to meet the goals of the
grant. Therefore, the City Administration requests that the City Council authorize
the submission of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
application.
BACKGROUND
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, appropriates funding for
the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue/award formula-based grants to units of
local government under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
(EECBG) Program. Projects under this program will be funded, in whole or in
part, with funds appropriated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009. The Recovery Act’s purpose is to stimulate the economy and to create
and retain jobs. In additional to these goals, the purpose of the EECBG
Program is to assist eligible entities and implementing strategies and projects to:
?
Reduce fossil fuel emissions in a manner that is environmentally
sustainable and, to the maximum extent practicable, maximizes benefits
for local and regional communities;
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Reduce the total energy use of the eligible entities; and
?
Improve energy efficiency in the building sector, the transportation sector,
and other appropriate sectors.
These stated purposes describe the overall intent of the EECBG Program.
Entities may develop various initiatives and projects that address one or more of
the purposes and each activity an entity undertakes is not required to meet all of
the stated purposes. DOE encourages entities to develop many different new
and innovative approaches within the framework of the legislation and the
guidance to serve these purposes.
The grant period of performance for these grants will be 36 months. In keeping
with the agenda of the ARRA, entities are required to obligate all funds within
eighteen (18) months from the effective date of the award. Application’s are due
June 25, 2009.
ANALYSIS
As part of the application process, the City must identify programs and initiatives
in which the $618,500 grant funds will be spent. The City Administration has
identified the following programs/initiatives and approximate funds:
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Traffic and Street Light Retrofitting
– The City intends to retrofit the
remaining incandescent traffic signals to LED as well as retrofit a number
$150,000
of High Pressure Sodium street lights with Induction lighting.
?
Municipal Facility Indoor Lighting Retrofitting
– The City intends to
retrofit existing lighting from “T12/Magnetic Ballast” fluorescent with “High
Efficiency T8/Electronic Ballast” fluorescents. Lighting replacements will
occur at the Municipal Building, City Services Center, and Fire Stations.
$150,000
?
Ice Arena Energy Upgrades
– The City intends to utilize funds to either
upgrade the boiler and compressor units at the existing ice arena facility
with more energy efficient units or leverage additional funds to replace the
$100,000
entire facility.
?
Residential Energy Audits and Efficiency Upgrade Grants
– The City
intends to offer residents and landlords funds to perform an energy
evaluation of their home or rental property, make efficiency improvements
(i.e. programmable thermostats, light bulbs, shower heads, etc.) and
provide small matching grants to assist in making energy efficiency
$75,000
upgrades to their homes, identified by the energy evaluation.
?
Green Action Plan
– The City intends to utilize grant funds to develop a
“Green Action Plan”, potentially including “green” building codes, for the
City which will provide a framework to creating a sustainable community.
$75,000
?
Administration
– The grant application indicates that not more then 10%
of the overall award can be used for administrative expenses. Each of the
above programs will require a certain amount of administrative time.
$61,850
RESOLUTION NO. 2009-620
A RESOLUTION authorizing the City of Janesville’s submittal of Energy Efficiency
and Conservation Block Grant Program application.
WHERES
, in accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the
Department of Energy has directly allocated $618,500 of Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Block Grant funds to the City of Janesville; and
WHEREAS
, the Common Council of the City of Janesville recognizes the importance of
decreasing the City’s reliance on fossil fuels and increasing the use of renewable
energy and renewable fuels; and
WHEREAS
, by adopting this Resolution, the Common Council declare their intent for
the City Administration to prepare and submit a Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grant Program application; and
WHEREAS
, the City of Janesville will maintain records documenting all expenditures
made during the grant implementation process and abide by the necessary reporting
responsibilities as determined by the Department of Energy; and
WHEREAS
, the City of Janesville intends to comply with all requirements of law to in
accord with the Department of Energy; and
WHEREAS
, the City of Janesville intends to comply with all requirements of and will
submit all documents and participation requirements, including but not limited to the
necessary reporting requirements, to the Department of Energy.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED
by the Common Council of the City of
Janesville that:
1. All above introduction and recitals are incorporated herein by reference as if fully
set forth verbatim; and
2. The City Administration is authorized on behalf of the City of Janesville to
prepare and submit applications for and request funds and assistance available from
the Department of Energy and related State and other programs and sources;
3. The City of Janesville shall take any and all necessary action to undertake,
direct, and complete approved grant activities, and comply with State rules for the
program(s); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
, that the City Manager and his designee(s), on behalf of
the City of Janesville, is/are hereby jointly and severally authorized and empowered to
negotiate, draft, review, revise, modify, amend, execute, enter into, file and/or record
additional applications, agreements, amendments, documents, reports, and letters of
understanding concerning this matter, and to take whatever additional other actions that
the City Manager may determine in his sole discretion, from time to time and at any
time, necessary and/or desirable in the public interest to effectuate the intent of this
Resolution.
ADOPTED:
Motion by:
Second by:
APPROVED:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
Brunner
McDonald
Eric J. Levitt, City Manager
Perrotto
Rashkin
ATTEST:
Steeber
Truman
Voskuil
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Proposed by: City Administration
Prepared by: Community Development