December 29 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today recognized Consolidated Electric Cooperative's (CEC) award of $2.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to construct a 166-mile broadband network in North Central Ohio. This award, a grant-loan combination, was made possible through assistance from Connect Ohio, the state's broadband initiative, and is a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's $7.2 billion broadband program.
"I am grateful to Secretary Vilsack and President Obama for providing stimulus funds for broadband development," Strickland said. "These funds will allow Consolidated Electric Cooperative to play a key role in bridging the digital divide in the North Central Ohio area and support economic growth in the region."
The Cooperative's project will allow underserved areas to access broadband connectivity and connect educational institutions and wireless Internet service provider facilities. This investment will offer nearly 5,000 homes in the area access to broadband service for the first time. Additionally, the funds will support CEC's Smart Grid technology initiative by connecting its 16 electric substations, applying cutting-edge green technology.
Connect Ohio, a public-private partnership to increase broadband access throughout the state, assisted the project by providing data and guidance that was critical for developing the project application.
The Recovery Act broadband initiatives help break the technology barrier by linking underserved communities, residences, businesses and other end users to the Internet. For more information about Ohio broadband initiatives and Connect Ohio, please visit www.connectohio.org.
December 23 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced the State of Ohio was awarded a $1.8 million federal grant to help implement the Strickland Administration's plan to compile and map broadband availability in Ohio, including location, available speed and type of technology delivering the service.
"We created Connect Ohio in 2008 to determine where Ohio's broadband infrastructure exists — and where it doesn't exist — to better target the investments that will help us reach our goal of providing broadband access to all Ohioans," Strickland said. "This grant will accelerate our efforts to expand economic and educational opportunities to more Ohioans."
The program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will increase broadband access and adoption through better data collection and broadband planning. The data will be displayed in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's national broadband map, a tool that will inform policymakers' efforts and provide consumers with improved information on the broadband Internet services available to them.
Ohio's program is administered by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services in collaboration with Connect Ohio, a public-private partnership established to work with telecommunication providers and communities to bring digital inclusion to Ohio residents and businesses.
"We are pleased to be working with the Strickland Administration to help create and enhance a comprehensive broadband map in the state of Ohio, and we're particularly pleased to provide continuing broadband planning efforts to local communities across the state," said Tom Fritz, executive director of Connect Ohio. "We applaud NTIA for working diligently to create a national broadband map and are honored to continue the work in Ohio to provide tools that will enable economic, social, and educational benefits to residents and businesses across the state."
This grant will assist the State of Ohio to deliver more comprehensive and accurate broadband mapping data identifying coverage to a higher degree of accuracy, develop state and county-level broadband maps, support existing spatial development projects in Ohio, aid in the development and maintenance of a national broadband map, and fund statewide initiatives directed at broadband planning.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will receive the funds through the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Since 2008, Connect Ohio has benchmarked Ohio's broadband availability and usage through the use of surveys and data gathered through its relationships with broadband providers across the state. Detailed information is available at a statewide and county level for businesses and residents regarding broadband availability, access, subscribership, barriers to adoption, computer ownership and average subscriber rates.
December 21 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service, has announced that it is accepting applications for Technical Assistance and Training Grants to provide financial and technical assistance to help communities provide safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally sound waste disposal facilities. Private, non-profit organizations are eligible to apply, and applications must be submitted by January 10, 2010.
December 21 – The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) has announced that it is requesting proposals for research projects in three areas: electrofuels, ultra-high energy density batteries, and advanced carbon capture technology. Funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARPA-E aims to support the development of high risk/high payoff applied science and technology innovations that will have a significant impact on the energy landscape.
Any type of capable technology research and development entity is eligible to apply for these grants, and applications for all three types of grant are due by January 15, 2010.
The goal of this program is to develop a new paradigm for the production of liquid fuels that could overcome the challenges associated with current technologies. For this round of funding, ARPA-E is seeking proposals for technologies that utilize metabolic engineering and synthetic biological approaches for the efficient conversion of carbon dioxide to liquid transportation fuels. ARPA-E expects to award approximately ten grants totaling $30 million for electrofuel development projects.
This program is intended to spur the development of a new generation of ultra-high energy density, low-cost battery technologies for long electric range plug in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. If successful, new battery technologies developed under this program will give electrified light-duty vehicles range, performance, lifetime, and cost required to shift transportation energy from oil to the domestically powered U.S. electric grid. ARPA-E expects to award a total of $35 million under this program.
The goal of this program is to fund research efforts that will revolutionize technologies that capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants, thereby preventing release into the atmosphere. The program is intended to complement existing DOE efforts in the field of carbon capture, and areas of special interest include advanced capture processes that dramatically reduce the parasitic energy penalties and corresponding increase in the cost of electricity required for carbon capture. ARPA-E also expects to award a total of $35 million under this program.
December 21 – The National Energy Technology Laboratory has announced the availability of $30,000,000 for Cooperative Agreements to develop new or expand existing weatherization training centers and training programs. The Department of Energy will work with selected entities to develop low-income weatherization training centers or programs that provide accelerated, standardized, and multi-tiered weatherization training. Applications are due by January 21, 2010.
December 21 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), has invited applications from institutions for the AHRQ Mentored Clinical Scientists Comparative Effectiveness Development Award. The purpose of this program is to support the career development of health services and clinical researchers who have made a commitment to focus their research on the generation, translation, and dissemination of new scientific evidence and analytical tools in comparative effectiveness. Applications are due by January 20th.
December 18 – Columbus, Ohio – Innovative projects to increase employment opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities are the top spending priority for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds invested in the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC).
"Workers with disabilities are gifted and extremely reliable," said RSC Administrator Michael Rench. "We are looking for creative outside-the-box proposals to increase entrepreneurship, access to transportation and more quality job opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities."
RSC is accepting proposals for investing federal stimulus money for the provision of vocational rehabilitation (VR) community services and programs. A copy of the request for proposals is available at rsc.ohio.gov . The agency is specifically looking for creative vocational rehabilitation proposals that will target:
The preferred range of awards for regional projects is $100,000 to $500,000 and $500,000 to $1 million for statewide projects.
To be eligible, interested applicants must submit an expression of interest for funding at Recovery.Ohio.gov/opportunities/state by 5 p.m. on February 12, 2010. The application deadline is 5 p.m. February 19, 2010.
A pre-proposal conference session will be offered on January 8, 2010 from 10 a.m. - 12 noon. The conference will originate at RSC's Central Office and will be accessible via videoconference at the agency's Akron, Toledo, Lakewood, Zanesville and Butler County offices.
The federal stimulus funds were awarded to RSC through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), part of the U.S. Department of Education. In September, $7.3 million was distributed to local programs that are helping providing valuable work experiences and more intensive services to help Ohioans get better jobs.
The Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission is a state agency serving Ohioans with disabilities. The Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) and Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) help people with disabilities get or keep a job. For those unable to work, the Bureau of Disability Determination (BDD) determines eligibility for Social Security disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income.
December 17 – Columbus, Ohio – An additional $51.8 million has been obligated to fund 41 water quality improvement projects using U.S. EPA stimulus funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) along with loans from Ohio EPA.
Projects receiving ARRA subsidies are combined with low-interest loans in most cases. They are funded through existing funding structures including the Water Supply Revolving Loan Account (WSRLA) for drinking water projects and the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) for water pollution control projects. Listed below are 11 projects receiving funding through WSRLA:
In addition, ARRA subsidies were combined with low-interest loans to fund 30 WPCLF projects:
ARRA funding will support 267 water pollution control projects in 160 communities and 65 drinking water projects in 52 communities in Ohio. For additional information on the federal program, please visit www.epa.gov/recovery/, or see the Web sites below for Ohio specific details.
The Water Supply Revolving Loan Account (WSRLA) is slated to receive $58.46 million in an ARRA capitalization grant to combine with $81 million non-ARRA capitalization grants, bonds and repayments. Ohio plans to offer a total of about $140 million. When compared to market loan rates, the combination of stimulus grants and low-interest WSRLA loans would save Ohio communities $154 million in financing costs over 20 years.
The Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) is to receive $220.6 million in Recovery Act funding to combine with $730 million in non-ARRA funding. This will provide more than $950 million for water quality improvement projects to stimulate Ohio's economy. When compared to market loan rates, the combination of stimulus grants and low-interest WPCLF loans would save Ohio communities $569 million in financing costs over 20 years.
December 14 – President Obama has announced nearly $600 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awards to support major construction and renovation projects at Community Health Centers nationwide. Community Health Centers serve more than 17 million patients, about 40 percent of whom have no health insurance. Health Centers in Ohio will receive $24.8 million in this latest rounding of funding.
December 14 – U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the final requirements for $3.5 billion in Title I School Improvement grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The grants are designed to turn around the nation's lowest performing schools, and the funds are made available to states by formula and awarded competitively by the states to school districts. Applications are now available online, and are due to the Department of Education by February 8, 2010.
December 14 – The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that it will conduct training webinars on December 14, 15, and 18, 2009. The purpose of the webinars is to provide guidance and technical assistance to facilitate compliance with ARRA Section 1512 reporting requirements for the quarter ending December 31, 2009. FTA encourages new ARRA grant recipients, as well as those recipients who submitted a Section 1512 report in October, to participate in this webinar for tips on making the January reporting process a smooth one. View more information on the FTA webinars.
December 14 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that applications are available for Information Technology Professionals in Health Care: Curriculum Development Centers grants. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the purpose of these grants is to provide assistance to institutions of higher education to establish or expand health informatics education programs for health care and information technology students.
Applicants for the grants must submit a letter of intent by January 4, 2010. To download the full announcement, including detailed information on eligibility and how to apply, go to: www.grants.gov/search/search.do;?oppId=50461&mode=VIEW.
December 14 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, announced that it is seeking research project grant applications from organizations that propose to develop the infrastructure and improve the methodology for collecting prospective data from electronic clinical databases to generate new evidence on the comparative effectiveness of healthcare interventions.
Applicants for the grants must submit a letter of intent by December 18, 2010. To read the full announcement, and to apply on-line, please visit: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-10-005.html.
December 14 – The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that applications are now available for grants under the Bureau of Reclamation Youth Conservation Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
The purpose of the grants is to develop a program to involve youth in cooperative efforts in cultural and natural resource conservation related to Reclamation projects. Youth, veteran, or conservation corps that are able to involve youth in Reclamation projects on a nation-wide basis are eligible to apply. To download the full announcement, including application information, please visit: www.grants.gov/search/search.do;?oppId=50491&mode=VIEW
December 11 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio EPA has awarded $1.87 million to 31 school districts to help them install pollution control technology on 528 school buses. The new controls will reduce air pollution by an estimated 1,364.4 pounds of particulates, 10,010.5 pounds of carbon monoxide, and 5,084.6 pounds of hydrocarbons.
The grants are supported with a combination of $975,587.71 in stimulus funds from a clean diesel grant awarded to Ohio EPA under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and $896,384.88 in civil penalties collected by Ohio EPA for violations of Ohio's environmental protection laws.
Since this grant program began in 2006, Ohio EPA has awarded more than $5 million to install pollution control equipment on 1,641 school buses statewide, removing nearly 25 tons of pollutants from the air. The next grant application deadline will be March 1, 2010.
Retrofitting school buses reduces fine particle pollution in diesel exhaust by between 20 and 90 percent, depending on the type of control equipment installed. Fine particles, known as particulates, can lodge deeply in the lungs and aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Children are most susceptible to this kind of air pollution because their lungs and respiratory systems are still developing.
New projects funded this cycle include:
December 10 – Columbus, Ohio – The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), has released a request for proposal (RFP) for state-administered stimulus funds for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) programs, focusing specifically on offender reentry initiatives.
Through this RFP, $4.7 million is available from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) JAG funds. This award will fund programs under two categories: Innovations in Reentry or Development of Local Taskforce Reentry Programs. Applications are due Jan. 15, 2010, and projects will operate March 1, 2010, to Oct. 31, 2011.
"Reentry is a key criminal justice priority for Governor Strickland and something that has been identified by our Office of Criminal Justice Services as an emerging issue in the criminal justice field," said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Cathy Collins-Taylor. "The JAG Stimulus funds offered an opportunity to support these programs that will benefit our state by reducing recidivism and the cost to taxpayers and society from incarcerations."
Beginning at sentencing and extending beyond release, reentry assesses, identifies and links offenders with services specific to their needs through associations with community partners, families, justice professionals and victims of crime.
"Reentry is a critical element of an effective criminal justice system. This investment of stimulus funding will allow communities across Ohio to enhance their public safety efforts," said Office of Criminal Justice Services Executive Director Karhlton Moore.
Applicants are encouraged to attend a bidder's training workshop to be held at the Department of Administrative Services, 4200 Surface Rd. in Columbus on Dec. 17, 2009, from 1-4 p.m. The session will be specifically related to training in regards to preparing the ARRA JAG grant as it pertains to reentry projects. The RFP for funds can be found on the OCJS Web site at: www.ocjs.ohio.gov/Funding/currentsolicitation.htm
In addition to completing the OCJS RFP, interested applicants must also submit a one-page project summary no later than Jan. 15, 2010, at Recovery.Ohio.gov/opportunities/state/; applicants who have already submitted a summary are not required to resubmit. When submitting a proposal, applicants should choose the program category "Crime & Public Safety" and the subprogram "Byrne/JAG." Only projects that have submitted both the OCJS RFP and the initial summary through Recovery.Ohio.gov will be considered for funding.
December 9 – United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced plans to make available $235 million to support an innovative Beacon Community Program.
The program will work to accelerate and demonstrate the ability of health information technology to transform local health care systems, and improve the lives of Americans and the performance of the health care providers who serve them. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the program will establish cooperative agreements with communities to build and strengthen their health IT infrastructure and health information exchange capabilities to achieve measurable improvements in health care quality, safety, efficiency, and population health. Applications for this program are due by February 1, 2010, and interested communities must submit a Letter of Intent by January 8, 2010.
December 9 – The United States Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration has updated its Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ") page regarding eligibility for the COBRA premium reduction assistance as approved in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
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December 9 – U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced more than $18 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to support small business innovation research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies. In this first phase of funding, 125 grants of up to $150,000 each were awarded to 107 small advanced technology firms across the U.S. Two Ohio companies, Mesocoat, Inc., based in Euclid, and Phycal, LLC, based in Highland Heights, received grants totaling nearly $448,000 for power plant cooling, advanced gas turbines and materials, and advanced solar technologies projects.
December 9 – The U.S. Department of Energy has recently updated the frequently asked questions and answers page pertaining to the Davis-Bacon ACT. The page includes answers to questions dealing with compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act requirements for the State Energy Program (SEP) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Programs (EECBG).
December 9 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that it will make available $70 million in federal stimulus funds for community college training programs and $10 million to develop educational materials to support these programs. The grants are the first in a series of programs to help strengthen and support the health IT workforce.
Any U.S. non-profit institution of higher learning currently engaged in providing training in health IT that is interested in drafting curriculum or establishing a consortium that includes community colleges may apply for the grants. The application deadline for is January 22, 2010. View information about grant applications.
December 7 – The Northeast-Midwest Institute, the Congressional Urban Caucus, the Revitalizing Older Cities Congressional Task Force and the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition are hosting a free informational webinar entitled "Re-Build Economies and Re-Use Brownfields Through Renewable Energy: Federal Opportunities for Financing Renewable Energy Projects."
The webinar will be held on December 16, 2009 at 3pm EST. The purpose of this webinar is to provide an overview of the Department of Energy's ARRA Funded Loan Guarantee Program, and to explain key components of the recently released Request For Information (RFI) for state, regional and local development finance organizations.
December 4 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs today applauded the announcement that the Renewable Energy Institute International of Toledo will receive a $20 million grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The grant will be utilized to develop a pilot biomass plant that will create a synthetic renewable diesel to help the United States reduce its dependency on foreign oil.
"This announcement by Energy Secretary Chu and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack represents a meaningful investment in Ohio's future manufacturing and clean energy base," said Strickland. "The future of our economy will be built on these types of innovative projects, and this puts Ohio at the forefront of the renewable energy movement. These unprecedented opportunities help to create jobs and secure the future of Ohio."
The grant was announced today at an event in Toledo with U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Ohio was one of 15 states to receive a portion of the $564 million from the ARRA to accelerate the construction and operation of pilot, demonstration and commercial-scale facilities.
The projects will validate refining technologies and help lay the foundation for full commercial-scale development of a biomass industry in the U.S. Projects selected are part of the ongoing effort to spur the creation of the domestic bio-industry and provide new jobs in many rural areas of the country.
The Governor also applauded Columbus-based American Electric Power, which will receive a U.S. Department of Energy grant in the amount of $334 million as part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative.
The grant will support the company's project at its coal fired Mountaineer plant in West Virginia to capture 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and permanently store them in deep geologic formations.
"I congratulate both AEP and the U.S. Department of Energy for moving forward on this first commercial deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technology in the nation," said Strickland. "This project has enormous implications for Ohio because 87 percent of our electricity comes from burning coal. We have to know if carbon capture and storage works. This project will help answer that question."
For this commercial-scale project, AEP has formed a diverse technical advisory committee that includes recognized experts in the field of geologic carbon dioxide storage, including Battelle Memorial Institute, the Ohio State University and the State of Ohio's Department of Natural Resources Division of Geological Survey.
"This is great news for AEP, and the State of Ohio is proud to be involved in this state-of-the-art energy project," Strickland said.
December 4 – Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal Bureau of Underground Storage Tank Regulations (BUSTR) announced today that it is seeking highly experienced companies to perform environmental assessments and remediation of petroleum releases from regulated underground storage tanks located throughout Ohio.
On behalf of the Ohio Department of Commerce, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services is requesting proposals for underground storage tank cleanup and assessment as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA.) Ohio has received $8,080,000 for assessment and remediation that will address petroleum releases from underground storage tanks in all eight regions of the state.
"This is the first mass-scale cleanup initiative of its kind in our state's history," said Kimberly A. Zurz, Department of Commerce Director. "The cleanup of leaking underground storage tanks is vital to the health and prosperity of Ohio and will help improve local communities. Providing a cleaner, safer environment for citizens and businesses helps fuel economic revival and promote growth opportunities across the state."
Ohio's program is part of a larger ARRA initiative, as the U.S. Congress appropriated $210 million earlier this year to the U.S. EPA for cleaning up petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks. The U.S. EPA has specified that state and territorial underground storage programs can use the funding to oversee the clean up of underground tank releases or directly pay for cleaning up releases from regulated tanks where the responsible party is unknown, unwilling or unable, or where the cleanup is an emergency response.
Applicable sites for the ARRA program must have been contaminated due to a release of petroleum from an underground storage tank. In addition, BUSTR must have established that viable responsible parties no longer exist to perform the regulatory required investigation and clean up of the contamination. Regional sites selected through the RFP process will be examined under the guidance of the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)
Contractors who wish to be considered for environmental assessment and remediation work in Ohio are required to complete and submit a request for proposal. The detailed scope of work and request for proposal can be reviewed and downloaded at www.procure.ohio.gov/proc/viewProcOpps.asp?oppID=7394&disclaimer=N.
This document also includes the RFP schedule and contact information.
December 3 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel, and Mark Shanahan, energy advisor to Governor Strickland, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has approved Ohio's proposal to use $11 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for rebates to residential customers for select Energy Star® qualified appliances.
Ohio submitted its plan on October 15 for review and approval by the federal government.
"These ARRA resources encourage the purchase of energy efficient appliances for Ohio homes, which will allow our families to save money on energy costs and benefit our environment," Strickland said. "Ohioans will have the opportunity to transition to new, more efficient appliances while directly stimulating our state's retail and manufacturing economies."
With today's announcement, Ohio can finalize its plan to provide nearly 90,000 rebates, totaling nearly $11 million, to Ohio consumers who purchase Energy Star® qualified refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers, high efficiency gas heaters, and electric heat pump water heaters at participating Ohio retailers.
"These funds support Ohio's commitment to energy efficiency and economic recovery through the creation and retention of jobs across Ohio's economy, from the manufacturing sector to retail outlets," Patt-McDaniel said.
An official announcement, expected in the first quarter of 2010, will notify when and how Ohio consumers can reserve and redeem a rebate for their purchase of Energy Star® qualified appliances. The Ohio Department of Development is partnering with appliance retailers and energy utilities statewide to market the program and utilizing a third-party entity to process the rebates.
"Through the leadership demonstrated by the Obama administration and the Ohio congressional delegation, this program makes high efficiency appliances more affordable for thousands of Ohioans. It will increase energy efficiency, lower electric bills and result in the manufacturing of more of these products," Shanahan said.
December 2 – Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel and Mark Shanahan, energy advisor to Governor Ted Strickland, today announced that the Ohio Department of Development's Ohio Energy Office is accepting applications for $8.2 million in funding available through Ohio's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program for eligible state government entities and institutions of higher education. This request for proposal is the final solicitation for the $25 million allocated to the State of Ohio through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and approved by the United States Department of Energy on September 28, 2009.
"Improving energy efficiency in Ohio's higher education and public facilities creates jobs while boosting cost-effective and clean strategies to meet energy demand," Patt-McDaniel said. "Stimulating Ohio's economy by increasing the availability of new energy technologies puts renewable energy resources to use and Ohioans to work."
The State of Ohio's $25 million is part of a total allocation of $84 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant funds available to Ohio. The U.S. Department of Energy divided the total allocation into two parts. The remaining $59 million is a direct allocation from the U.S. Department of Energy to Ohio's 10 largest counties and 33 largest cities that were required to file an energy strategy proposal with the federal government in mid-August.
"Promoting energy conservation through these ARRA resources will benefit our environment and help grow Ohio's economy. And, by focusing on our state's higher education facilities and public buildings for this program, the State of Ohio is leading by example," Shanahan said. "These grants will generate new energy capabilities across Ohio and set the stage for long-term growth and job creation in new energy technologies."
The request for proposal for Ohio Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program: State Government and Higher Education, an $8.2 million program, seeks eligible state government agencies, departments, boards, and commissions, along with institutions of higher education, for projects that lower fossil fuel emissions, reduce energy usage and create jobs. Eligible activities include energy audits, building codes and inspections, energy efficiency retrofits, installation of distributed energy technologies, higher efficient lighting for traffic signals and street lights, implementing transportation programs that save energy, reduction and capture of methane or greenhouse gases, installation of renewable energy technologies on government buildings, and development of an energy efficiency and conservation strategy.
Minimum grant awards will be $250,000 with six to 33 awards selected through a competitive process. All eligible projects must be completed by July 20, 2012, provide direct economic impacts in Ohio, and demonstrate measureable energy savings or energy generation.
Interested applicants must submit a one-page project summary no later than 2:00 p.m. on December 29, 2009, at http://recovery.ohio.gov/opportunities/state/. If you have already submitted a summary, you will not be required to submit again. To submit forms on the website, applicants should click "submit your proposal," then choose the program category "Energy and Environment" and the subprogram "Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program." Only projects that have submitted initial summaries to www.recovery.ohio.gov will be considered for formal proposals in response to this request.
In addition, applicants must submit complete proposals, which are due to the Ohio Department of Development by 2 p.m. on January 11, 2010.
For more information about the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program: State Governments and Higher Education and requirements, please visit: www.development.ohio.gov/recovery/energy/FundingOpportunities.htm.
December 1 – Columbus, Ohio – More than $13 million made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will support the creation of over 400 units of affordable housing in seven Ohio communities. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) recently awarded the funding from the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) and Tax Credit Exchange (TCE), created in the ARRA, to the following:
OHFA was given $83 million through the TCAP to award low-interest loans or grants to developers who are experiencing lower returns on the sale of Housing Tax Credits due to current economic conditions and are therefore unable to raise the necessary capital to begin construction. TCAP funds give developers access to the financing they need in order to complete the proposed housing development.
Through the TCE program, OHFA is able to convert a portion of the Agency's annual share of federal Housing Tax Credits into grant dollars offering greater financial support to developers who have found securing investors for the tax credits increasingly difficult. The additional monetary assistance allows developers to begin construction, establishing affordable housing options and stimulating the economy throughout the state.
The Agency was approved to award this funding in late May and began accepting applications from developers on June 15. Additional awards will be announced periodically during the next several months and posted to www.ohiohome.org.
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