The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is today, and the White House is kicking off environmental efforts by
announcing green projects across the country as part of the stimulus bill.
The White House is gearing up for five days of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and they're starting big. Vice President Joe Biden announced today a plan to invest $452 million in Recovery Act funding to go toward energy-efficient building retrofits in 25 communities.
"For forty years, Earth Day has focused on transforming the way we use energy and reducing our dependence on fossil fuel - but this year, because of the historic clean energy investments in the Recovery Act, we're poised to make greater strides than ever in building a nationwide clean energy economy," Biden said in a statement. "This investment in some of the most innovative energy-efficiency projects across the country will not only help homeowners and businesses make cost-cutting retrofit improvements, but also create jobs right here in America."
The 25 projects, which will begin in fall 2010, will also gain an estimated $2.8 billion from other sources over the next three years, which will go toward retrofitting hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the U.S.
Locally, Cincinnati will get $17 million and Toledo $15 million for
green energy projects and helping homeowners save money and reduce carbon emissions by using less energy.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, on Wednesday announced the Cincinnati grant and another $15 million award for a Toledo energy efficiency project as part of $80 million in federal recovery act funds in the DOE's "Recovery through Retrofit" initiative to develop self-sustaining energy efficiency projects.
"These funds will help Toledo and Cincinnati make much-needed advances in energy efficiency," Brown said in a statement. "Investing in these projects supports communities across our state and will create more clean energy jobs locally."
The energy alliance, which has already raised more than $1.6 million in public and private funding is backed by Duke Energy, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation and local governments in Hamilton, Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. It is enlisting volunteers to knock on doors in neighborhoods to recruit homeowners to sign up for energy audits that would show them how they can cut their energy bills. The alliance also will provide information on low-cost financing for energy-saving improvements.
That means energy savings where I live, and far more importantly,
more jobs. Happy Earth Day indeed.
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5 comments:
So we're shelling out money to make cities "Go Green"
Where does the spending stop?
Well, any spending that creates jobs is good spending, so hopefully not soon.
Hows that helping the deficit? Taking in taxpayer money to pay it back out for more people to have government funded jobs...
its a vicious cycle
You're right. It's not going to help the deficit. Right now, the deficit is a distraction.
And seriously, after two very expensive wars, one that shouldn't have even happened, any complaints about the deficit is fuckin' hiliarious.
ANYWAYS. It's not to help the deficit, it's getting money into the hands of those who need it, as well as getting useful services about it. Seriously, this is what the "New Deal" was all about.
The government spends when times are bad, saves when times are good. Seriously, we can worry about the deficit when a good chunk of the US stops worrying about if people will have to make choices between rent and food.
See Star this is why you're an idiot. You assume.
"And seriously, after two very expensive wars, one that shouldn't have even happened, any complaints about the deficit is fuckin' hiliarious."
When did I defend either of these?
Saves when times are good? Really? When have they EVER saved? We've had a surplus only one time in recent memory.
FAIL
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