NMI gets $19.4M energy grants

In an announcement by Vice President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu, they explained how the energy grant funds will be distributed to states and territories, emphasizing that the fund amounts are based on formulas in the law, not on grant applications.

“The energy grants are some of the largest pots of money that Congress is sending to local governments,” said CNMI Rep. Gregorio C. Sablan. “This money is meant to create jobs, to put new money into the economy for short-term stimulus, and to build a base for our long-term economic well-being.

“Having $19.4 million all at once is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make our economy more energy efficient and to make investments in alternative sources of energy,” said Sablan.

Biden and Chu announced two grant programs. The one likely to touch the most people most quickly is the Weatherization Assistance Program.

Sablan said that families can get up $6,500 to make their homes more energy efficient by upgrading old air-conditioners and water heaters, insulating walls and roofs, installing thermal windows, and sealing cracks around doors and windows that waste energy.

Families making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for the weatherization grants. A family of four making less that $44,000 a year would be eligible, for instance. Priority is also given to man’amko, people with disabilities, and families with children.

The CNMI will receive $614,967 to distribute to families for weatherization and another $180,239 training and technical assistance.

Each state and territory is given a minimum grant for the weatherization program. Additional funds are added to the base depending on the number of low-income households, climatic conditions, and residential energy expenditure by low-income households.

The larger grant of $18,651,000 can be used to give rebates to consumers for home-energy audits or other energy-saving improvements; to develop renewable-energy projects for clean electricity generation and for alternative fuels; to promote Energy Star products; to upgrade government buildings so they are more energy efficient; and for other efforts to help save families money on their energy bills.

The $18.7 million State Energy Program grant is also distributed by a formula, but the CNMI government will be required to meet three standards in order to receive all of the money:

* The governor must confirm with the U.S. Secretary of Energy that it is the policy of the agency that sets rates for electricity to encourage customers to use energy more efficiently.

* The governor must attest that the Commonwealth will adopt energy-efficient building codes and a plan for achieving 90 percent compliance with the code within eight years for new and renovated buildings. The CNMI will also be required to file an annual compliance report.

* Lastly, the governor will have to prioritize expenditure of the $18.7 million on energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, including retrofitting buildings and financing deployment of renewables. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]