GOVERNOR HASLAM ANNOUNCES TDEC GRANTS FOR PIKEVILLE
PIKEVILLE, Tenn. – Governor Bill Haslam and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner Bob Martineau announced today a grant to help fund energy conservation improvements in Bledsoe County.
The City of Pikeville was awarded a $250,000 Clean Tennessee Energy Grant to install new windows, lighting, HVAC systems, and insulation at the old Pikeville Elementary School. This project is an essential first step towards retrofitting the old school and bringing it online as the new Pikeville Municipal Complex that will house the city's municipal offices, police department, courtroom, community kitchen, and training facilities to aid with workforce development and industrial recruitment.
“I want to applaud Pikeville for its commitment to implementing energy efficient practices,” Haslam said. “Reducing our environmental impact helps us protect our great state for future generations while reducing costs for Tennessee taxpayers.”
This project is estimated to reduce electricity demand by 54,625 kilowatt hours annually and save the city more than $10,000 annually. This decrease in energy use will be a positive environmental benefit as it reduces air emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide.
Clean Tennessee Energy Grants are awarded to fund energy efficiency projects for local governments and municipalities, utilities, and other private and public organizations across Tennessee. Clean Tennessee Energy Grants support projects designed to reduce air emissions, improve energy efficiency and create cost savings. Eligible categories of the Clean Tennessee Energy Grant Program include:
- Energy Conservation – lighting, HVAC improvements, improved fuel efficiency, insulation, idling minimization
- Air Quality Improvement – reduction in greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, oxides of nitrogen, hazardous air pollutants
- Cleaner Alternative Energy – biomass, geothermal, solar, wind
Funding for the project comes from an April 2011 Clean Air Act settlement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Under the Consent Decree, Tennessee will receive $26.4 million over five years to fund clean air programs in the state (at approximately $5.25 million per year). Since
2012, the program has provided $11,851,480 in financial assistance through 67 grants to state and local government agencies, state colleges and universities, utility districts, and quasi-
government entities in Tennessee to purchase, install and construct energy projects. The maximum grant amount per project is $250,000 and requires match from the applicant. Grant recipients were chosen based on the careful consideration to meet the selection criteria and for those projects that expressed the greatest need.
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About Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Environment and Conservation is committed to protecting and improving the quality of Tennessee’s air, land and water. Department programs and initiatives protect human health and the environment and support economic development and quality of life through education, outreach and effective enforcement of state and federal environmental laws. We are also proud to manage the award-winning Tennessee State Parks system — with 54 state parks hosting more than 25 million visits each year. Please find out more at http://tn.gov/environment/.