The Dept. of Energy Oak Ridge Operations office is responsible for awarding energy grants to municipalities and counties totaling $666 million. I guess Oak Ridge, Anderson or Roane County doesn't qualify for any of it. But Clarksville will receive $1.1 million, while Nashville gets $250 thousand.
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/munger/blockgrants.pdf
Most of the time you have to actually apply for grants. Did we do that in this case? Otherwise, it is kind of like hoping you win the lottery but not buying a ticket.
(09-02-2009 03:55 PM)Eric Wilson Wrote: [ -> ]The Dept. of Energy Oak Ridge Operations office is responsible for awarding energy grants to municipalities and counties totaling $666 million. I guess Oak Ridge, Anderson or Roane County doesn't qualify for any of it. But Clarksville will receive $1.1 million, while Nashville gets $250 thousand.
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/munger/blockgrants.pdf
These block grants are restricted to cities with more than 35,000 population, plus the 10 largest counties in the state. Oak Ridge doesn't qualify, and neither do the two counties.
I attended the Governors Conference on Economic Development this week. The Energy Improvement and Conservation Block grant program is being administered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Native Oak Ridger Ryan Gooch is heading that program. I believe that the awards to Nashville and Clarksville were "line items" in the bill. Tennessee should know in a week or so about the rest of the states allocation which is substantial. ECD expects to have application guidelines posted in a few weeks and begin accepting applications. The grant max per application is likely to be about $100,000.
Doesn't Rick Meredith from Clinton also hold ahigh powered position with this department? Maybe that will help us.
Rick is Assistant Commissioner for Community Development.