Menendez: $1.3 Million For NJ Municipalities From His Energy Efficiency Program

October 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced a total of $1,327,800 in funding for four New Jersey municipalities from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, which he created as part of energy legislation in 2007. The program supports municipal energy-saving initiatives and improves energy efficiency in transportation, buildings, and other sectors. It will deliver a total of $73 million to New Jersey cities, towns and counties through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

New Jersey municipalities receiving funding announced today include:

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• Township of Piscataway -- $528,800
• Township of North Bergen -- $514,000
• Paterson -- $250,000
• Township of Union -- $35,000

“These are the types of investments that help spur an economic recovery now while laying the groundwork for economic security in the long term,” said Menendez. “With this program, we are addressing multiple issues at once by creating jobs, cutting energy costs, cleaning the air we breathe and creating the conditions that save taxpayers money. That’s why I made it a top priority of mine to create this program, and it has fit well as part of the economic recovery package.”

Among the uses for this funding, North Bergen is planning energy-efficient HVAC upgrades in the town hall. Paterson will receive a total of $1,344,800 and is using the funding for a modernization of the hydroelectric power plant at Great Falls, to make city street and recreation facility lights more energy efficient and to study energy efficiency upgrades for city buildings.

Source: Senator Robert Menendez