Energy Efficiency is “Big Stuff” for a Historical Site in Pine Village

June 20, 2010

Pine Village Gets Energy Grant

Commercial-News

By Dennis Bartlow

June 20, 2010

PINE VILLAGE, Ind. — Pine Village has been awarded a $28,176.55 Energy Efficiency and Conservation block grant for heating, ventilation and air conditioning and insulation retrofits.

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman will present the grants to 47 Indiana cities, towns and counties at 10 a.m. EDT Tuesday at the State House in Indianapolis.

“This award is big stuff to the small town of Pine Village,” said Jim Blinn, a member of the town council. “The plan is to utilize these funds as a start to help restore a piece of history in Pine Village (the old firehouse/town hall).

“Future plans for the project include improvements for the existing community food bank and to add a senior center in the near future.”

The awards come as part of the second round of federal funding in the EECBG program this year. A total of $5.09 million was awarded for updates including LED traffic and street light conversion, building light upgrades, HVAC and insulation retrofits, retrofitting pumps at wastewater treatment facilities and installing energy management systems. The communities were selected for the grants through a competitive application process.

“The high level of competition for these grants show Hoosier communities are serious about efficiency,” Skillman said in a press release. “The payback for residents and all of Indiana is reasonable energy costs and less dependence on foreign sources of energy.”

A total of 220 applications was received in the second round with a total request of $19 million.

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