Big Opportunities for Small Towns

Did you know that small towns in North Carolina may receive up to $13 Million in grants and federal stimulus money? While this may seem like a lot at first, it ends up amounting to just under $20,000, if all funding was dispersed equally. Since the grants are competitive, let’s make certain your town is ready to get as much funding help as they can! And to use it in the most environmental friendly way that they can!

Tonight, I will be traveling to New Bern to discuss how the Energy Efficiency Block Grants (EECBG) will work for small towns. For these grants, a small town is defined as having a population of less than 35,000. Since Eastern NC is chalked full of itty-bitty towns, the Craven County Democrats teamed up with the Cypress Group to ask if I could come explain opportunities from the EECBG Program for small towns and how Cool City New Bern might earn a few more bucks.

You are welcome to join me tonight at the Golden Coral on Martin Luther King Boulevard in New Bern. We will be eating dinner at 5:30 and discussing the EECBG Program at 6:30.

In the meantime, here are some tips to get the ARRA funding optimized in your own town:
a. Start talking with your government leaders—meet with key partners/mayor/city council (they will get a vote!)
i. Reach out to your contact and get that relationship going
ii. Have the conversation—
1. what are they planning on using,
2. what have they have applied for,
3. how do they plan to use it,
4. offer to get or give them the information that they need,
5. and small nudges here and there
a. Consult Sierra Club’s Talking Points for more ideas
b. Play to America’s Entrepreneurial spirit
iii. Ask the large towns to post their EECBG applications online—Winston-Salem did!

Want to learn more about the stimulus money?

Three Upcoming Events: (1.) ARRA Happenings in NC Conference Call; (2.) Economic Recovery Workshop Tour; and (3.) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: What does it mean for Eastern North Carolina?

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ARRA Happenings in NC Conference Call
April 23, 2008

Learn what federal ARRA stimulus funds are coming to North Carolina and how it is affecting our NC Cool Cities and Counties. This conference call will provide an overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) monies for NC, weatherization opportunities, and specific Energy Efficiency Block Grant information. We will also discuss potential next steps for Sierra Club.

April 23, 2008
7:00—8:00 p.m.

Before the call: RSVP and email me (kara.craig@sierraclub.org) with questions
At call time: dial 1-866-501-6174; Your conference code # is 1003100.

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Economic Recovery Workshop Tour
April 28, 2009

The N. C. Office of Economic Recovery (OERI) will hold the first of six Economic Recovery Workshops across the state starting April 28th through the month of May.

Tuesday, April 28
1:30 p.m. (2 hr. workshop)
Winston-Salem State University, Dillard Auditorium
Winston-Salem, NC

Five additional workshops will be held during the month of May in the following five cities (in alphabetical order):

Asheville
Charlotte
Greenville
Raleigh
Wilmington

Dates and venues to be announced; for more information contact OERI at ncrecovery.gov

Workshops will feature OERI Director Dempsey Benton and representatives from state government departments administering recovery funds in North Carolina. Governor Perdue will be present to introduce the first of the workshops in Winston-Salem (at Winston-Salem State University, Dillard Auditorium).

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: What does it mean for Eastern North Carolina?
April 27, 2009

Join local Cypress Group members and the Craven County Democrats to learn more about federal stimulus funding for weatherization, energy efficiency, and small town competitive grants. Energy Efficiency funding opportunities are arriving in North Caroline in two ways: direct block grants to towns with a population over 35,000 and smaller funding processes through the State Energy Office to towns with a population under 35,000. We will discuss what this means for New Bern and other towns in the east.

April 27, 2009
5:30-7:30
Golden Coral on Martin Luther King, Blvd., New Bern

You can arrive at 5:30 to join others in the eating dinner in the Conference Room at the Golden Coral, or arrive at 6:30 to hear the presentation.

A Time to Act Indeed

The State Energy Office A Time to Act 6th Annual Conference was a success. I would like to share with you a few things I learned these past two days:

Approximately $76 Million are filtering through the State Energy Office. A chunk of the monies will go to small towns, and approximately 12% will be used for general programs and state initiatives. The Department of Energy approves the state plan for use of energy efficiency funding through the State Energy Office on May 12th—so look for more information to come!

The Priorities for the State Energy Office use of the energy efficiency funding is to support small businesses through energy savings and green work, to relieve government spending through energy efficiency, and to relieve the general public through residential building energy efficiency.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is not the only climate legislation on which Congress is working. These are some other pieces that are being discussed this year:
House

• CAP and Trade—reduces CO2 20% below 2005 levels by 2020
• Low Carbon Fuel Standard—10% below 2005 by 2030
• Renewable Electricity Standard—similar to NC’s Portfolio standard; 25% Renewable Energy by 2025
• Energy Efficiency Resource Standard—similar to NC’s Building Standard; by 2020, reduce electricity by 15% and natural gas by 10%

Senate

• Renewable Electricity Standard—25% renewable energy by 2025; unclear whether this bill will be tied to House’s similar bill
• Transmission Standard---priority access to renewable energy
• National Building Code Standard
• Fossil Fuel Vehicle Mandate—50% reduction; starting in 2012, increasing 10% in fossil fuels each year through 2017

On the road again

Tomorrow I’m joining clean energy leaders across the state at The New Reality: A Time to Act annual energy conference, hosted by the State Energy Office. I will discuss Cool Cities and the benefits of being a Cool City; I will also facilitate the “Local Government Sustainability Resources” panel.

• Kara Craig, Sierra Club
• Claudia Powell, Project Green, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
• Anne Galamb, NC Department of Natural Resources
• Kathy Boyer, Triangle J Council of Governments
• Tom Edgerton, Central Waste Reduction Partners

If you plan to attend, please find time to stop by and say 'Hello'.

The O-C

I had a great time in Chapel Hill last night. Pat Carstensen, the Chapter Chair and I both spoke Sierra Club happenings and potential. I really appreciate opportunities to get out and meet our volunteers. Pat shared with the group the latest on the stimulus funding and how it might impact Orange and Chatham County. Here are some notes about the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) which will directly impact Chapel Hill:

• $3.2 billion to US through Dept. of Energy (DOE)


• Chapel Hill to receive $554,900 from the EECBG


• Purpose


• Decrease total energy consumption


• Spur economic growth


• What can Sierra Club Orange-Chatham Group do?


• Suggest projects to the stimulus manager for Chapel Hill

I shared with the Group some potential projects for Chapel Hill that the Orange-County Group could suggest:

Special Tax Financing Law paired with Municipal Bonds
Allows the municipality to fund upfront costs of neighborhood energy efficiency and renewable energy projects while providing a pay-back mechanism through the property taxes

Low Income Energy Efficiency Projects
A project or program that reduces fiscal strain and promotes comfort in low income homes, while also decreasing the use of energy and emission of greenhouse gases

LED Expansion
Replace all incandescent lighting with light emitting diodes (LEDs) throughout municipality operations.

Of course, Chapel Hill already does so many “green” things that I would be remiss if I did not mention them:

• Cool City and a City for Climate Protection


• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Reduction Plan


• Sustainability Committee


• Sustainability Officer of Chapel Hill


• Climate Action Fund


• Environmental Purchasing Agreement


• Energy Efficient Building Standard


• LED Lighting Pilot Program


• Green Fleets Policy


• Free bus fair

State Energy Office to manage large amounts of stimulus funding

Several of our Cool Cities are receiving direct funding from the US Department of Energy, including Asheville who received $804 Thousand, Chapel Hill who received $1.6 Million, Greensboro who received $2.5 Million, Rocky Mount who received $572 Thousand, Greenville who received $777 Thousand, and Wilmington who received $1 Million.

Energy Efficiency funding opportunities are arriving in North Caroline in two ways: direct block grants to towns with a population over 35,000 and smaller funding processes through the State Energy Office to towns with a population under 35,000.

Please encourage your small town managers and staff, in both rural and suburbia NC, to attend the upcoming State Energy Office conference, April 14-15th (more information below). There they will learn about acquiring these energy efficiency monies.

The State Energy Office’s upcoming conference is a great way for both large and small towns to learn where funding will be available and how to use it. They have extended early registration through this Friday, April 3rd which provides public employees a 2-day pass for $59.

THE SIXTH ANNUAL NORTH CAROLINA SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CONFERENCE

The New Reality: A Time to Act

April 14-15, 2009

Hear the latest on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Keynote speakers will include:

• Jim Rogers, Duke Energy CEO


• Representative Joe Hackney, Speaker of the NC House of Representatives

McKimmon Conference & Training Center, NC State University, Raleigh, NC

Click here to register or for more information or call the Office of Professional Development at 919.515.2261

Only the roads were foggy

Not the minds of our fantastic volunteers! My trip to Morganton and Asheville was a success!

The South Mountains Group folks who met with me in Morganton were so organized and so nice that all I can say is WOW! This Group has come together to create a Cool Cities sub-committee, has recruited 3 Cool Cities, and is now working with the Cool City Morganton to complete a greenhouse gas inventory and to create a citizens environmental advisory group.

Asheville is as you know, very progressive, and I’m glad to report that they still have things up their sleeves. Councilwoman Robin Cape led a very interesting discussion regarding current actions the town is taking to go greener. In fact, Councilman Brownie Newman and she are working with state legislatures to pass permission to cities to create a voluntary tax that will enable property owners to install solar power and to employ other energy efficiency actions on their home at a lower cost. Read more here.

Off to Asheville and Morganton!

Thursday and Friday I will not be out of the office since I have the wonderful opportunity to meet with members from our WENOCA Group and our South Mountains Group.

You too can participate in the WENOCA Group meeting at 236 Charlotte Street in Asheville, NC. The meeting starts at 7:00. I will discuss various actions a Cool City can take, and then Councilwoman Robin Cape will discuss whether these actions could fit the town and other possibilities for Asheville. Afterwards, the Group will determine which actions they could promote and possibly assist.

Earth Hour

Turn out. Take action. Be part of this historic event.

March 28, 2009, 8:30 pm local time

The World Wildlife Fund is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights for one hour – Earth Hour – to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

So far, 850 cities in the US have signed up to participate but as of today, only the cities of Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Carrboro, Dillsboro and Lincolnton from North Carolina are registered participants.

We need other NC organizations to step up! It's easy and all you have to do is go to http://www.blogger.com/www.earthhourus.org and register.

Let's fill up that map on the Earth Hour website!

Charlotte to Host Climate Conversation

Charlotte Cool Cities Campaign to host
National Conversation on Climate Action Event
April 18, 2009

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America’s homeowners pay the price for energy inefficient homes, particularly with today’s rising cost of energy. For homeowners, energy efficiency always pays – in times of boom or bust.

The second leading cause of foreclosures for low income homeowners is unanticipated utility bills (as reported by Global Green). Low-income homebuyers can not only stabilize, but greatly reduce utility bills by investing in energy efficiency improvements.

Hear about the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities Campaign efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Share ideas about actions for the future and learn how to get involved!

To register or find an event in your area go to http://www.climateconversation.org/

$208 Million in Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Funding for NC

And the recovery funding starts trickling into North Carolina. Read this Press Release from the US Department of Energy and find more information on our own recovery website.

70 New Reasons to Live Green

Glamour gathered 70 female eco-achievers, including our very own Cammy Watkins, to promote and honor Mother Earth. She's in the middle pane, second from the left on the front row.

Check it out!!

45. Cammy Watkins is a coordinator for the Sierra Club's Cool Cities Program, which pushes cities and city dwellers to adopt energy-saving solutions. The Sierra Club is the oldest environmental organization in the United States, founded in 1892.

The Coolest Services for NC Government

Cool Cities has been asked to speak at the State Energy Office upcoming energy conference!! I will share with citizens across the state the benefits of being a Cool City and also share with them a couple success stories from you.

Also, during this panel discussion you will hear a presentation from Rachel Eckert with NC Project Green, Kathy Boyer with Triangle Coalition of Clean Cities, and Anne Galamb with the NC Divison of Air Quality. These programs are excellent resources for local government and their representatives are always willing to help.



The New Reality: A Time to Act
The Sixth Annual North Carolina sustainable Energy Conference
April 14-15, 2009
at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center, NC State University, Raleigh NC

Topics include--
Energy efficiency—Residential, Commercial, Industrial
Economic Development and the Green Economy
Utility Savings Initiative in Public Buildings
Renewable Technologies
Alternative Fuels and TransportationConsumer Issues New this year
Linking Investors to New Projects New this year

Citizens making plans to go even greener

It’s been a busy week, and I’m proud to report that our Groups are doing a lot of Cool Cities work.

On Monday I traveled to Greensboro to meet their Community Sustainability Council—started by our very own Joel Landau. The CSC just created several sub-committees, including one focused on green jobs and another one focused on energy. Keep posted to see what exciting actions they take in the next few months!

On Tuesday I ventured over to the Royal Bean Coffee House to discuss Wake County Cool County progress and also to discuss Earth Day happenings. We decided to start meeting with all the County Commissioners to discuss making sustainability a priority. If you want to get involved in these meetings, just email Marvin Woll. The Capitol Group is great and you can meet them during the upcoming Earth Day Events—April 18 downtown Raleigh and April 22 on NC campus.

Cool Resources

The Cool City Resources page has many helpful links! Whether you want your town to become a Cool Community or whether you want to find funding for your town. Check it out.

I will keep it updated as more information about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is made public. Right now, you might find these links of interest:

Federal Agency Recovery Websites:
US EPA http://www.epa.gov/recovery/
DOE http://www.energy.gov/recovery/
US HUD http://www.hud.gov/recovery/
Education http://www.ed.gov/recovery/
Labor http://www.dol.gov/recovery/
DOT http://www.dot.gov/recovery/

NC Cool City list serv is ready to serve

The NC Cool City list serv has been compiled and will be sharing news about the economic stimulus contribution and other energy efficiency happenings around the state. You can join by emailing me or clicking here to register directly.

Once you have registered, please keep everyone updated about accomplishments in your town. Have a question--you can ask everyone on the list serv about energy efficiency and activism, sustainable communities, or anything else related to Cool Cities.

I look forward to communicating with you regularly!!

Cool Cities look to federal stimulus funding and to more media coverage.

It is a great time to be a Cool Community, and it is about to get even better. Stimulus funding will boost local energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives already in place. Greensboro is an excellent example of a Cool City poised for action.

Greensboro City Council approved an energy performance contract with Pepco Energy Services. The $6.1 million contract will pay for solar hot water systems at the Melvin Municipal Office Building and five fire stations, 9,000 new energy-efficient light fixtures, new air handlers for City Hall, and a chiller for The Depot and the Bardolph Building on Washington Street.

Similar actions will soon be funded by the stimulus package, saving our Cool Cities big green. Read more on news-record.com.

Waking Up Cool

Capital Group member, Marvin Woll, has been working tirelessly with the Wake County Board of Commissioners and their sub-committees with the overall goal of Wake County becoming the state’s next Cool County.

A few months ago, several Capital Group members met and brainstormed how Wake County could benefit from the Cool County program. And now, the Commissioners are starting to agree. This week I joined Marvin, Tommy Esqueda, Environmental Services Director, and Matthew Roylance, Environmental Services Manager in a discussion about specific energy reduction techniques that they want to implement in 2009.

Email Marvin to learn how you could help this movement!

Blogging about Blogging!!

Videos from the Cool City Building Solutions workshop hit the wires last week, including a Fabulous Blog in Asheville. View more of these videos online or scan through the presentation power points on our resources webpage.

Building North Carolina Solutions

The Building Solutions workshop was a huge success!!

We had nearly 70 people travel from across the state to Winston-Salem this weekend to discuss energy efficiency. The topic may be dry, but it is so vital to our state and to humanity. So, THANK YOU for joining us! Notes from the workshop will be posted soon. Pictures available now!