Senator Murray Announces over $58 Million for Energy Efficiency Improvements Across Washington State

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that Washington state will receive over $58 million to begin energy efficiency and conservation improvement projects throughout the state as part of the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. As a senior member of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, Murray worked to ensure that job-creating investments in Washington’s energy systems were a key component of the Recovery Act.  Senator Murray voted to pass the Recovery Act on February 13th. The bill was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th.

"The jobs this funding creates in construction and energy development will be a much needed boost to local economies," said Senator Murray. "These grants will help our communities implement energy efficiency and conservation strategies, and will create jobs improving, repairing, and updating our buildings and energy systems.”

The funding announced for Washington state is part of $3.2 billion included in the Recovery Act for energy efficiency and conservation projects from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) program. The EECBG program assists the initiation of strategies to reduce fossil fuel emission, reduce total energy use, and to improve overall energy efficiency in transportation, building and other appropriate sectors.

The following activities are examples of projects that qualify for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants:

• Developing programs to conserve energy used in transportation, such as the development of a transportation infrastructure that includes bike lanes, pedestrian walkways, and synchronized traffic lights
• Conducting residential and commercial building energy audits
• Installing renewable energy technology such as solar and wind energy on or in government buildings
• Installing light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• Establishing loan, rebate or other financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements

The EECBG grants will be distributed to cities, counties and tribes across Washington state as follows:

Grants for Tribes:

• Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington  – $284,300
• Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington  –  $ 31,200
• Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington   – $324,700
• Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Washington    –  $ 218,600
• Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation, Washington  –  $26,100
• Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe of Washington  –   $54,300
• Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel  Reservation, Washington  –   $ 25,000
• Lower Elwha Tribal Community of the Lower Elwha Reservation, Washington   –  $68,400
  
  Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington  –   $238,300
• Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington   –  $ 56,200
• Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington   –  $ 53,900
• Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington   –  $ 50,500
• Nooksack Indian Tribe of Washington   –  $62,900
• Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington   –  $217,600
• Quileute Tribe of the Quileute Reservation, Washington –  $27,900
• Quinault Tribe of the Quinault Reservation, Washington   –  $162,400
• Samish Indian Tribe, Washington   –  $73,900
• Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe of Washington   –  $25,000
• Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation, Wyoming   –  $32,900
• Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington   –  $ 64,200
• Snoqualmie Tribe, Washington   –  $49,500
  
  Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington   –  $ 70,100
• Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation, Washington   –  $72,300
• Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington   –  $26,400
• Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation, Washington   –  $71,300
• Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington   –  $38,300
• Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington   –  $208,000
• Upper Skagit Indian Tribe of Washington   –  $ 33,300
  
  
  
  TOTAL:  $2,477,500