$12.9 Million in Clean Cities Grants for NC

Staff reports

Carolinas Blue Skies & Green Jobs Initiative project will create jobs, limit pollution, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the transformation of the nation’s vehicle fleet, putting more than 9,000 alternative-fuel and energy-efficient vehicles on the road, and establishing 542 refueling locations across the country. The Department of Energy also estimates they will help displace approximately 38 million gallons of petroleum per year.

“The Clean Cities program is helping give state and local
governments the tools they need to build a greener transportation
system that will create new jobs and help to put America on the path to
a clean energy future,” said Secretary Chu.

The projects announced by Chu will support a combined total of
more than 9,000 light, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles and establish
542 refueling locations across the country. And with the cost-share
contributions from the recipients, every federal dollar spent will be
matched by nearly two dollars from the project partners.

Last week, the Department of Energy also announced that it had
selected 23 projects for up to $15 million in annual appropriations
funding. Like the Recovery Act-funded projects, the annual Clean Cities
projects include grants for vehicles, infrastructure, and education.

Clean Cities is a government-industry partnership that works to
reduce America’s petroleum consumption in the transportation sector.

For a complete list of awardees, visit www.energy.gov/recovery/cleancities.htm