City Wants Share Of Federal Cash
Council eyes $43K for energy-saving projects
By Sondra Murphy
Taking advantage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the Ojai City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the County of Ventura to submit a joint application that includes Ojai for an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.
The city’s Public Works director, Mike Culver, presented the report to the council and said the ARRA includes $3.2 billion allocated nationwide for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants Program, of which California’s portion is $351.5 million. EECBG funds may be used for development of local energy plans, energy assessments, programs and other activities that result in long-term energy savings, transform markets or provide jobs.
According to the allocation formula, the city of Ojai is eligible to apply for $42,929 under the program, which is figured per capita. Culver said the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance believes that a collaborative application from combined county jurisdictions would result in a higher probability of a successful grant application. The alliance also views collaboration as a way to provide optimal cost efficiency for any projects under the program.
VCREA will coordinate the proposed application representing the cities of Ojai, Fillmore, Port Hueneme and Santa Paula, with the county acting as the lead agency in preparing and filing the application.
Culver said VCREA met with each agency and established a list of potential projects for each which meet the requirements of the EECBG program. The selected projects for Ojai are retrofits and replacement upgrades in existing buildings that are critical to the safety and security of the city to assist in bringing old facilities up to new codes and standards.
“Why does it have to be all retrofits,” Council-woman Carol Smith asked during the meeting.
“That was based on guidelines put out by the Energy Commission,” said Culver. “These were the projects that met those guidelines put down by the feds.
Identified projects include City Hall, the Boyd Center at the Recreation Department, Libbey Park and the city’s maintenance shop. Culver estimated the combined cost of the proposed projects is $54,472, while the expected energy savings would be 66,499 kilowatt hours per year.
Needed are interior and exterior lighting systems, lighting controls and heating and air conditioning units. Culver said City Hall is in need of the air upgrades, and the other facilities require lighting retrofits.
“This particular grant is just for public facility needs,” Culver said. “It benefits us in the long run, because it’s better energy efficiency, so will lower our energy bills, as well. You want to demonstrate that you’ll have long-term energy savings as a result.”
VCREA is developing tests for project costs and energy savings calculations as part of its feasibility study, to be finalized upon receipt of grant fund approval.
“This particular grant is just for public facility needs,” Culver said. “It benefits us in the long run, because it’s better energy efficiency, so will lower our energy bills, as well. You want to demonstrate that you’ll have long-term energy savings as a result.”
This sounds promising and will help move the City forward on the Roadmap to a Green Sustainable Ojai.
Suza
23 Dec 09 at 10:08 am
“green sustainability” is a myth, its in the same class as “over-unity”, you can’t get something for nothing.
In order to stop the “carbon footprint” you first have to stop living, I recommend the ones touting the “green movement” do it first.
I wonder what the true cost of the federal funds is going to be?????
I am sick of all the fake promises of a new brighter better day, all they want is more money and more control…
K. P. Worrall
23 Dec 09 at 12:32 pm
I agree with KPW. The so called ‘greenies’ are not as friendly as their coexist bumper stickers exhibit. They just holla for lack of self control.
And they money, Yeah who’s pocket is that goin in? Like those freakin ugly red paver crosswalks! Check the paperwork on those! Time to audit before giving more money to people stuffing some in their underware.
Dude!
23 Dec 09 at 1:39 pm
The anti-human movement(green movement) is trying to come up with a way to tax you for breathing,(Copenhagen) but not breathing sounds like the exact opposite of what is in my best interest.
Mike Hamburg
23 Dec 09 at 1:47 pm
Suza in 2010!
Sue Zen
23 Dec 09 at 2:42 pm
The funds are $43k. The costs are $54k. The energy savings are 65,000 killowats per year. What are the annual savings????
“Green Sustainable Ojai.” How??? Our electrical energy is imported. The savings in energy will be a fiscal one, not a local environmental one. It has no local environmental effect. Our bill will be lower, that is it.
I am so sick of these catchphrase buzzwords being used so loosely as if they mean something.
Ret. Lieut. John Doe
Truth and Justice
John Doe
23 Dec 09 at 4:59 pm
green is the road to communism. When I say this it is the way it is being pushed on us. It has nothing to do with co existing with the planet it is about full control of the planet by a handfull of people who do not have the worlds populations best interest at hand. Smell the garbage for what it is. Replacing your reg light bulb for less energy ones that contain toxic mercury makes a lot of sense. The answer is the free energy that has been kept from us. Spraying sewage water on produce is not the answer stop buying for food from the corporations that do this. Do buy you food local from people who use old farming practices or beter yet grow your own. Do not borrow money from the fed that is going to cost more than is taken. The way to green is to think smart and that does not include spending more money than one has.
Truth always wins in the End
24 Dec 09 at 9:00 am
Glen Beck is right; “Communism doesn’t sound so bad now….”
Anonymous
24 Dec 09 at 12:12 pm
Truth,
that’s right nothing is free.
The state will teach your child what the state wants your child to know about nothing more, definitely not what you want them to learn.
I agree 100% vote with our dollars before those are gone as well.
Monsanto’s genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) is still injected into dairy cows in the USA to increase milk-production.
The milk has puss from the infected utters, these so-called farms are not like a regular farm.
The industrial farms get group ID tags, but the small farmer must buy and have a tag for every individual animal.
The potential link between rBGH and cancer was one of the topics revealed in a four-part news series set to air in February of 1997 by a Tampa-based Fox TV station.
But because of Monsanto’s threatening letters, FoxTV never aired the topic.
I am not just against Monsanto, all major corporations, they are the ones behind the global sustainability push, after they have made trillions off polluting and destroying earth in every aspect, now they want green tech and bio-sustainability at a huge undetermined cost to us.
Mike Hamburg
24 Dec 09 at 1:08 pm
Glen Beck is just a shill
Truth always wins in the End
24 Dec 09 at 2:53 pm
Merry Christmas!
Fellow readers, it is right, “Truth always wins in the end.” Anon.5 sends his greetings from the third world.
The Truth Coalition was recently awarded its patent for problem solving: “Identify the problem and create a solution in sixty seconds or less.” Make it your goal this new year to bring something to the table.
Who paid for the lobbying group, VCREA, to apply for this grant?
You can sugarcoat it all you want and pretend a/c or a new lighting system at the park is better for the environment, but it is still a taxpayer sponsored program adding to our nation’s debt.
Ret. Lieut. John Doe
Truth and Justice
John Doe
25 Dec 09 at 12:35 am
Once again John you are right. How do I get into your truth club? What an amazing analysis on the obvious conflict of interest here.
Anonymous
27 Dec 09 at 1:09 pm
Ihave aligned forces with Anon.5.
??. ??? ????
27 Dec 09 at 7:18 pm
As of 12-28-09 ??. ??? ???? is released to anon.5. and is no longer supported by LFOD.
All posts under ??. ??? ???? are that of annon.5. and persons associated within not LFOD.
PS: anon.5. you can’t steal them all.
Impersonation is the highest form of flattery.
Just to be clear LFOD does not endorse, support or condone the opinions of john d., james h., anon.5., the truth coalition or ??. ??? ????.
LFOD
??. ??? ???? * LiveFreeOrDie
28 Dec 09 at 2:17 pm
John Doe, don’t be more stupid than necessary – it does not cost anything to apply for a grant. If people are concerned about bovine growth hormone, then they should actively campaign for the certification of organic raw milk in California. It used to be available, but the certification requirements were made too expensive for small operations. That, and locally produced, butchered, and sold meat. It would be healthier for the people, the economy, and the environment.
annonymous
28 Dec 09 at 6:22 pm
Anon.,
You are an absolute idiot. Whose behind the mask of vcrea? You?
??. ??? ????
29 Dec 09 at 4:32 pm