Dept. of Economic & Community Development
Matthew Kisber, Commissioner
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BLOCK GRANTS
“The Block Grants are a major investment in energy solutions that will strengthen America’s economy and create jobs at the local level,” said U.S. DOE Secretary Steven Chu. “The funding will be used for the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies we have – energy efficiency and conservation – which can be deployed immediately. The grants also empower local communities to make strategic investments to meet the nation’s long term clean energy and climate goals.”
ARRA AMOUNTS
U.S. – $3.2 billion
Includes $2.8 billion of formula funds and $400 million of competitive awards
Tennessee/ECD –$42,243,200
$28,425,000 of this amount will be awarded directly from DOE to the 17 largest cities and 10 largest counties in Tennessee; $13,818,200 will be administered through ECD. At least 60% of the funds ECD receives must be used to make sub-awards to these cities and counties not eligible for direct funding. Funding not used for subgrants to cities and counties may be used by the State Energy Program (SEP), subject to all SEP requirements.
IN THIS SECTION
Overview
Tennessee Funds
Application
FAQs
Key Events
Contact
OVERVIEW
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program was authorized in Title V, Subtitle E of the Energy Independence and Security (EISA) Act of 2007, and signed into Public Law (PL 110-140) on December 19, 2007.The Program provides federal grants to units of local government, Indian tribes, states, and territories to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and for improvements in energy efficiency. It was funded for the first time by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.
TENNESSEE FUNDS
The 17 largest cities and 10 largest counties in Tennessee may apply directly to DOE for EECBG funds. These funds will not pass through state government or ECD. 2007 census population data was used to determine which cities and counties will receive direct grant funding from DOE. Please see the chart below for a complete listing of these cities and counties.
ECD will be administering the application process for EECBG funds in other cities and counties not eligible for direct funding from DOE. At least 60% of the funds received by ECD under EECBG must be used to make sub-awards to these cities and counties. Funding not used for subgrants to cities and counties may be used by the State Energy Program (SEP), subject to all SEP requirements.
Tennessee will use $9.3 million of its Recovery Act EECBG funding to asist small- and medium-sized cities and counties to conserve energy and reduce fossil fuel emissions. The maximum grant amount will be $100,000 and partial funding may be awarded. Areas of funding that will be given priority include: developing an overall energy efficiency and conservation strategy; retrofitting existing buildings with cost effective energy efficient measures; implementing renewable energy technologies on government buildings; and replacing traffic signals and street lighting with energy efficient lighting technologies. The deadline to apply is Dec. 30, 2009. See below for more application information.
Tennessee will use the remaining funds to conduct a comprehensive public education campaign to help its citizens use energy more efficiently, and establish clean energy worker training programs at technology centers, community colleges, and universities. The public education campaign will be specifically targeted to help Tennesseans improve the energy efficiency of their homes, and will use various channels to collect, organize, and disseminate information, including workshops and print media. The training initiative will provide the state’s citizens training in a wide variety of green sectors, including weatherization, advanced energy codes, and solar installation. These programs will better position Tennessee's workforce to take advantage of the clean energy economy.
| Tennessee Total Sum City, County, and SEO Allocations | All | $42,243,200 |
| Tennessee | State Energy Office | $13,818,200 |
| Bartlett | City | $193,600 |
| Brentwood | City | $164,500 |
| Chattanooga | City | $1,864,300 |
| Clarksville | City | $1,114,900 |
| Cleveland | City | $186,300 |
| Collierville | City | $164,400 |
| Franklin | City | $593,700 |
| Germantown | City | $169,600 |
| Hendersonville | City | $190,500 |
| Jackson | City | $670,700 |
| Johnson City | City | $661,800 |
| Kingsport | City | $219,100 |
| Knoxville | City | $2,012,700 |
| Memphis | City | $6,767,200 |
| Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County | City | $6,225,400 |
| Murfreesboro | City | $961,100 |
| Smyrna | City | $164,800 |
| Blount | County | $501,600 |
| Hamilton | County | $616,500 |
| Knox | County | $2,125,400 |
| Maury | County | $334,900 |
| Rutherford | County | $418,600 |
| Sevier | County | $356,900 |
| Shelby | County | $421,800 |
| Sullivan | County | $459,700 |
| Sumner | County | $431,700 |
| Wilson | County | $433,300 |
Applications were due on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009 to the Energy Policy Office. Two application workshops were held in Nashville on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 at Ellington Agriculture Center at 440 Hogan Rd. If you were unable to attend, a video of the workshop is posted below..
EECBG Application - PART 1: Application Template
EECBG Application - PART 2: State Compliance Forms
EECBG Assurance Letter Template
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Tennessee Energy Policy Office
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants
Wm. Snodgrass TN Tower, 10th floor
312 Rosa Parks Avenue
Nashville, TN 37243-1102
The following assurance is provided to receive a points preference for consideration as compliance with grants guidelines used as a basis for awarding local government funding for the Tennessee Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant under the American Recovery and Renewal Act of 2009. We have communicated with the recognized agency responsible for the local government jurisdiction with oversight for building codes and requested consideration for adoption of the minimum residential building energy standards in the 2009 Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act.
This letter serves to acknowledge and provide assurance that within the limits of my authority, CITY/COUNTY will not choose to opt out of the minimum residential building energy standards in the 2009 Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act (Public Chapter 529) as promulgated as rules by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
NAME
CITY / COUNTY Mayor
Application Workshop Video
EECBG Frequently Asked Questions
When is the deadline for all EECBG applications?
All applications must be submitted to the Energy Policy Office no later than December 30, 2009, 5:00 p.m. CST. Applications that fail to meet this deadline will not be considered. ECD requests that applications be submitted electronically. Hard copies can be submitted only in the event that an electronic submission is not possible. Applications sent by mail should include one (1) original application and three (3) copies (set of four). Paper copies must be received by the DUE DATE and TIME to be eligible. Applications submitted by facsimile and with handwritten narratives will not be accepted. It is strongly recommended that any mailed applications are sent by certified or registered mail.
Please clarify city/county eligibility.
All cities and counties in Tennessee are eligible for Energy Efficiency Conservation Block grants. The incorporated cities and counties not receiving direct grants (over 400 total) are eligible to apply for grants from the Department of ECD.
Cities and counties receiving direct allocations from DOE under the EECBG program may not apply to ECD to receive additional EECBG funds from the Energy Policy Office.
However, if a city has a population of less than 35,000 and it is located within a county that has received direct EECBG allocation from DOE, then the city is still considered eligible to apply for funding, assuming that the city is excluded from DOE’s “formula allocation list for EECBG.”
The following cities may receive direct allocations from DOE but are ineligible to receive EECBG funding from ECD: Memphis, Metro Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Jackson, Johnson City, Franklin, Kingsport, Bartlett, Hendersonville, Cleveland, Germantown, Smyrna, Brentwood, and Collierville.
The following counties may receive direct allocations from DOE but are ineligible to receive EECBG funding from ECD: Davidson County, Knox County, Hamilton County, Blount County, Wilson County, Shelby County, Rutherford County, Sevier County, and Maury County.
How many grants do you expect to award?
ECD plans to award ninety-three (93) grants under this program expending all federal funds.
Can cities/counties or any combination of local governments submit joint applications?
Cities and counties may not bundle or combine joint applications. Each eligible entity may apply separately for the grant.
Should multiple activities be listed on the same application?
Applicants may request funds to undertake multiple activities within their proposal. Applicants are instructed to submit one (1) activity per EECBG Activity Worksheet within the application. The Energy Policy Office reserves the right to restrict applicants to specific activities within their project proposal.
Are schools eligible for EECBG or should they go through EESI? Is there grant funding for schools only?
Eligible entities may apply for school projects under the EECBG and choose to leverage the Tennessee Energy Efficiency School Initiative funds.
Will leveraging the grant activities help proposals score higher?
Leveraging of program objectives in coordination with other programs or partnerships as identified in the program criteria scoring on pages 7 - 8 will be considered when reviewing the applicant’s Program Readiness.
I'm not sure exactly what I need to record under "Proposed Funds Leveraged" on the, Activity Worksheet. If the City is paying for all labor/equipment costs, do I put this down, there?
Services or labor provided by partners may be considered as in-kind contributions identified as leverage.
Can calculated energy savings be considered leveraged funds?
No.
With respect to Davis-Bacon, can local government labor be used, even those wages may be less than the prevailing wage?
“Local units of government are not considered by the Department of Labor to be contractors or subcontractors, and their workers are not covered by DBA. Any contracts awarded by the local government, however, must include the DBA labor clauses and applicable wage determination(s) for work performed using ARRA-funded SEP and EECBG grant funding.”
Additional information may be found at: http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/davisbacon.html within the Davis-Bacon Act Compliance Section titled Questions and Answers for the DOE State Energy Program (SEP) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program.
Should activity strategies be woven into the narrative or written separately?
Each activity should fall under one of the categories identified below. These categories should be referenced in the narrative, the budget, and the budget narrative. (Page 4, Tennessee Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG) Program Guidelines)
If the community has an energy plan or policy should it be attached to the application?
Applicants are encouraged to reference, document or discuss any existing energy plans, energy proclamations, energy ordinance or policies in the application narrative. They do not need to be attached but ECD may request documentation at a later date.
Project Feasibility will you please define “organizational capacity.”?
Organizational capacity is any proposed recipient or sub recipient’s ability to provide sufficient administrative oversight to undertake an approved activity and provide compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
Is the 10 Mbtu/$1000 spent for a specific interval, e.g. 1 year, 2 years, etc.?
The threshold target energy saved and / or renewable energy generated is an annual rate of 10 Mbtu/$1000 spent). This threshold should be considered as a measure of effectiveness for the energy measures under consideration.
If you don’t meet the 10 Mbtu criteria are you ineligible or discounted in some manner?
Measured and identified energy cost-savings ($) and annual energy savings in kWh and / or million BTUs will be considered when reviewing the applicant’s Program Readiness. Local governments are encouraged to apply this minimum effective cost measurement as a decision tool to guide their energy investments. Many readily available energy efficiency measures meet and exceed this minimum standard.
We are required to report on jobs created and/or retained, energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed, GHG emissions reduced, and funds leveraged. What are the minimum "acceptable" levels we need to reach in each of these areas, or are there minimum requirements? What would happen if we don't meet a minimum requirement?
There are no required minimums. However, grantees are strongly encouraged to maximize success under each of these areas in order to benefit themselves and meet or exceed the stated purposes and objectives of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: (jobs created; energy saved; renewable energy capacity installed and generated (annually); greenhouse gas emissions reduced; energy cost savings; funds leveraged)
How long is the recipient required to report after completion of activities and expenditures of funds?
Applicants should expect reporting to occur during the project period, as well as follow-up energy savings reports 6 months and 12 months after the completion of the project.
What is the maximum percentage allowable for administrative costs? Could you please provide a list of activities that would be considered eligible for the 10% administrative funds?
Ten percent is the maximum percentage allowable for administrative costs. Administrative activities are those that include such items as the record keeping, budgeting and business management. The cost of meeting the reporting requirements of the EECBG Program is excluded from the administrative cost limitation.
Should we mail the application or send it in electronic format?
ECD requests that applications be submitted electronically. Hard copies can be submitted only in the event that an electronic submission is not possible. Applications sent by mail should include one (1) original application and three (3) copies (set of four). Paper copies must be received by the DUE DATE and TIME to be eligible.
Many traffic signals are owned by local electric co-ops. Can the local government still retrofit them?
Yes, local governments may partner and retrofit traffic signals owned by electric co-ops. “Funds are not limited to distribution only in the jurisdiction to which they are allocated. Further, DOE encourages grant recipients to coordinate with each other to leverage funds and resources to maximize benefits.”
Do applicants have to be strictly local government? Could a development district or an electric co-op, e.g., apply?
Local governments are the only entities listed as eligible grant applicants. Partnerships with other entities that leverage resources and expand the benefits of energy efficiency are allowed. The capacity, expertise, and contribution of partner(s), if applicable, and expected benefit from partnerships in terms of expanded impact and effectiveness will be considered when reviewing the applicant’s Program Strategy.
Do we need to select and identify that consultant in the application in order to apply for the EECBG funds?
It is not necessary to identify a consultant in the application.
Can our grant budget be based on estimates from consultants which we firm up later during the 18 month time period following our notification of award?
Cities and counties are encouraged to submit actual estimates for project costs. ECD realizes that actual project costs may be finalized at a later date.
Can funds be used for assessments or feasibility studies?
Grantees may retain technical consultant services to assist in the development of an EEC strategy, including formulation of energy efficiency, energy conservation, and energy usage goals; identification of strategies to achieve those goals through efforts to increase energy efficiency, reduce fossil fuel emissions or reduce energy consumption through investments or by encouraging behavioral changes.
If we are considering a performance contract should the contractor information be listed on the front end?
Ultimately the ARRA reporting requires that grant recipients provide vendor and contractor information throughout the duration of the project period.
What period of time does the DOE calculator consider for the savings factor?
The DOE energy savings calculator applies savings factors based on an annual basis.
December 30, 2009 - Application deadline. ECD received 146 applications requesting $13,872,460 and has completed the initial screening of the applications. ECD is now working with a review team to score and rank them with the recipients announced this spring.
November 2, 2009 - Two application workshops held in Nashville at the Ellington Agriculture Center: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-4 p.m.
October 21, 2009 - EECBG application available. Click here to read the press release.
September 24, 2009 - DOE approves State of Tennessee plan. Click here to read DOE's press release.
June 25, 2009 – State of Tennessee submitted EECBG plan to DOE for approval. Click here to see Tennessee's application.
May 11, 2009 – EECBG Funding Announcement issued by DOE. Click here to read the full announcement.
March 26, 2009 – EECBG press release issued by DOE. Click here to read the press release.
CONTACT
For more information on the EECBG program and a list of FAQs, please visit http://www.eecbg.energy.gov. If you have additional questions regarding the EECBG program, please contact the State of Tennessee Energy Policy Office at (800) 342-1340 or (615) 741-2994 or ecd.energypolicy@tn.gov.
