Jun 20, 2010 By Steve Ferris 4 min read

Fayette County, Penn State University and a host of area agencies plan to use a $4.1 million federal grant to reduce energy consumption in the county and create jobs through a comprehensive energy efficiency program. Officials outlined the program, which will be called the Fayette Energy Partnership, at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, on Friday.

The program would include grants and loans to make businesses and industries more energy efficient, training Penn State students to conduct energy assessments, educating consumers about assessing their energy consumption, identifying ways to use less energy and conducting energy efficiency assessments of homes, businesses and institutions.

The Fayette County commissioners applied for and received the grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the federal economic stimulus package, through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Vincent Zapotosky, chairman of the Fayette County board of commissioners, said Penn State Fayette officials contacted the commissioners, saying the grant was available, and the commissioners jumped at the opportunity.

He said the grant money would be spent in the county.

“They money is getting out in the economy,” Zapotosky said, “We look forward to getting the money out in the community.”

Commissioner Vincent Vicites said Fayette County was the only county in the state and the only rural county in the United States to be awarded a grant from a $60 million DOE allocation.

“It is a broad-scope grant,” Vicites said, adding that county received one-15th of the total allocation. The DOE awarded 20 grants across the country.

Joe Segilia, Penn State Fayette’s outreach and continuing education director, said Fay-Penn Economic Development Council Inc. would administer the grant and loan program. Acting as program partners will be Fayette County CareerLink, West Penn Power’s Sustainable Energy Fund, the Penn State Cooperative Extension, the Fayette and main campuses’ colleges of engineering and other Penn State departments.

Allegheny Power, Private Industry Council (PIC) of Westmoreland/Fayette, Westmoreland Fayette Workforce Investment Board, Fayette County Redevelopment Authority, Fayette County Community Action and other agencies also are involved.

The primary goals of the program are to significantly and permanently cut energy consumption throughout the county, provide opportunities for residents to find jobs in the energy-efficiency field and document the results so the program could be implemented elsewhere, Segilia said.

Another goal is to leverage the grant to obtain more money for energy efficiency programs, said Wayne Figurelle, director of Penn State’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program.

In 1975, the redevelopment authority started its weatherization program, which is designed to help homeowners save energy, said Andrew French, authority executive director. Since then, the authority has used the program to assist 8,000 homeowners, he said.

The weatherization program would be linked to the Fayette Energy Partnership program, French said.

PIC will conduct introductory training for the program through CareerLink, said Sean Sypolt of PIC. Three local energy-related businesses want to expand, he said.

Segilia said many details such as the amounts of loans and grants that would be available and who would be eligible for them have to be settled through negotiations with the DOE.

He said the grant contract between the county and DOE should be finalized in August.

Although they didn’t attend, U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and Arlen Specter, both D-Pa., and Rep. Mark Critz, D-Johnstown, expressed their support for the program in a joint press release.

“This funding is great news for Fayette County and is a crucial step toward creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly America,” Casey said. “With the is support, communities can focus on what they can do to reduce their energy use and create jobs for Pennsylvanians that will help increase energy efficiency.”

“I am pleased to see stimulus funding for clean energy programs going to Fayette County,” Specter said. “Reducing energy use and encouraging energy efficiency will make for a more economically viable and environmentally friendly commonwealth.”

Improving energy efficiency reduces energy consumption and costs,” Critz said. “This federal grant will help our families and businesses save money and is important for economic development in Fayette County.”