California awarded local governments $49,603,400 from its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grand (EECBG) allocations today.
California will focus its Recovery Act EECBG funding on cost-effective, energy-efficiency projects that will create hundreds of jobs and provide lasting benefits into the future. The state plans will deliver at least 60% of the funds to local cities and counties for a range of activities, including energy audits, efficiency retrofits, financial incentive programs, and traffic signal and street lighting upgrades. The remaining 40% of the state’s funding will be used to supplement funding for small cities and counties, as well as to further state energy efficiency priorities. To facilitate programs in communities without extensive technical expertise, California will offer communities a number of pre-designed energy efficiency measures and technologies they can purchase. This approach will also enable bulk purchase discounts for communities across the state.
To ensure the highest levels of transparency and accountability, electronic reporting systems will track performance metrics as well as relevant data to detect fraud, waste, error, and abuse. This electronic system will have checks and balances as well as detailed management reports to allow for proper oversight and management of all subawards. All Recovery Act subawards will be coordinated through a single office, the California Energy Commission, to provide better oversight.
Source: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=238
