Allentown, PA - The Morning Call:
Bright ideas for energy money?
October 29, 2009 06:00 AM
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski outlined Wednesday how the city plans to spend $1 million in federal money aimed at helping the city and its residents conserve energy.
The money will help pay for solar-powered trash compactors, motion-sensor lighting, low-interest loans and a host of items, city officials said Wednesday.
''The city worked hard at getting this grant, which will help us build a strategy to reduce energy usage and assist homeowners and business owners as well,'' Pawlowski said.
The Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant was funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It's a one-time grant, but Pawlowski said Congress is moving ahead with plans to extend the program.
The grant will help ... purchase 14 solar-powered trash compactors, which can hold five times the amount of normal trashcans. The 50-gallon receptacles will be placed at strategic locations and will help reduce the burden of emptying the roughly 800 public trashcans in the city. ...