Kane County eager to receive 'green' stimulus money
Kane County recently learned it will receive an additional $2.46 million incentive to encourage "green" initiatives through the federal stimulus package.
All the county must do is submit a proposal on how it will use the money and track the spending. The money couldn't come at a better time for Kane County as it seeks ways to trim its budgets. The county has the option to reallocate the funds to help local businesses put energy conservation measures in place, or it can keep the cash closer to home by using it to put its own "green" initiatives in place.
If kept in-house, the county will likely use the funds to complete changes that will ultimately cut its utility bills. Those costs account for about 40 percent of the expenses the county incurs to operate its facilities. Along those lines, county staff will soon receive a memo encouraging them to turn off their computers and copiers when not in use, as well as any unnecessary lights in an effort to cut costs.
The county's proposal to receive the stimulus money will go beyond those measures, serving as a wish list of all the green projects the county would like to achieve. That list will likely cost much more to fund than the amount of stimulus money the county will receive. However, whatever cash is received will act as a de facto budget for the county's Energy and Environmental Committee. The new committee was formed without any cash to back up its green initiatives.
"It was a surprise," Committee Chairman Tom Van Cleave said of the stimulus funds. "But it's a very welcome surprise. Now we have a good amount of money, and we can really get this committee going."
Who else is getting money?
Illinois State Energy Office: $21.8 million
Cook County: $12.7 million
Lake County: $5.6 million
DuPage County: $4.6 million
Will County: $3 million
McHenry County: $2.47 million
Kane County: $2.46 million
A list of local communities receiving additional funds is available at: www.eecbg.energy.gov/grantalloc.html