McKinney receives more than $1 million energy grant

City of McKinney Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

McKinney receives more than $1 million energy grant
Department of Energy funding to be used for new green initiatives

McKINNEY, TEXAS (May 12, 2010) – The City of McKinney is the recipient of a grant totaling $1,071,500 from the Department of Energy (DOE) as part of that organization’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block grant.

In order to receive the grant, however, McKinney first had to develop an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS) and used an initial $100,000 of the grant to hire architectural, engineering and consulting firm HDR to assist in the effort. A team of 25 city staff members across all city departments comprises the Green Team, which also worked on the initial plan.

The DOE notified the city of approval of the EECS and made the remaining $971,500 of the grant available to complete the projects identified in the EECS. The eight activities for the grant proposal include water conservation education and marketing, building and facility energy efficiency, developing a community sustainability plan, hiring an environmental coordinator and grant administrator, installing a high-visibility renewable energy demonstration project, conducting an urban forest study, conducting a comprehensive commuter bike study, and replacing 97 high-pressure sodium bulbs in city-owned street lights along Virginia and U.S. 380 with LED light bulbs.

“The City of McKinney worked hard to receive this grant, and we are excited aboutimplementing the programs this money will fund. We will be developing and implementing eight initiatives, all as part of this Energy Efficiency Grant effort. We are proud that our projects are innovative – a true mark of a community that is unique by nature,” said Green Programs Manager Julie Smith.

The EECS process produced an outline of what programs the city intended to implement to utilize renewable energy sources and reduce energy demand, fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. HDR assessed the potential for funding activities identified by the city’s Green Team. The assessment included developing a carbon footprint for the city for 2008 and 2009 that evaluated total electric and/or gas consumption by department, building address and building type; fuel use by department, type and carbon dioxide emissions; and water consumption by department and address.

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