New Mexico Jobs Get Energized

Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help support energy initiatives will create New Mexico jobs.

Gov. Bill Richardson recently announced that the State of New Mexico will receive more than $8.1 million in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency in counties, cities and towns throughout the state. In total, 21 energy projects have been chosen to receive the money.

"With the help of stimulus money, counties, cities and towns across the state will be able to move forward with energy saving projects like installing solar power, energy efficient lighting and other equipment to make public buildings more energy efficient," Richardson said. "These projects will conserve a significant amount of energy and will save taxpayer dollars."

The projects will be funded through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, a new program managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The program will be administered locally by the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's Energy Conservation and Management Division.

The division used a competitive process to select projects based on ARRA goals to create and retain jobs, save energy, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and increase renewable energy production.

"'These projects will help retain and create jobs and improve the economy around the state," Joanna Prukop, secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, said. "With energy efficiency as the main objective of this new program, we anticipate reports of significant energy and cost savings from these projects for local governments around the state."

The highest amount any county, city or town will receive is $500,000. Entities to receive that amount include:

• City of Santa Fe - to upgrade the energy efficiency of seven city buildings
• Bernalillo County - to audit and upgrade the energy efficiency of county buildings
• City of Clovis - to install a 55 kilowatt solar system in the civic center
• Union County - to take energy efficiency measures at the county courthouse
• Mora County - to take energy efficiency measures at the county courthouse

Other entities to receive funding include: City of Lordsburg, Los Alamos County, City of Tucumcari, City of Espanola, Town of Taos, Village of Grady, City of Las Cruces, Hidalgo County, Quay County, Town of Clayton, City of Bloomfield, Santa Fe County, Town of Silver City, Town of Edgewood, City of Deming and the Solid Waste Bureau.