Daily Blog: Energy Initiative

The race is on! Small cities across the nation are applying for a new block grant designed to help create energy efficiency:

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/06/02/02climatewire-cities-rush-to-turn-green-with-32-billion-of-84057.html

As the article notes:

"Some 1,000 cities and counties have direct access to the new entitlement account, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. They have until June 25 to submit plans, but that's a challenge, because most haven't received federal grants for energy projects before."

And while most of the media attention is focused on what big cities are doing to create new energy policies, many smaller cities are taking part, too:

"The grants will go to places like Cody, Wyo., with a population of 8,835, and Wahpeton, N.D., population 8,585, which markets itself as 'the most industrialized city in North Dakota.' Scores of other small and medium-sized cities are automatically eligible for funding."

It will be interesting to see how this new initiative might spur creativity in small cities around the nation.