Yo, Harrisburg: Show us the money!
I guess you could say the state has been “moving with all deliberate haste” on its new Alternative Energy Investment Fund. Or you could say: What’s taken so long?
I guess you could say the state has been "moving with all deliberate haste" on its new Alternative Energy Investment Fund.
Or you could say: What's taken so long?
Established this July by the Pennsylvania legislature, the fund (PDF) earmarks $192.5 million to help families and small businesses make their homes and workplaces more energy efficient. We're supposed to be able to apply for rebates of 25% to 30% on fuel savers like attic insulation and solar hot water systems.
Some day.
The Daily News House Warmers' Workshop series reported early fund details in September. But here it is the prime of the winter heating season, and not a penny has trickled out of Harrisburg.
We checked in with Teresa Candori, press secretary for the state Department of Environmental Protection, and she was happy to report that things should be rolling soon because the bond for the money has just been approved.
The state budget office issued a press release yesterday to crow about the achievement (and rightfully so, given the tight credit markets), and acting DEP secretary John Hanger will meet with the governor soon to finalize details on the fund. Candori says it should be up and running next month.
You can register with the DEP to receive email updates, and when the big day comes you'll be the first to know—along with 3,673 other eco-hopefuls who've already subscribed.