Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) has announced applications are now being accepted for implementation grants of up to $500,000 through the Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP). The grants are available to communities that participated in the recent MERP-funded energy assessments and were designated as having a high or highest energy burden in the 2019 Efficiency Vermont Energy Burden Report. All 14 Vermont counties are represented in this group.
The participating municipalities have been provided with assessment reports identifying the best-value energy-related infrastructure investments, from envelope sealing to electrical vehicle charging stations. Over 500 facility energy assessments have been completed statewide to date.
This new phase of MERP offers communities the opportunity to seek State funding for any of those projects or combinations of projects, up to a total of $500,000 per community. “We have been gearing up for this moment for the past two years,” said BGS Commissioner Jennifer M.V. Fitch, P.E. “This single program will be a tremendous accelerant to the process of bringing municipalities struggling with a high energy burden into an energy resilient future.”
“This program is a great example of how we can support communities in our efforts to reduce emissions while also helping reduce costs,” said Governor Phil Scott. “This approach is critical to ensuring we reach our climate mitigation goals, while ensuring communities and Vermonters are not left behind.”
Act 172 (2022) allocated $45 million to MERP to provide staff support, application and technical assistance, and funding to increase energy resilience, reduce energy use and operating costs, and curb greenhouse gas emissions by promoting weatherization, thermal improvements, fuel switching, renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicle charging, and enhanced comfort in municipal buildings. Municipally owned buildings in cities, towns, incorporated villages, fire districts, and all other governmental incorporated units (except school districts) are eligible.
Act 172 gave funding priority to communities with a high energy burden according to Efficiency Vermont’s 2019 Energy Burden Report. A municipality’s energy burden is calculated by dividing energy spending by household income.
The MERP program is based on the successful State Energy Management Program (SEMP), through which the State leveraged over $4.7M savings since its inception in 2014. Both SEMP and MERP support Governor Scott’s strategic priority of making Vermont more affordable.
All MERP grants are administered by the state’s Department of Buildings and General Services, in partnership with Vermont’s regional planning commissions. Applications for the implementation grant will be accepted through September 20. Details are available on the Department of Buildings and General Services website.
Municipalities should direct questions about the grant and process to their regional planning commissions. Additional partners for the program include the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network, and Efficiency Vermont.
Source: 8.27.2024. Montpelier, Vt. — The Department of Buildings and General Services
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