WILLIAMSPORT – The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a workshop from 9 a.m. until noon on Jan. 27, to discuss the new Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant Program created by the Alternative Energy Investment Fund, which Gov. Edward G. Rendell signed into law this past summer.
The workshop will be held in DEP’s northcentral regional office, 208 West Third St., Suite 101, Williamsport.
“This workshop is for independent for-profit small businesses with 100 employees or fewer whose business or facility is located within Pennsylvania,” said DEP Northcentral Regional Director Robert Yowell. “Eligible small businesses include manufacturers, retailers, service providers, mining businesses and agricultural operations.”
The grants will be used to support energy efficiency improvements on systems such as lighting, heating, cooling, refrigeration and process machinery, as well as building insulation and weatherization projects.
The $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund includes $237 million targeted specifically toward helping small businesses and families conserve electricity and manage higher energy prices.
DEP’s regional Office of Energy and Technology Deployment Manager Dave Shimmel will conduct the workshop, explain the program’s qualification requirements and application process, and review energy conservation measures for small businesses.
The workshop will also include Web-based training called Energy Star Portfolio Manager for Pennsylvania Small Business.
The workshop will conclude with a question-and-answer session on the training and a discussion on the necessity of energy benchmarking.
Those interested in attending the workshop must register by sending an e-mail to dshimmel@state.pa.us. The e-mail must include the names of attendees and the business.
Registration is limited to the first 60 participants.
For more information on the Alternative Energy Investment Fund, visit online and click on the “Fueling Energy Savings” icon.