Fed Money for Lancaster Transit

From the inbox:

Transportation Secretary LaHood and FTA Administrator Rogoff
Announce $2.5 Million in Recovery Act Funding for
Lancaster Project to Reduce Energy Consumption

Transit Agency Competed for a Share of New $100 Million Program For Green Projects

The Obama Administration today announced that Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) was among the transit agencies awarded a share of $100 million in Economic Recovery Act funds for pursuing cutting-edge environmental technologies to help reduce global warming, lessen America’s dependence on oil and create green jobs.

“Red Rose Transit Authority is showing how investing in green transportation not only helps the planet and strengthens our economy, but also creates jobs in Lancaster,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Red Rose Transit Authority will use the $2.5 million grant to add energy improvements to the planned upgrade of Red Rose Transit's main operations facility in Lancaster. Energy improvements include geothermal for heating and air conditioning, skylights and light tubes to reduce lighting fixture needs, solar panels on all available roof surfaces to produce electricity, a green roof on the new office addition, two waste oil burners to heat the vehicle storage building using waste oil generated by RRTA from the vehicle fleet, and energy efficient fixtures throughout the facility.

“These grants will put Americans to work now while improving our environment in the future,” said Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff. “The transit industry continues to be at the forefront of reducing pollution and creating a cleaner, safer environment for the nation.”

RRTA’s proposal was among 43 winning projects selected in nationwide competition for $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds. In addition to being evaluated on their anticipated reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, proposals were also rated on their return on investment, readiness to implement, the capacity of the applicant, the degree of innovation, and their national applicability.

Transit agencies began submitting their proposals after the FTA announced rules for the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) grant program as part of the Recovery Act last March.

Since President Obama signed ARRA into law on Feb. 17, 2009, grants totaling more than $7.2 billion have been made available for transit improvements throughout the nation.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge and airport construction and repairs nationwide. Of that, $26.5 billion already has been obligated to fund more than 8,500 approved projects in 55 U.S. States and Territories.