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Central Shenandoah Region Receives Energy Grant   

The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) received a grant to fund the Shenandoah Valley Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy.  The project is funded through the Virginia Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program administered through the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME).  It is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The CSPDC was awarded $403,150.  An additional $60,000 for the project will be leveraged by the region’s local governments.  Our project was among the 26 finalists chosen from a pool of 148 proposals that competed for $9 million. 

 

The application for Shenandoah Valley Regional Energy Efficiency Strategy was submitted by the CSPDC on behalf of the 20 eligible local governments in the Central Shenandoah Planning District.  The project includes the following three program components:

(1)         Energy audits of public buildings and facilities,

(2)         Implementation of energy audit recommendations, and

(3)         Education, outreach and training

 

This project is intended to provide each locality with a foundation for a local energy plan and to jump-start the implementation of energy projects throughout the region.  The education and training element of the grant allows the exchange of information between our localities so that the toolbox of energy efficiency strategies may continually be expanded.  Combining local energy efforts through this project creates a healthier region for all of our localities as it relates to the environment, economic competitiveness, fiscal budgets, and regional cooperation and partnerships.  The benefits of this project will be both immediate and sustainable

Winter 2010 Quarterly Planner Newsletter
The Winter 2010 Quarterly Planner Newsletter of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission has been published. To review a copy, please click here.

VAPDC

The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions celebrates 40 years of regional innovation by highlighting PDC initiatives in emergency management services.  For additional information, please click here.

Commission Approves CDBG Regional Priorities

Each year the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) request that Planning District Commissions rank each of the CDBG project types into priority groups. 

 

This is extremely important to communities which may have a potential Community Improvement Grant submittal in 2010.  As much as 50 points of the 1000-point scoring system in the CIG competition are based on these groupings.

 

This year the Commission approved the following three CDBG project types in the highest priority group:  Economic Development - job creation and retention, Community Facility, and Housing Rehabilitation. CDBG grant applications are due March 31, 2010.

 

Planning Commissioner of the Year

Since 1985, the Commission has recognized an outstanding Planning Commissioner from one of the 21 planning commissions in the Region.  This year that honor went to Mr. Daniel Talbot of Elkton.  Mr. Talbot has served on the Town’s Planning Commission since 1998, and currently serves as the Chairman.  Mr. Talbot was recognized at the Commission’s annual meeting in December.