Over 200 Local Governments Apply for State Energy Audit Program

The state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has registered over 200 local governments for the energy audit financing program but no towns have received funding yet.

The BPU will fund the entire cost of an energy audit in two installments. The first 75 percent will be paid up front and the remaining 25 percent will be paid if the town implements the energy audit report. Westfield is currently considering implementing an energy audit, which would likely be funded through the state program. Mayor Andy Skibitsky has had preliminary discussions with the Board of Education, which recently completed an energy audit, about how to conduct such a program. Councilman Dave Haas has invited an energy auditing firm to speak to the town government at a future meeting, likely one of the town's green team.

BPU spokesman Doyal Siddell said the board has received registrations from 285 local governments around the state for the program with 239 local government submitting applications for financing. Ninety nine of those local governments have reserved funding in the program through approval of their requests. Nine local governments have had their energy audit reports approved by the BPU.

Siddell said that eight local governments in Union County have registered for the program with seven reserving funding. Fanwood, Elizabeth, Rahway, Summit, Berkeley Heights, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education, Union County College and the Union County Educational Services Commission, which operates buildings on Lamberts Mill Road between St. Helen's Church and Tamaques Park, have all registered for the program.

Rahway, Union County College and the education commission are the only county government entities which have been approved for funds from the BPU. Elizabeth is the only local government in the county registered with the BPU which has not reserved funds through the program.