SHAHEEN CALLS FOR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY, JOB CREATION IN CARROLL COUNTY
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today called for continued investment in energy efficiency projects and job creation during a visit to Mountain View Nursing Home in Ossipee. Mountain View Nursing Home is renovating and expanding its facilities and installing a wood pellet boiler, which will make the nursing home more energy efficient and result in savings on heating costs.
"Energy efficiency is the fastest and most cost effective way to address our energy challenges," said Shaheen. "Improving energy efficiency in buildings will help get America running on clean energy, reduce dangerous pollution, break our addiction to Middle East oil, and create jobs in our communities."
The new wood pellet heating system at Mountain View Nursing Home is made possible through the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) program. Last year, after the U.S. Department of Energy issued an erroneous ruling that New Hampshire counties were not eligible for funding under the EECBG program, Shaheen successfully fought to have the ruling reversed resulting in an additional $200,000 for energy efficiency projects in Carroll County alone.
"The Carroll County Commissioners would like to thank Senator Shaheen and her office for their help in securing federal energy grant funding for our new Mountain View Nursing Home," said Carroll County Commissioner Chip Albee. "This new energy efficient biomass heating system will provide up to 90 percent of Mountain View's heating needs and 50 percent of the domestic hot water requirements while reducing our use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions."
Investing in energy efficiency is especially critical in New Hampshire, which is currently one of the most petroleum dependent states in the nation due to the state's reliance on oil to heat buildings. A New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning study suggests that approximately 84 cents of each dollar spent on diesel fuel and heating oil leaves the state. Energy efficiency projects can help reduce the amount of money sent out of state by lowering energy consumption and costs, while at the same time promoting clean energy jobs in New Hampshire.
