“We’re just thrilled to be a part of this effort,” Mike Farmer, utility superintendent for the Town of Ellettsville, said in a press release. “It’s really brought our communities together.”
The winning community will win a multi-year $5 million prize to use for other energy-related projects, ?according to the contest’s website.
“Five million dollars is a huge motivator and just gives more momentum to projects we’ve been working on already,” Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas said in the release.
The competition, divided into four stages, began in 2013 and will continue through 2017.
Communities first applied to be a part of the competition in July 2013. Quarterfinalists were chosen by submitting long-term energy reduction plans for their communities. The third phase, starting this month and continuing through December 2016, will be judged on the area’s implementation of their plan and how effective it is projected to be. The winner will be selected on the community’s performance during the third stage. Winners will be announced June 2017.
Energy consumption is based on energy supplied by gas and electric utilities.
“Bloomington’s real challenge is going to be our huge number of rental properties. We need to find champions out there who will help us lower energy use in both rentals and owner-occupied homes,” said Jacqui Bauer, sustainability coordinator for the City of Bloomington, in the release.
The Monroe County project includes collaboration with local school corporations, Monroe County government, the City of Bloomington, the towns of Ellettsville, Ind., and Stinesville, Ind., Vectren, Duke Energy, the South Central Indiana REMC and the Utilities District of Western Indiana, according to the ?release.
Monroe County is one of 50 communities across the nation in the semifinal round, including Arlington County, Va., and Berkeley, Calif.
Emily Ernsberger
