On April 22, 2010, the City of Fayetteville launched Eco-Logical Fayetteville, a pilot project which allows Fayetteville residents, area employers and community groups to map their environmental footprint and provides tools and resources to help such residents and groups to reduce their collective environmental impact.  Community partners in Eco-Logical Fayetteville include the City of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas Applied Sustainability Center, Earth Aid, Fayetteville Public Schools and local utilities.  For more information, please visit:  www.ecologicalcommunities.org and http://www.earthaid.net/EcoLogicalFayetteville.

On March 22, 2010, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, announced the establishment of a $1.78 million Renewable Technology Rebate Fund.  The Rebate Fund provides rebates on the purchase and installation of small-scale residential renewable energy generating systems.  Solar and wind generation systems and solar water heating systems are eligible for the rebates.  In order to receive a rebate, an application should be submitted prior to installation.  Rebates will be given through March 31, 2012, or until the fund is depleted, whichever occurs first.  Rebates for non-residential customers will be available soon.  For more information, please visit:  http://arkansasenergy.org/energy-in-arkansas/energy-policy-and-legislation/recovery-2009/state-energy-program/renewable-technology-rebate-fund.aspx

On February 17, 2010, the Fayetteville, Arkansas Chamber of Commerce announced the first companies to be certified in the Chamber’s GreeNWAy Initiative Program.  The five local pilot companies are:  The Courtyard by Marriott, Clubhaus Fitness, Salon Professionals, the City of Fayetteville District Court and the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce.

The GreeNWAy Initiative is a collaborative effort among the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, the City of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business, the University of Arkansas Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and various community leaders and non-governmental organizations.  The purpose of the Initiative is to assist Chamber members with implementing best practices for green and sustainable business.  In order to become certified under the program, each business is assessed and rated in the categories of Water, Education, Energy, Purchasing, Waste and People.  Certification is good for two years, subject to completion of one hour of continuing education through the GreeNWAy Institute every quarter.  For more information, please visit:  http://www.fayettevillear.com/GreeNWAy/GreeNWAy.aspx

As part of the approximately $190 million green jobs training grants announced by the U.S. Department of Labor on January 20, 2010, the Arkansas Workforce Investment Board and Department of Workforce services will receive a grant of $4,866,479 for green jobs training for Arkansans.  The funds will be used to create three energy centers of excellence that will develop and deploy materials and programs to be used by two-year colleges, apprenticeship programs, high school programs and training workshops to prepare participants for careers in the Energy Efficient Building, Construction and Retrofitting industry, the Renewable Electric Power industry, and the Energy Efficient Assessment industry.  The funds will be dispersed statewide, although a portion of the funds will be reserved for Cleburne, Desha, Greene and Logan counties, which have been impacted by auto industry related restructurings. 

For more information, please see http://www.doleta.gov/pdf/SESP_Summaries.pdf

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program is designed to provide weatherization services to low-income families. This program allows qualifying homeowners to install energy efficiency measures in order to lower energy costs.  According to the DOE, the Weatherization Assistance Program has provided weatherization services to more than 6.2 million families.

The DOE is now amending the eligibility provisions to provide further assistance to multi-unit housing.  If a multi-unit building is under an assisted or public housing program and is identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and included on a list published by the DOE, that building will receive certain benefits under the Weatherization Assistance Program without the need for further evaluation or verification.  Through the Weatherization Assistance Program, Congress states that it is attempting to develop and implement an assistance program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditures, and improve their health and safety, especially low-income persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, the handicapped, and children. For further information, please see 42 U.S.C. 6861.