§14508 Economic and Energy Development Initiative

Summary

The Appalachian Regional Commission can give technical help, grants, contracts, or other money to people or groups in the Appalachian region. The funds can pay for projects that make energy use more efficient to boost the region’s economy, increase renewable energy (especially biomass) to make fuels, electricity, and heat, and support cleaner ways to use local conventional energy to produce electricity and heat while cutting emissions, including greenhouse gases. For any eligible project, money from this program can pay no more than 50% of the project cost. If the project is in a county designated as distressed under section 14526, the program can pay up to 80%. If the county is designated as at-risk under section 14526, it can pay up to 70%. These grants can be combined with other federal or nonfederal funds. The Commission may also use these amounts to increase the federal share in other programs as it decides.