Oct. 30--EL PASO -- The federal government has given the city a $5.8 million stimulus grant to help with its conservation goals.

And the best news is that no local match is required, city officials said.

The money will be used to finance eight projects to reduce the city government's energy use and to encourage El Pasoans to do the same.

"At the end of the day, this should reduce our operating expenses and save the taxpayers money," said Marty Howell, who oversees the city's conservation programs.

The city spends about $1 million a month on electricity, water and natural gas.

The city will use $3 million of the grant to continue to upgrade its buildings and make them more energy efficient. About 10 to 20 buildings will get new lighting, heating and cooling systems, sensors to turn off lights and other improvements.

El Paso is now making energy improvements at 53 of its buildings. The city has about 130 buildings.

Another big-ticket project will be to design and build a system to capture methane gas produced by the breakdown of garbage at the Clint landfill, Howell said. The gas will then be turned into electricity. This will cost about $1 million.

The city will use $700,000 to buy more energy-efficient vehicles for its fleet, including hybrids and possibly some that are powered by natural gas.

El Paso Water Utilities will be given $500,000 by the city to use for a rebate program for people who buy clothes washers that have the Energy Star label on them. When the

program gets started next year, eligible consumers can get a $100 rebate.

But washers you buy before then won't qualify, Howell cautioned.

An additional $250,000 will be used to create a solar-power demonstration project at Cleveland Square in Downtown near the new Museum of History and the Main Library. Details of this project haven't been decided.

"Whatever it ends up being, we want people to say, 'That's solar-powered,'" Howell said. "We want them to think it's easy and then consider doing it themselves."

The city's Environmental Services Department will use about $214,000 for recycling education and outreach programs. The idea is to get more people to recycle and to put the proper items in their blue recycling bins, Howell said.

"Recycling saves a ton of energy," Howell said.

The old Municipal Service Center, 7969 San Paulo, will be partly converted to solar power as part of its renovation. The cost is $100,000. This building houses operations staff for the streets, parks, environmental services and general services departments.

A new Municipal Service Center opened earlier this year across the street at 7968 San Paulo, and it will get a virtual meeting room at a cost of $38,000. The goal is to provide a place where city employees can get training without having to travel out of town or constantly commute to City Hall in the Downtown.

The projects will begin in early 2010.

General Services Director Stuart Ed says the grant money provides an excellent opportunity for the city to continue with its conservation goals.

"It will result in long-term savings on our utility bills, and allows us to stretch the taxpayers' money and do more with less," Ed said.

Bill Addington, who is on the local and regional executive boards for the Sierra Club, said all the projects sound great.

"We just hope it's carried out in the best manner possible," he said. "It's a lot of money. We want to save energy, but we want to demonstrate to El Pasoans that they can do the same things in their homes."

David Burge may be reached at dburge@elpasotimes.com; 546-6126.

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