Stimulus funds have Rendell seeing green
Courier Times
March 24, 2009
The governor took the first step toward grabbing a share
of the funds for Pennsylvania's energy reduction efforts.
While visiting a Bensalem window manufacturer Monday, Gov.
Ed Rendell staked Pennsylvania's claim to $366 million in
federal stimulus funding designed to grow green businesses
and create jobs.
It was essentially a housekeeping item - the signing of
letters acknowledging the state's role in decreasing energy
consumption - but, with a pen's flourish, Rendell took the
first step needed to receive the money. Most of the green-energy
related stimulus funding - about $253 million - will fund
a 2009 federal tax credit for homeowners who weatherize
their homes. The credit would cover 30 percent of the cost
up to $1,500. "There is a benefit to homeowners who
make their homes more energy-efficient," said Rendell.
The Obama Administration is hoping the tax credit has a
secondary benefit. By offering an incentive to weatherize,
the administration believes the tax credit will generate
more business for companies that make energy-efficient products.
The greater demand then would allow those companies to grow
and hire more people. Rendell made the announcement at Bensalem's
Accu-Weld because its windows and doors meet standards the
Obama Administration has set for the tax credit.
"Investing in energy conservation and weatherization
is a 'win-win-win' for America," Rendell said. "It's
three wins - a win for the homeowner whose heating bills
go down, a win for the nation because it drives down our
energy use and reliance on fossil fuels, and it's a win
for American companies like Accu-Weld."
Accu-Weld, which employs about 140 people, sells windows
and doors through a network of dealers and distributors
from its manufacturing facility in the Bridgewater Industrial
Park. Company President John Haddon Jr. said the stimulus
money will allow Accu-Weld to hire more workers. "The
first thing we're going to do is get everyone back to 40
hours a week," said Haddon, who explained the company
had cut some employees' hours due to the economic slowdown.
"Then we'll expand from that. "We've already seen
business pick up." Haddon hopes to see the company
double its workforce in the next few years. "We already
had products of the quality for the president's stimulus
package without having to do anything," he said.
In addition to creating jobs and helping businesses, Rendell
said the nation needs to be more energy efficient. "There
is no source of energy+that will meet world demand by 2025,"
he said. "The only way to stay afloat is to begin the
process of being more energy efficient." Over the din
of manufacturing at the Accu-Weld plant, the governor announced
a series of projects that will help businesses tap federal
stimulus dollars. The five companies involved in the projects
will receive a total of $3.7 million while investing more
than $19 million of their own money.
One of the five projects will take place in Bucks County.
Bridge Business Center LP, a Doylestown development company,
is creating new research and laboratory space in a group
of Bristol Township buildings that Rohm and Haas formerly
occupied.
Rendell announced Monday the developer would receive $1
million to install an advanced energy system in a 50,000-square-foot
laboratory building. The system will enable them to recycle
waste heat from their operations and use it to meet their
energy needs.
John Anastasi can be reached at 215-949-4170 or janastasi@phillyBurbs.com.
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