Six municipalities within Tompkins County are set to receive more than $1.2 million in stimulus funding for clean energy projects as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Colleen Ryan, spokeswoman for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said the municipalities include the cities of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Ithaca and Lansing, the city of Ithaca and the village of Lansing.
“The projects that are involved are for municipalities [and] the needs that they have to reduce their energy costs,” Ryan said.
One of the bigger projects will happen in Ithaca, where almost $400,000 will be used to complete lighting and heat system upgrades. Herb Engman, town supervisor, said the money will go to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ithaca.
Edward Marx, commissioner of planning for the Tompkins County Planning Department, said getting grants for such facilities like the Wastewater Treatment Plant is a huge advantage for a large portion of the county.