Green grant deadline imminent

Orange County has officially “gone green,” and will be offering $430,000 in grant money for municipalities to put energy-saving practices to work in their communities. One catch: your grant application must be in by June 4, so time is of the essence.

The county has also launched a new website, sustainableorangecounty.org, designed to be a one-stop resource for residents, municipalities and school districts looking to save money on energy, fuel and water expenses through the practice of conservation efforts.

“We live in one of the most beautiful counties in the country, and it”™s important to keep it that way,” said Edward Diana, county executive. The website, along with the grant applications that can be found on it, were developed through a partnership with western New York-based Blue Springs Energy, L.L.C.

Orange County recently embarked on an energy audit of 10 county buildings as one of its many conservation efforts.