The White House announced today plans to invest $ 37.3 million in state, county, and city energy efficiency and conservation efforts in Minnesota.  These investments will come through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, funded by President Obama’s economic recovery package, and is intended to help reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency.

In an emailed press release, Vice-President Biden, who recently toured a manufacturer of fuel-efficient busses, said:

These investments will save taxpayer dollars and create jobs in communities around the country.  Local leaders will have the flexibility in how they put these resources to work – but we will hold them accountable for making the investments quickly and wisely to spur the local economy and cut energy use.

The Star Tribune has more details on how the money will be divided:

Among a long list of other things, the funds also can be used on transportation programs that conserve energy, projects that will reduce other greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, renewable energy installations on government buildings, energy efficient traffic signals and street lights.

The Department of Energy will require grant recipients to report on the number of jobs created or retained while documenting the amount of energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The money is being distributed to 23 cities, 10 counties and six Indian tribes; the state’s energy office is getting the biggest chunk of cash, .6 million.

The $ 37 million is in addition to the $ 131,937,411 allocated to the state for weatherization programs and the $ 54,172,000 provided for the state’s energy program.