Corvallis has made it to the quarterfinals for the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a $5 million incentive to reduce energy consumption.
The Corvallis application was submitted in June, including letters of support from numerous local businesses and non-profits, Mayor Julie Manning, the Corvallis City Council, and all three utilities: Pacific Power, Consumers Power and Northwest Natural.
Members of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition’s Energy Action Team (EAT) and Energize Corvallis – a project of the Corvallis Environmental Center – spent months assembling the town’s application. The $5 million GUEP prize will be awarded to the community that reduces its residential and municipal use of metered electricity and natural gas more than any other contest entrant.
The goals of the GUEP are to foster innovative approaches to energy efficiency, educate the public and engage students in energy issues, and to grow markets for products & services that facilitate energy efficiency.
Any US city with a population of 5,000 to 250,000 is eligible. The winning city will be judged based on reductions in energy use, innovation of approach, quality of community outreach, sustainability, and replicability.
The final stage of the two-year competition will begin January 1, 2015 after applicants generate a comprehensive energy use reduction plan for the City and its residents, which must be submitted to Georgetown by early November.
The Corvallis community has always put its best food forward in matters of sustainability and the GUEP competition is no exception. Together with help from volunteers, the City and community, Corvallis will have a good chance of becoming a finalist.
More information about Corvallis’ entry in the Georgetown University Energy Prize can be found here .
CATEGORIES: Community Sustainability Energy Events and Outreach Uncategorized