Press Release – February 4, 2009

In a Tough Economy, Small Businesses Find Opportunities
Environmental Management Assistance Program Helps Businesses Find Grant Money for Efficiency Upgrades

PHILADELPHIA---As the economy tightens, the last thing people are thinking about is investing in upgrades for their small businesses, right? Wrong. Small businesses across the Commonwealth are taking advantage of state matching funds to improve their energy efficiency and help save money in the long run.

Kathie O’Donnell, Vice President of CDL Printing & Packaging in Mechanicsburg, is one such small business owner making the investment in energy efficiency. A strong supporter of the environment, O’Donnell started by dedicating senior staff person Jodi Morrison to be CDL’s Environmental Initiatives Coordinator.

Morrison learned about the Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP), a free and confidential service offered by the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), in a meeting with Julien Gaudion, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Small Business Ombudsman. Per CDL’s request, EMAP consultants Jeremy Hancher and Thomas Gibson performed an on-site energy efficiency assessment. They followed up with a complete plan for initiatives the small printing operation could undertake and offered recommendations on funding opportunities to help offset the costs.

“We were just so impressed by the breadth and depth of the information Jeremy and Tom provided,” O’Donnell said. “We chose the projects we could afford now, and we also have a framework for how to achieve our goals moving forward.”

O’Donnell is starting with upgrades to her lighting – a roughly $4,000 investment that was offset 50 percent by the PA DEP’s Small Business Advantage Grant. “We have a strong commitment to the environment, but limited resources -- especially in today’s economic climate,” O’Donnell said. “This was truly a home run for us: we will conserve energy, and ultimately, save money. EMAP is an extraordinary resource for small business.”

The upgrade, which included T-8 fluorescent lamps with electronic ballasts, LED exit signs with emergency lighting, and 180-degree light sensors, will help CDL offset their lighting’s annual energy costs by 34 percent.

Providing 50 percent matching funds up to a maximum grant award of $7,500, the Advantage Grants have been available each year since 2004 to help small businesses in Pennsylvania implement energy efficiency or pollution prevention upgrades.

EMAP has had tremendous success helping business owners identify energy saving projects and apply for these grants. Since the program started, EMAP-assisted business owners have been approved for over $1 million in funding to implement 189 projects ranging from heating and cooling system upgrades, installing photovoltaic systems, energy efficient lighting upgrades, and installing geothermal heating & cooling systems to conserve energy. In 2008 alone, EMAP consultants helped clients receive approval for over $436,000 in funding (over 40 percent of the total available) to implement 81 different projects.

DEP recently announced the new Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant (SBEEG) program. The first program launched under the Alternative Energy Investment Act of 2008, the SBEEG program has $3 million available to provide 25 percent matching grants of up to $25,000 for eligible projects. As with the Advantage Grant, EMAP consultants are available to assist small businesses with their applications, including performing required energy assessments at no cost.

“We are pleased the Commonwealth has provided another opportunity to help small businesses make smart and affordable investments in energy efficiency – the guaranteed return on investment makes smart business sense in today’s difficult economy,” Chris Lynch, EMAP Director, said.

More about the Pennsylvania SBDCs and EMAP

The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ Environmental Management Assistance Program assists firms with identifying environmental regulatory compliance requirements and supports the development of companies with new energy and environmental technologies. Visit www.askemap.org for more information on how businesses can start saving money and contributing to a cleaner environment.

Since its inception in 1980, the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) has evolved into a network of 18 university-based centers and more than 100 outreach locations, operating under the guidance of the State Director located at the University of Pennsylvania. Funding support from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the SBDC host institutions enables consulting services to be provided at no charge to the client. For more information on the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers’ services and impact, visit www.pasbdc.org.

More about SBAG

Small Business Advantage is a grant program providing 50% matching grants, up to a maximum of $7,500.00, to enable a Pennsylvania small business to adopt or acquire energy efficient or pollution prevention equipment or processes.

U.S. Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/dep/site/default.asp

Small Business Advantage Grant (SBAG): http://www.depweb.state.pa.us

2008 SBAG Winners: http://www.ahs.dep.state.pa.us/newsreleases/default.asp?ID=5324