The Kane Area School District was recently notified that it
would not receive a portion of a grant to be used as a pilot
project for using alternative energy.
“They awarded 18 grants and all except one went west of the
Mississippi,” said Superintendent Sandra Chlopecki. “We will
receive a summary score and comment and we will apply again next
year.
“We are still looking into other options and state grants –
still looking into other energy sources,” she added.
The school district had hoped to receive the grant funds so that
they could begin using wood from the Allegheny National Forest to
heat the high school on Hemlock Avenue.
The district could have received up to $25,000, which the
district would of had to match in an amount that is small compared
to the amount of savings the school could have seen in alternative
heating sources.
In January, they were in the second round of competition and had
calculated the savings should they receive and create a system
using alternative energy. At that time they calculated a minimum
amount of $50,000 in savings.
As for the use of forest wood, it would have been small diameter
and low-valued trees of about four, five and six inch diameter
trees.
John Rook, facilities manager for the school district, said in
January that not only was the application difficult to fill out,
but they were competing against national forests out West who could
benefit from clearing some of the smaller trees to help prevent
forest fires that made it all the more difficult.
The Kane school district was only one of three to make the
second cut at that time.
Chlopecki said that Jack Hedlund, executive director of the
Allegheny Forest Alliance, Lois DeMarco, silviculturist and
ecosystem management team leader for the ANF, and Rook put a lot of
work into this project.
“It’s unfortunate with all of the work they did,” said
Chlopecki.
The grant is offered by the United States Department of
Agriculture Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Technology
Marketing Unit through the 2006 Woody Biomass Grant Program.
