Columbus, OH -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik on May 16th, announced $3.1 million in grants to support sustainable, long-term cost and energy savings. 

The grants are funded through the Brightening Ohio Communities Grant Program, which was announced by Governor DeWine in November. Administered by the Department of Development, the program helps pay for energy-efficient streetlights, perimeter lighting, and lighting in municipal-owned parking lots in communities that are in need of extra funding support.

"The grants we're announcing on May 16th, will empower these communities to make more impactful, long-term investments in their neighborhoods,” said Governor DeWine. “By doing something as simple as replacing old streetlights, we're helping free up resources that can be redirected to vital community services like education and public safety." 

Innovative lighting technologies, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), use less energy, produce less heat, and have a longer lifespan than incandescent lighting, leading to a more cost-effective solution for communities looking to save money on their energy bills. 

In total, $3,130,030 will be awarded to 10 communities across 11 counties to replace old and inefficient lighting with energy-efficient technologies such as LEDs, solar, and motion sensor lighting.  

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to community development, and that is why collaboration with our local partners is so crucial to the success of projects like these,” said Director Mihalik. “The voices of our communities told us what they needed, we listened, and now they’re all one step closer to a brighter future.” 

All projects selected for funding must show an annual reduction of at least 15 percent in energy usage, ensuring a tangible and measurable impact on their communities.? 

The following communities are receiving grant funds: 

• Glouster (Athens County) will receive $371,205 to replace 314 streetlights and 90 lights at the local ballfields with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 68 percent.
  
   
• Xenia (Greene County) will receive $400,000 to replace 55 poles and 82 streetlights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 73 percent.
  
   
• Springdale (Hamilton County) will receive $237,439 to upgrade 230 lights between the community center and municipal building to LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 72 percent.
  
   
• Kenton (Hardin County) will receive $345,750 to replace 68 streetlights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 68 percent.
  
   
• Jackson (Jackson County) will receive $500,000 to replace 248 roadway lights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 31 percent.
  
   
• Riverside (Montgomery County) will receive $300,000 to replace 28 exterior building lights and 18 parking lot lights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 74 percent.
  
   
• Roseville (Muskingum, Perry counties) will receive two separate grants, $140,070 to replace 87 streetlights with LED lighting in Muskingum County and $221,732 to replace 138 streetlights with LEDs in Perry County. The projects will yield utility savings of 16 and 17 percent, respectively.
  
   
• Waverly (Pike County) will receive $32,626 to replace 46 streetlights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 65 percent.
  
   
• Niles (Trumbull County) will receive $491,207 to replace 890 streetlight fixtures with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 66 percent.
  
   
• Bowling Green (Wood County) will receive $90,000 to replace approximately 150 streetlights with LED lighting. The project will yield an annual utility savings of 77 percent. 

Funding for the?Brightening Ohio Communities program came from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.  For more information on the program, visit?development.ohio.gov/boc.