Haslam Announces More Than $1.3 Million In TDOT, TDEC Grants for Greene County
Grants will make downtown Greeneville and Walters State more pedestrian friendly, improve energy efficiency in Greeneville’s Municipal Solid Waste Division, and convert EastView pool into a splash pad
GREENEVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced more than $1.3 million in grants to make downtown Greeneville and Walters State more pedestrian friendly, to improve energy efficiency in Greeneville’s Municipal Solid Waste Division with the purchase of a hybrid-automated garbage truck, and to convert the EastView pool into a splash pad.
“These types of projects strengthen our communities,” Haslam said. “Increasing energy efficiencies saves taxpayer dollars. Making our cities and towns more pedestrian friendly and improving our recreation areas improves the lives of Tennesseans. We want Tennessee to continue to be the very best place to live, work and raise a family, and projects like these are key to making that a reality.”
A $1 million transportation alternative grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will fund phase I of the Walters State Community College Pedestrian Facilities Project located in downtown Greeneville near the intersection of N. Main Street and Tusculum Boulevard. Walkways will connect the Monumental entrance, Main Street entrance, the campus amphitheater, the Greeneville Historical Walkway, and sidewalks outside the campus.
The transportation alternative grant is made possible through a federally funded program formerly known as transportation enhancement and is administered by TDOT. A variety of activities, such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping and other non-traditional transportation projects are eligible for grant funds under the federal program.
“Through these grants, TDOT has funded more than $306 million in non-traditional transportation projects,” TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. “This program has assisted communities all over the state in their efforts to revitalize downtowns, highlight historic areas, provide alternative means of transportation, and increase opportunities for economic development.”
A $197,000 Clean Energy Grant from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will be used to purchase an Autocar E3 Hybrid-automated garbage truck for Greeneville’s Municipal Solid Waste Division, replacing the conventional transmission to utilize hydraulic pressure to propel the truck and potentially saving Greeneville 2,908 gallons of fuel or $8,957 annually.
A $125,000 Local Park and Recreation Fund grant from TDEC to the town of Greeneville will go toward replacing the EastView pool with a new, state-of-the-art splash pad with numerous water features.
“From land acquisitions for new municipal parks to renovating and improving existing facilities, these grants help expand recreational opportunities for Tennessee citizens,” TDEC Commissioner Bob Martineau said. “We are always looking for ways to promote environmental awareness and energy efficiency, and these investments in our local communities help improve the quality of life for all Tennesseans.”
Clean Tennessee Energy Grants were established by the Haslam administration in 2012 to fund energy efficiency projects for local governments and municipalities, utilities, and other private and public organizations across Tennessee. These grants support projects designed to reduce air emissions, improve energy efficiency and create cost savings.
The Local Park and Recreation Fund is a 23-year-old state program that provides local governments with resources to support development and improvements to local parks, greenways, trails and recreational facilities. Grant recipients were selected through competitive scoring with careful consideration given to the projects that met the selection criteria and expressed the greatest local recreation need. All LPRF grants require a 50 percent match by the recipient.
Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown), Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby), and Rep. David Hawk (R-Greeneville) represent Greene County in the Tennessee General Assembly.