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Financial incentives offered in Park City for green-energy projects

by Jay Hamburger OF THE RECORD STAFF

City Hall is offering a financial incentive for people installing environmentally friendly energy upgrades to residential or commercial buildings, agreeing to forego money that otherwise would have been brought into the municipal coffers.

Officials will waive up to $1,000 in building and inspection fees on the projects. The projects must be completed by the end of 2011.

Tyler Poulson, who coordinates City Hall’s environmental programs, said the incentive program covers projects like the installation of electricity-producing solar panels, systems that use solar power to heat water and wind-energy installations.

Poulson said the $1,000 that is eligible to be waived would cover the fees tied to most residential projects. He said the $1,000 would cover projects costing roughly $100,000.

"One thing we wanted to remove was that disincentive," Poulson said about the fees that City Hall collects on the projects, describing that he hopes the program is a "catalyst" for the energy upgrades.

In a prepared statement released by City Hall, Poulson said the program could "spur new renewable energy projects, reduce community carbon emissions, and bolster the local green economy."

Poulson said he anticipates City Hall will forego between $3,000 and $6,000 in fees under the program, but a figure is not certain since it is not clear how many projects will be involved in the program.

He said it is unclear whether City Hall will offer the program again in 2012. This year is its first.

The municipal government has championed the use of cleaner-burning energies, sometimes called renewable energies, as a means to reduce the amount of community emissions. Leaders see the prospects of a warming planet as endangering the long-term economic well-being of Park City, where the economy is largely dependent on the ski season.

The financial incentive is one of many programs offered by City Hall meant to reduce emissions. Others include employing cleaner-burning energies in municipal buildings and the City Hall fleet.

For more information, contact either Poulson or City Hall’s Planning or Building departments. Poulson’s number is 615-5204. His e-mail address is tyler.poulson@parkcity.org. The Planning or Building departments are reachable through City Hall’s main number, 615-5001.

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