Dearborn - Dearborn focuses on sustainability with $250K federal grant

metromode, 8/20/2009

Dearborn plans to become a lot greener, thanks to some serious federal greenbacks heading its way.

The city just received $250,000 in federal stimulus funds to help determine the feasibility for a number of green initiatives it is considering. Those options include possibly establishing a waste-to-energy plant in the city, enhancing recycling so residents can recycle in an unsorted single-stream, and installing LED streetlights.

The federal money may help at least one of these projects out of the infancy stage of development. Two other cities, Flint and Grand Rapids, also received similar grants.

LED streetlights, which use a fraction of the electricity and last longer than incandescent light bulbs, are the green cause dejour. Ann Arbor has grabbed numerous headlines with its efforts to install LED streetlights throughout its downtown. Pontiac has also installed LEDs, and a number of other cities such as Ferndale, Wyandotte, and Detroit have toyed with the idea.

Source: Mary Laundroche, director of the department of public information for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke

Dearborn