JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Energy Center today announced the award of more than $68,000 in low-interest loans to help Howard County and the City of Fayette save money on heating and cooling costs.

Howard County will use a loan of $56,300 to finance improvements to the Howard County courthouse. A new energy-efficient boiler, heat exchanger and cooling tower for the courthouse will save the county an estimated $4,869 annually in utility costs.

Fayette will receive a $12,000 loan to replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment at City Hall. The improvement will save the city an estimated $3,192 annually.
The funding was approved under a special emergency offering by the department’s Energy Center through the Energy Loan Program, which makes lower-interest loans for qualifying energy conservation projects.

The county and city will use the loans to replace failing heating and cooling equipment at the two facilities. The emergency loans are provided in urgent cases involving emergency failure or damage to energy-using systems, equipment or materials.

“The Energy Loan Program helps lower the impact of high energy costs on Missouri cities, counties, schools and other public institutions,” said Anita Randolph, director of the department’s Energy Center. “Energy efficiency improvements accomplished through these loans save taxpayer’s money and help each local government redirect the energy savings toward other priorities and needs.”  

Since its inception in 1989, the program has made nearly 480 loans with a total value of nearly $80 million.

The cumulative energy savings resulting from energy loan-financed projects are estimated at more than $105 million.