News & Events

December 2009 – Matson Environmental Teaches Short Course in North Carolina

On December 15th, Matson Environmental in partnership with Chatham Environmental, provided an educational workshop to government officials on how to develop a Strategic Energy Plan. Jason Grottini (Matson Environmental) and Simon Lobdell (Chatham Environmental) discussed the importance of energy efficiency and conservation, as well as environmental stewardship to a group of 50 municipal government officials. The all-day event was held at the Rock Springs Baptist Church in Pittsboro, NC.

December 2009 – Matson Environmental to Work with City of Harrisburg to Develop Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy

The City of Harrisburg has contracted Matson Environmental to provide energy consulting and facility planning services services in the preparation of its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS). Harrisburg’s EECS will be used by the city to determine the best way to reduce energy consumption and use energy more efficiently in its facilities. Specifically, it will detail how the city will distribute the $256,600 received through the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.

In the coming months, Matson Environmental will:

Perform a comprehensive energy audit of Harrisburg’s City Hall and Public Safety Buildings, including utility bill analysis, benchmarking analysis, detailed building inspection and diagnostics testing, and recommendation of energy conservation measures.
Determine future conservation investment strategies
Create an EECS for the city to submit to DOE.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program is a federal program created as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It provides formula and competitive grants to U.S. cities, counties, states, territories, and Indian tribes to develop and implement programs that reduce fossil fuel emissions; reduce the total energy use; improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building, and other appropriate sectors; and create and retain jobs.

November 2009 – Matson Environmental Congratulates PA Conservation Works Recipients

Matson Environmental has helped ten municipalities and municipal authorities to receive a combined total of over $1.76 million for energy efficiency and conservation projects through the PA Conservation Works Grant Program.

PA Conservation Works is a PA DEP grant program that uses ARRA stimulus money to provide one-time financing of up to $250,000 for projects that provide at least 25% energy savings. Grant awards were announced on November 17th.

Matson Environmental performed feasibility studies, provided energy savings verifications, and gave grant-writing assistance to its clients. Proposed projects range in scale from single-building lighting and AC improvements to expansive multi-municipality efficiency efforts.

Matson Environmental provided grant assistance to the following funded projects:

BDLW Conservation Works Project - $500,000 grant
- A cooperative effort between Bradford, Decatur and Woodward townships.
- This project involves the use of solar energy, insulation and energy efficient window upgrades, the installation of energy efficient lighting, and the installation of two geothermal heat pump systems.
Towanda & Wysox Municipal Authorities Energy Improvement Project – $412,760 grant
- A cooperative effort between Towanda and Wysox Municipal Authorities
- This project combines energy conservation, renewable energy generation and strategic energy planning to control costs for the sewage treatment system owned and operated by the Towanda Municipal Authority. The project will save 30% (260,631 kwh) of the 2008 energy usage for the facilities upgraded. Project task include an upgrade to the Waste Water Treatment Plant aeration system, involving process controls and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) will be added to new high efficiency blowers. An effluent reuse geothermal heatpump will be added to the lab building. A 7 KW solar array will be installed at the Wysox 2 pump station. To further its energy management strategy, TMA is proposing a comprehensive energy assessment of its sludge digestion and sewage conveyance systems. Finally, Towanda will conduct a wind feasibility study at a well site perched above the Susquehanna River.
Riddlesburg Treatment Plant Project -–$351,000 grant
- A cooperative effort between Broad Top Township and Coaldale Borough
- A clean, 54.28 kW grid-intertied photovoltaic power generation system will be installed to provide at least 50% of the electric energy consumed at the Riddlesburg wastewater treatment plant in Defiance, PA. The project is projected to provide a 5% rate savings to wastewater customers
Huntingdon Borough Municipal Building & Water Treatment Upgrade Project – $210,000 grant
- This project aims to reduce energy consumption Borough wide by upgrading two of the largest energy consumers; the Water Treatment Facility and the Municipal Building. The Water Treatment Facility project will combine the implementation of a modulating pulse condensing natural gas boiler with a thermal efficiency of 92% with a roof and ceiling insulation project that will increase R values from 2-4 to 28-40. The Municipal Building Project will replace 21 tons of standard efficiency package gas/electric HVAC with geothermal heat pumps.
Millheim Borough Energy Efficiency Projects – $203,500 grant
- This project will reduce energy consumption at the Millheim Borough Building by replacing an oil furnace and propane heaters with a geothermal heating system; by completely replacing old single-pane windows with energy efficient double-pane low-e enhanced argon-insulated windows. The project funds will also be used to replace old constant speed starters on the motors at the Millheim Water Treatment Plant with variable frequency drive (VFD) starters. At the borough building, the geothermal system is expected to reduce heating costs by 64% and the window replacement to reduce heating demand by 46%. At the treatment plant, VFDs will reduce energy use by 50%.
Cameron County Courthouse Energy Improvements – $83,517 grant
- This project consists of installing insulation in the attic of the Courthouse, replacing 55 single pane windows in the original section of the Courthouse with triple pane windows, and adding computer control system to the Courthouse HVAC system.

Congratulations to these PACW recipients! Matson Environmental looks forward to continuing our working relationship with them as they implement their projects.

August 2009 – DEP Announces New Energy Generation Grants

On August 12th, the PA DEP announced the PA Green Energy Works! grant program. This ARRA-funded grant program provides incentives for larger-scale renewable energy projects and more efficient power generation technologies.

Up to $52 million dollars in grant funding will be awarded competitively to businesses, nonprofits, institutions of higher learning, municipal governments, and economic development organizations. Matson Environmental is available and prepared to assist your organization with the PA Green Energy Works! grant application process.

Draft guidelines can be found here on the recovery.pa.gov website. The deadline for solar power applications is expected to be October 16, 2009 for solar projects; the deadlines for biogas and heat/power projects have not been announced.

August 2009 – Treasury Offers Direct Payments in Lieu of Tax Credits for Renewable Energy Projects

As a provision of the ARRA, the US Dept. of the Treasury is now authorized to make direct payments to companies building renewable energy production facilities. Companies can choose to receive federal incentive money upon completion of eligible projects instead of waiting to receive a renewable energy tax credit as part of the tax cycle.

Eligible renewable projects include solar power, heat and lighting; geothermal power and heat; wind energy; biomass, including landfill gas and trash; and hydroelectric and hydrokinetic projects. Eligible nonrenewable projects include combined heat and power systems; stationary fuel cells; and stationary microturbines.

Direct payment can make renewable energy projects more feasible by making federal funding available immediately rather than only after tax season. Matson Environmental can help your business to identify eligible energy projects and to apply for direct payments.

A description of the project can be found here on the US Department of Energy’s website. Up to $3 billion for energy projects is expected to be distributed through this program and through traditional tax credits.

June 2009 – Matson Environmental Announces PA Conservation Works! Grant Assistance

MEnv announces a new program specifically designed to help local governments and non-profits apply for the upcoming PA Conservation Works! grant opportunity. Click here for information regarding these new services.

June 2009 – Partnership with Towanda Borough Featured in Local Newspaper

Matson Environmental’s role in helping the Towanda Borough and Towanda Municipal Authority to apply for federal grant money was described in the June 2nd edition of the Daily Review, a local newspaper serving north-central PA and southern NY. Matson Environmental has contracted with the Towanda Borough to provide preliminary audit services and will assist the borough with the grant-writing process. The article can be read in full at the Daily Review's website.

June 2009 – Huntingdon Borough Project

Matson Environmental staff delivered a preliminary energy audit report to the management staff of the Huntingdon Borough Authority. The report provided an assessment of the biggest energy-consuming facilities in the borough and recommended energy conservation measures to help the borough reduce annual energy costs. The borough elected to pursue grant funding and has contracted with Matson Environmental for grant assistance.

April 2009 – Matson Environmental Attends Greenhouse Gas Emissions Conference

Frank Higdon, MEnv Energy Projects Manager, attended two one-day workshops on Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the 18th International Emission Inventory Conference held in Baltimore, MD from April 16-17, 2009. The workshops explained EPA’s emerging GHG inventory process and introduced three GHG quantification tools (eGrid, WARM, and Portfolio Manager) that can be used by state/local governments to track emissions.

April 2009 – Matson Environmental Presents at PMAA Spring Management Workshops

Jason Grottini and Frank Higdon presented at two PMAA Spring Management Workshops held at Farmington and Hershey, PA. The “Energy Update” presentation explored how water and wastewater authorities can use energy auditing to increase their energy efficiency and reduce annual energy costs. There were more than two hundred PMAA members in attendance at both workshops.

March 2009 – Frank Higdon Certified as Sustainable Development Professional

Frank Higdon, MEnv Energy Projects Manager, was certified as a “Sustainable Development Professional” by the Association of Energy Engineers. Higdon attended the Fundamentals of Sustainable Development training seminar at the AEE Globalcon Energy Conference in March 2009. The training focused on understanding how diverse “green” design elements and sustainable technologies can be incorporated into well-defined and manageable sustainable development plans.

February 2009 – Matson Environmental Member Confirmed to State College Water Board

Jason Grottini, MEnv Engineer, was confirmed to the State College Water Authority Board on February 9, 2008. He has been appointed as a member on the Beneficial Reuse Committee and will regularly attend monthly meetings.

February 2009 - Featured in "The Authority" magazine

Matson Environmental joined the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association, and collaborated with Doug Bowen on a feature article on energy auditing for Feb/Mar edition of The Authority magazine.

January 2009 – Matson Environmental Awarded Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant

The Department of Environmental Protection awarded a $140,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) to Matson Environmental in January 2009. The AFIG grant will help MEnv develop an innovative biodiesel processing technology for converting a variety of waste oils into high quality biodiesel fuel—with minimal waste byproducts. MEnv and Matson Biofuels are collaborating with Piedmont Biofuels in the development and commercialization of this new biodiesel technology.

December 2008 – Small Business Advantage Grant awarded for Solar Water Heating.

Matson Environmental received a cost match from the Pennsylvania DEP Small Business Advantage Grant program to install a solar hot water heating system. The project will offset our space and hotwater heating by 27 million BTUs. As a result, we will decrease our propane use by 295 gallons (37%) and save nearly 2 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

October 2008 – Whitehall Township Authority Project

MEnv staff delivered a comprehensive energy audit report to the management staff of the Whitehall Township Authority. The report provided detailed engineering assessments of multiple pumping stations and facilities, as well as, recommendations on facility upgrades and payback schedules.

September 2008 – PMAA Conference Presentation

Kevin Gombotz, MEnv Engineer, and Liam Goble with Envinity, Inc. made an energy assessment presentation to the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association at their October meeting. More than twenty participants learned the essentials of energy management and explored relevant case examples for water authority managers.

August 2008 – DEP Local Government Greenhouse Gas Pilot Project proposals

MEnv partnered with SEEDS, a Michigan-based nonprofit, in developing a greenhouse gas inventory and reduction proposal for Mount Lebanon Township outside of Pittsburgh, PA. The DEP-funded project will document greenhouse gas emissions in the township and chart a community-based strategy for reducing emissions. The project is slated to begin in January 2009 upon final acceptance of the proposal by DEP.

May 2008 – USDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant

MEnv was awarded $80,000 through a 2008 Small Business Innovation Research Grant by the United States Department of Agriculture in order to study the use of solid metal catalysts in biodiesel production. The patent pending process promises to reduce waste and increase profits for biodiesel producers. MEnv has partnered with Piedmont Biofuels on the project, and is moving the technology toward commercialization.