The Department of Environmental Protection this week announced the award of 19 grants totaling nearly $116,000 to help small business increase their energy efficiency and reduce pollution through the Small Business Advantage Grants Program.

Small Business Advantage grants provide a 50 percent match of up to $7,500 for equipment or processes that reduce energy consumption and promote pollution prevention while increasing profitability. The program, which Governor Rendell launched in July 2004, has been extremely popular, awarding more than $1 million to more than 400 recipients across the state.

The program is expected to reopen July 1.

A list of grant recipients is available online.

For more information, visit the Small Business Advantage Grants Program webpage.

1/13/2006