Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Small Business Advantage Grant Program

To motivate small businesses to implement pollution prevention and energy efficiency (P2/E2) projects, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) administers the Small Business Advantage Grant program.  Since its inception last July, PADEP has received 75 grant applications totaling more than $400,000.  The Advantage Grant program provides 50 percent matching grants up to a maximum grant amount of $7,500.  The goal of the Advantage program is to provide an opportunity for small businesses to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and become more energy efficient while simultaneously improving Pennsylvania's environment. 

The Advantage program is available to any small business owner whose P2/E2 project is located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  The business must have 100 or fewer full-time employees and be a separate legal business entity.  The grant can be used to install energy efficient or pollution prevention equipment or adopt processes that reduce energy consumption, reduce or reuse raw materials on-site, or reduce the production of waste.  Applications involving equipment and processes that focus on pollution control (scrubbers, filters, dust collectors, etc.), include equipment or activities purchased prior to the application date, include funding for the applicant’s staff, or involve operation and maintenance activities are ineligible for the grant. 

Although not an eligibility requirement, the Department encourages Advantage program applicants to undertake projects developed through a pollution prevention or energy efficiency audit performed by a professional consultant, the Department’s Pollution Prevention staff, Penn State's Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP), the Small Business Development Centers, or through the Department’s Site Assessment Grant Program (www.dep.state.pa.us, DEP Keyword “SAG”).

Unfortunately, the program has reached the limits of its funding for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2005.  PADEP hopes to have funding for a second round for the coming fiscal year.  Applications will again be reviewed on a first-come, first served basis. 

Check the web site frequently to see when the program will reopen and to review any changes to the program guidelines.  Visit PADEP's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword "SBAdvantage") or contact David Barnes at: 717/772-5160, dbarnes@state.pa.us.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Small Business Pollution Prevention Assistance Account Loan Program

In order to help small businesses implement P2/E2 projects and move toward Pennsylvania's goal of zero pollution, the PADEP and the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) administer the Small Business Pollution Prevention Assistance Account loan program.  Since its inception in 1999, PADEP has received 91 loan applications totaling more than $3.9 million.

The loan program is available to any small business owner whose P2/E2 project is located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  The business must have 100 or fewer full-time employees and be a separate legal business entity.  The loan must be used to purchase or upgrade equipment, or to implement a process change, that reduces or reuses raw materials on-site, reduces the production of waste at the source or significantly reduces energy consumption.  Equipment and processes that focus on recycling or pollution control (scrubbers, filters, dust collectors, etc.) are ineligible for the loan.  The project must have a payback period less than or equal to the term of the loan and the expected benefits must extend beyond the term of the loan.  The maximum loan amount is $100,000 with a 2 percent interest rate and a maximum term of ten years.

For more information, visit PADEP's web site at www.dep.state.pa.us (DEP Keyword "ppaa") or contact Gene DelVecchio at: 717/772-8951, gdelvecchi@state.pa.us.