For the Cumberland Times-NewsCumberland Times-News
MCHENRY — Some service stations in Garrett and Allegany counties are in the buffer area for the “Fuel Up Maryland” grant program that assures that fuels are available both for evacuation or home energy use during an energy emergency or disaster.
During a legislative meeting last month at Garrett College, Dick Bolt, Swanton resident indicated that he went around to all the gas stations in Garrett County and that none of the people he spoke with people had put in a request for the grant program. During Superstorm Sandy, Bolt wasn’t able to get gas because there wasn’t an emergency generator and county trucks couldn’t get fuel either.
The Maryland Service Station Energy Resiliency Grant Program is a $1.7 million capital investment program administered by the Maryland Energy Administration that provides funding support to prewire for backup power generation from portable generators, fixed generators, and/or batteries for service stations located within a half-mile of a federal/state highway emergency evacuation route, according to the MEA.
MEA is awarding grants of up to $25,000 per grant to Maryland service stations. Based on a recent survey of Maryland service stations conducted by an electrical contractor, the maximum grant amount is more than 60 percent of the total cost of the planning, design, wiring and installation of backup power generation at the majority of the service stations, according to MEA.
