National Clothesline

Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty has announced the awarding 90 new grants totalling $418,735 to help various small businesses as part of the state’s Small Business Advantage Grant Program.

The program was launched last July by Governor Ed Rendell’s administration to provide a 50 percent matching grant of up to $7,500 for equipment or processes in order to reduce energy consumption and promote pollution prevention while, at the same time, helping to increase profitability for small businesses.

“The Small Business Advantage Grant Program has been a tremendous success, providing more than $700,000 to 150 small business owners across the state,” Secretary McGinty said. “These grants showcase some of the innovative measures that small businesses are implementing to meet and exceed environmental goals, reduce the risk of potential regulatory problems and boost their bottom line simultaneously.”

Businesses throughout the state are taking advantage of the grants to save money and improve their equipment technology. In Allegheny County, for example, Sussex Village Laundromat used $7,500 and Streams of Water Laundry used $6,745 to purchase and install new drycleaning equipment designed to reduce perc use, reduce hazardous waste generation and conserve energy.

Frankford Cleaners of Chester County received $7,500 for the same reasons, as did Omega Cleaners of Delaware County and Centerville Martinizing Cleaners of Lancaster County..

In fact, over 20 cleaning plants and laundromats participated in the program, including: Sudsy’s Laundromat of Allegheny County; Kelchner Inc. of Berks County; CPLM, LLC of Cumberland County; Dolly’s Coin Laundry LLC and Laundry Room of Lawnton of Dauphin County; The Suds Stop Laundry and Carwash of Fayette County; Maloney’s Laundry of Indiana County; Myerstown Laundromat of Lebanon County; Faxon Cleaners Inc. of Lycoming County; On Time Cleaners of Montgomery County; Al’s Cleaners of Northampton County; Jo-Ann’s Laundromat of Westmoreland County; Molly’s Washhouse of York County; and MYT Fine Cleaners of Philadelphia.

The program stopped receiving applications for grants back in January — five months prior to its June 30, 2005 deadline — due to an overwhelming request by applicants for funding. The grants were awarded on a first-come, first served basis. The program is expected to re-open for applications July 1.

For more information on the Small Business Advantage Grant Program, visit DEP’s web site at http://www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: “SBAdvantage.”The grants are part of a concerted effort by Gov. Rendell to develop Pennsylvania into the national leader in the development of energy technology.

His administration has also supported the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant Program, which aims to build clean, diversified and indigenous energy industry in the state. So far, the program has awarded $10 million and leveraged another $26.7 million in private funds to encourage clean and renewable energy projects since it started in May 2003.

The program will continue to expand thanks to the passage of the Governor’s Growing Greener II initiative, which will provide $80 million over four years to the Harvest Program in order to build upon its current success.

The Western Pennsylvania Cleaners and Laundry Association distributed more than 850 tickets for its May 1 annual baseball outing. The association had reserved a bundle of tickets that its members were able to purchase at a discounted rate to provide an economical way for cleaners to reward customers and employees.

This is the fourth year that the WPCL has sponsored the ballpark outing. As in past years, they will host a tailgate party before the Pirates square off against the San Francisco Giants in a Sunday afternoon contest.