"Becoming energy-efficient can involve an initial up-front investment that will be proportionally higher for small businesses," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said. "The investment will pay for itself and more over time, but this program makes that transition more doable for Pennsylvania's small business owners."

Pennsylvania's Small Business Advantage Grant program is funded through the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act and helps businesses with 100 or fewer employees. It provides 50 percent matching reimbursement grants of up to $9,500 to implement projects that will save 25 percent annually in pollution-prevention or energy-related costs. Green Hills Home Center in Berks County received $9,500.

In Lehigh County, Hertz Associates Inc. received $6,500; Lynar Corp. was awarded $7,147; and Sellair LLC received $9,500.

In Northampton County, Nazareth Mutual Insurance Co. and Tower Products Inc., both received $9,500.

Since 2004, the program has invested $7.25 million in 1,720 small businesses statewide.

Examples of eligible projects include high-efficiency HVAC and insulation upgrades, high-efficiency lighting to save energy, installation of energy-efficient heat pumps and new auxiliary power units that help large trucks reduce time spent with idling engines.

Of the $1 million in grants budgeted for the current fiscal year, this is the second of three announcements of selected grantees.

The 32 new grants will create $812,987 of private-sector investment in small businesses.

For more information about the Small Business Advantage Grant program, contact DEP's Office of the Small Business Ombudsman at (717) 772-8909 or via email at epadvantagegrant@pa.gov.