New, energy-efficient light bulbs soon will be coming to the street lamps in Downtown Castle Rock thanks to a federal grant.

The Town recently was awarded $174,800 under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, to convert the lights from traditional bulbs to LED lights.

Roughly 140 street lamp bulbs throughout Downtown Castle Rock will be replaced this fall using the grant money.

The LED lights are expected to reduce electricity use by about 50 percent over the old lights. They also will reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to recycling 23.1 tons of waste instead of sending it to a landfill, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

Castle Rock is one of about 30 cities and counties throughout the state that has received a grant under the program, which aims to "deploy the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies we have - energy efficiency and conservation - across the country."

The program helps local governments reduce fossil fuel emissions; reduce total energy use; improve energy efficiency; and create and retain jobs.

More than 700 grants, totaling more than $800 million, have been awarded to date. Funding for the program totals $3.2 billion. Of that, approximately $2.7 billion will be awarded through formula grants, such as the Town received. Another $454 million will be allocated through competitive grants.

For additional information, visit eecbg.energy.gov or contact Town Facilities and Risk Manager Buddy Gregory, 720-733-3561 or bgregory@CRgov.com.