Environmental group returns misspent grant money
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A statewide environmental organization returned a $138,000 state Department of Community and Economic Development grant after it was discovered the group violated the terms of the grant and "repurposed" about half of the money without informing the department.
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future returned the entire two-year grant after Corbett administration officials said the group had hired a consultant to do the grant work of providing school districts and municipalities with energy conservation information for a year, without informing the department, as required by the grant contract.
The rest of the money from the grant awarded in 2009 was used by PennFuture to fund the organization's other energy conservation efforts, including a daylong program at the group's 2010 annual conference, again without getting the required approval from the DCED.
PennFuture, which has taken prominent positions on Marcellus Shale drilling issues and alternative and renewable energy programs, often in opposition to those of the Corbett administration, repaid the state $141,028, the full grant amount plus interest, in a check dated Oct. 14.
Jan Jarrett, PennFuture president and chief executive officer, could not be reached for comment today.
Steven Kratz, DCED spokesman, said today that instances in which grant money is returned are rare. He said the department had not decided how to proceed or whether the issue warrants involvement of the state attorney general.
First Published December 23, 2011 12:00 am
