A group of six Northwest Indiana municipalities and counties received federal grants to fund energy efficiency initiatives, the Northwest Indiana Forum said Wednesday.

Dyer will receive $22,845 to retrofit traffic lights and street lights with light-emitting diodes. Lowell and Dyer will receive $44,445 and $99,984 respectively to retrofit municipal building lighting. The town of Schererville in slated to get $245,000 for wastewater treatment plant pump improvements.

Porter, LaPorte and Knox counties also will receive funds for wastewater treatment plant pump improvements. Porter County will receive $240,160, LaPorte County will get $207,547 and Knox County will get $21,450 in this round of grant funding.

More than $5 million was available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants program, the Forum said. The grants are funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and the Indiana Office of Energy Development administers the program. Cities and towns less than 35,000 in population and counties with populations of 200,000 or less were eligible to apply.

The program's purpose is to help entities create and implement strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions in an environmentally sustainable manner, reduce total energy consumption, increase energy efficiency, reduce energy costs and increase productivity to spur economic growth.

"Improving our environment through energy efficiency is a responsibility everyone shares. It is exciting to see our communities exploring options and receiving funds to improve environmental stewardship," said Kay Nelson, director of environmental affairs at the Forum.

An award ceremony will be held June 22 in Indianapolis for region grantees and from others around the state.