WASHINGTON — Hawai'i is getting $15,068,200 in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency and conservation projects, the Obama administration announced yesterday.

The projects are intended to reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions.

"Local leaders will have the flexibility in how they put these resources to work," said Vice President Joe Biden. "But we will hold them accountable for making the investments quickly and wisely to spur the local economy and cut energy use."

Activities the money can support include energy audits and making residential and commercial buildings more energy efficient, improving building codes and inspections, creating financial incentive programs for energy-efficiency improvements.

The federal money can also go for transportation programs that conserve energy, projects that reduce or capture greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and making traffic signals and street lights more energy efficient.

The office of U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said the money will be used to make residential and commercial buildings more energy efficient and can also go to transportation programs that conserve energy and to capture greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.

Abercrombie said the state has to date received just over $45 million in energy money from the stimulus package, including $26 million for a state energy program and $4 million for home weatherization assistance programs.

"With proper follow-through, these important steps can ultimately lead the way to energy independence for Hawai'i," Abercrombie said.

A joint statement by U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka said the stimulus money will help create jobs throughout the Islands.

Funding is based on a formula that accounts for population and energy use. States will administer funds for counties and cities not large enough to qualify directly for the grants. States and local governments will also be able to compete for additional dollars.

The state and local governments getting the money must report on the number of jobs they create through the program, energy saved, greenhouse gas emissions reduced and other measurements.