The energy conservation movement has signed up a new recruit -- charity

United Way, the national umbrella organization for charities, has become a partner with ACTION, the federal neighborhood improvement agency, and the John A. Hartford Foundation in an energy conservation project.

Three cities -- Middletown, Conn.; Northampton, Mass.; and Fort Collins, Colo. -- and two countries -- Chemung, N.Y., and Jackson, Ill. -- will receive $ 25,000 each from the partnership to help them expand their conservation efforts. In the fall, a national conference is planned to review the achievements of these efforts and to promote future projects of this type.