WASHINGTON – As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Rhode Island is set to receive more than $44 million in federal funding, including $20.07 million for residential weatherization projects, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced in a group release.
The weatherization funds are part of the Weatherization Assistance Program, which has weatherized more than 33,000 Rhode Island homes since its beginnings in 1975. The R.I. Office of Energy Resources administers the program, along with the State Energy Program, which also was awarded $23.96 million.
“By weatherizing homes and making our communities more energy efficient, we will help families and communities reduce their energy bills over the long-term and put people back to work immediately,” Sen. Jack Reed said in a press release. “This federal funding will help increase demand for a host of industries related to weatherization – from vehicles to building materials to heating systems.”
The program supports weatherizing homes of low-income Rhode Islanders by adding insulation, sealing leaks and modernizing heating and air conditioning. Families that make up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which is about $44,000 a year for a family of four, could be eligible for up to $6,500 per home for efficiency upgrades, according to a statement from Reed’s office.
Additional information about energy efficiency and heating-assistance programs for low-income Rhode Islanders – including the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in Rhode Island – is available from the R.I. Office of Energy Resources at www.energy.ri.gov.
