3,200 N.D. homes to be weatherized

The Obama administration expects to deliver more than $10 million for weatherization programs in North Dakota Recovery Act funding to expand weatherization assistance program, create jobs and weatherize more than 3,200 North Dakota homes, Steven Chu from the U.S. Department of Energy announced today.

These funds, along with additional funds to be disbursed after the states meet certain Recovery Act milestones, will help North Dakota lower energy costs for low-income families, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create green jobs across the state, Chu said.

North Dakota is to receive 40 percent of its total Recovery Act weatherization funding today.

This installment adds to the initial 10 percent funding allocation previously awarded to the state for training and ramp-up activities. After demonstrating successful implementation of its plan, the state will receive an additional $12 million, for a total of more than $25 million. Under the Recovery Act Weatherization Assistance Program, states may spend up to 20 percent of funds to hire and train workers.

The remaining 50 percent of funds will be released when states meet reporting, oversight and accountability milestones required by the Recovery Act.

DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program will be available to families making up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level — or about $44,000 a year for a family of four. Weatherization projects allow low-income families to save money by making their homes more energy efficient, which results in average savings of 32 percent for heating bills and savings of hundreds of dollars per year on overall energy bills. States will spend approximately $6,500 to weatherize each home.

North Dakota will use its Recovery Act funding to deliver cost-saving efficiency measures to more than 3,200 homes, including Native American households living on reservations. The weatherization program will be administered by the Department of Commerce’s Division of Community Service, who will partner with more than seven Community Action associations around the state. The state will also devote resources towards performance monitoring, professional training and consumer education activities.

The announcement includes weatherization funding for 15 states including California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia. Across the country, the Department of Energy will deliver more than $453 million to help meet these states’ goal of weatherizing more than 165,000 homes. Funding for Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi and Oregon was announced previously.

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