U.S. Dept. of Energy: Wisconsin reaches major Recovery Act weatherization milestone

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State has weatherized more than 5,700 homes under the Recovery Act

Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy joined with Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today to announce that Wisconsin has reached a significant milestone under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – completing weatherization work for more than 30 percent of the homes the state planned to weatherize. As of June 30, 2010, Wisconsin has weatherized more than 5,700 homes with Recovery Act funding, plus nearly 7,800 additional homes with annual program funding. As a result of the progress in the program to date, the state will now have access to an additional $70.8 million in Recovery Act weatherization funding to continue providing energy efficiency services to Wisconsin’s low-income families.

Wisconsin’s efforts are contributing to the success of the program nationwide. Vice President Biden announced last week that states across the country have weatherized more than 200,000 low-income homes. After ramping up last year, the Weatherization Assistance Program is now weatherizing homes at its optimal rate – approximately 25,000 homes per month. In June, states reported that nearly 31,800 homes were weatherized with Recovery Act funding – the most ever in a month. This summer alone, more than 80,000 homes will be weatherized across the country. A state-by-state breakdown of homes weatherized in the second quarter of 2010 is available HERE.

“What we see here today is that states like Wisconsin are moving forward aggressively with the weatherization program, delivering energy and cost savings for the families who need it most,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “This Recovery Act funding is helping to create jobs in local communities while putting America on the path to a clean energy future.”

“Not only have our efforts helped families across Wisconsin with their utility bills, but we have created good paying jobs in the process,” Governor Doyle said. “No family should have to choose between buying groceries and paying their heating bill, so I again want to thank Congressman Dave Obey and the Obama Administration for helping make this funding possible.”

The weatherization program is also creating thousands of jobs locally – putting carpenters, electricians, and factory workers back to work installing insulation, upgrading appliances, and improving heating and cooling systems. According to state reports, the Recovery Act Weatherization Assistance Program supported more than 13,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2010, including more than 630 jobs in Wisconsin.

John Glick joined Community Action, Inc. in January 2010 as part of the agency’s ramp-up under the Recovery Act. Community Action, Inc. has doubled the size of its weatherization workforce, from 14 to 29 employees, since the Recovery Act was passed.

“After losing my job in the construction industry, I applied for a weatherization position with Community Action and was hired on the spot,” said John Glick, a new worker from Janesville hired under the Recovery Act. “The weatherization program has opened my eyes to how homes can be made more energy efficient. I know that my work serves the people who really need it.”

Under the Recovery Act, Wisconsin was allocated more than $141 million to weatherize approximately 16,900 homes under the weatherization program. The state previously had access to the first 50 percent of the funding. By weatherizing more than 30 percent of their total estimated homes and meeting a series of aggressive accountability and reporting milestones, Wisconsin now has access to the full $141 million to continue weatherizing homes across the state. Together with the nearly 7,800 additional homes Wisconsin has weatherized with annual program funding, the state has already weatherized more than 13,500 homes since the Recovery Act began.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income families save energy and money by improving the energy efficiency of their homes. According to a recent study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, weatherization services save families an average of more than $400 in energy costs during the first year.