DOE Awards $140.3 Million to 31 States for Home Weatherization

April 3, 2006

DOE announced on April 3rd its award of $140.3 million to 31 states and the Navajo Nation to make energy efficiency improvements in the homes of low-income families. DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program cuts these families' energy bills by making home improvements such as plugging air leaks, improving insulation, and tuning air conditioning and heating systems. DOE will award a total of $243 million during this fiscal year, providing weatherization to more than 96,000 homes. See the DOE press release.

The average U.S. family spends 3.5 percent of its income on energy, but for lower-income families, energy bills can average 14 percent of their income. DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program lessens that impact, reducing an average home's energy costs by $358 annually. Weatherization grants will go to every state this year, as well as the District of Columbia, the Navajo Nation, and the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona. State energy offices distribute the weatherization program grants through more than 900 local agencies. DOE estimates that for every dollar spent, the program returns $1.53 in energy savings to low-income families. See the Weatherization Assistance Program Web site.