Moore Announces Additional Recovery Act Funds To Make Milwaukee Homes More Energy-Efficient

Press Release

Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) today announced that two Milwaukee-area community organizations will receive more than $27 million to weatherize area homes. This Milwaukee funding is a portion of a $56 million Recovery Act investment for Wisconsin, which will be used to make energy-efficiency improvements in more than 18,400 homes statewide. These improvements will cut energy costs for low-income families, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create green jobs.

The funds will go to Community Relations Social Development Commission ($9,772,600), La Casa de Esperanza, Inc. in Waukesha ($9,772,600) and La Casa de Esperanza, Inc. in Milwaukee ($7,885,496).

"Not only will these funds help make people's homes more energy-efficient, they will also create jobs for those who repair heating and cooling systems, handle appliance replacements, install insulation, and do other work that prepares a home to withstand with all kinds of weather," Congresswoman Moore said. "We're killing two birds with one stone - taking steps toward energy savings and creating jobs. Everybody wins."

Typical weatherization work includes instrumented air sealing; insulation of attics, sidewalls and other areas that define the heating envelope; refrigerator replacement; electric water heater replacement; mechanical adjustments such as cleaning and tune-up; furnace replacements when necessary; and lighting replacement with ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescents.

Wisconsin requires local organizations to prioritize weatherization services to elderly and handicapped residents. Of the total units that will be completed by each organization receiving funds, at least 10 percent must be households with elderly residents and 5 percent must be households with disabled persons.

In March, Wisconsin received its first round of funds under the Weatherization Assistance Program, which represented 10 percent of the funding allocated to Wisconsin through the Recovery Act for weatherization activities. In total, Wisconsin will receive $141 million for weatherization assistance.

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