Hundreds more Vermonters can get financial assistance to weatherize their homes and reduce their energy bills this winter thanks to millions in additional funding from the federal government.
Gov. Phil Scott on Wednesday announced that his office plans to allocate $7.9 million of the state’s American Rescue Plan Act federal aid to an existing state program designed to conserve energy, help keep Vermonters’ utility bills manageable and limit greenhouse gas emissions.
With the additional federal dollars, the governor’s office said the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program will have a total of $16 million in Fiscal Year 2022 to make energy-saving upgrades to homes. In a typical year, the program weatherizes between 800 and 1,000 homes. This year’s $7.9 million increase will allow the state to weatherize more than 550 additional homes.
About $1.6 million of the additional funding will go toward weatherizing multi-family homes.
Sarah Phillips, who serves as the Economic Opportunity Director for the state’s Department of Children and Families, said that weatherization can save a household an average of 35% on their energy use. The program on average makes about $8,500 worth of upgrades per eligible home.
“That helps lower their energy bills, keeping money in their pockets for other necessities like food, clothing and medications,” Phillips said in a Wednesday news release.
Earlier this month, Scott’s office also announced that Vermont is receiving an unprecedented $49 million from the federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help eligible Vermonters cover their heating bills. The state is receiving more than double its usual Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program allotment this year also thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act.
Vermont households are eligible for state weatherization assistance if their gross household income is below 80% of the median income in their area. That means a family of four making roughly $67,000 annually would qualify in most of the state.
Households with young children, elderly people or those with disabilities are given priority, as well as households already receiving seasonal fuel assistance or living in high-energy-use homes.
Covered weatherization services can include energy audits, renovations, consultations and referrals, as well as health and safety improvements.
Vermonters can learn more about the program and see if they qualify at dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/weatherization.