Washington, DC — Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI-13) announced that more than $325 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding will be used to create jobs and help Michigan families increase their energy efficiency.

“Helping homeowners make energy efficient changes to their homes will help families cut energy costs. It will also create jobs for those hired to make improvements,” said Congresswoman Kilpatrick. “Improving energy efficiency in homes throughout the state and across the country supports our nation’s efforts to become more energy independent and demonstrates our commitment to preserving the planet for generations to come.”

More than $243 million will be provided to the Weatherization Assistance Program. Funding will support weatherization projects, including adding more insulation, sealing leaks, and modernizing heating and air conditioning equipment. The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which can reduce heating bills by an average of 32% and overall energy bills by hundreds of dollars per year, will be available for families making up to 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $44,000 a year for a family of four.

More than $82 million has been allocated to the State Energy Program. Funding will be available for rebates to consumers for home energy audits or other energy saving improvements, development of renewable energy projects for clean electricity generation and alternative fuels, promotion of Energy Star products, efficiency upgrades for state and local government buildings, and other innovative state efforts to help save families money on their energy bills.
 
For more information, please visit www.energy.gov/recovery.