CONGRESSWOMAN JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $32 MILLION IN WEATHERIZATION FUNDING FOR DALLAS
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides energy efficient homes to low-income Texas families

Dallas, TX– (Friday, November 5, 2010) – Congresswoman Johnson announced today that Dallas and Dallas County will receive $32,446,583 over two years to weatherize 3,748 low-income family homes.

Texas’ efforts are contributing to the success of the Weatherization Assistance Program that has already weatherized 80,000 homes across the country. 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 nearly 900 jobs throughout Texas.

“I continue to strongly support the Weatherization Assistance Program,” said Congresswoman Johnson.  “I am pleased low-income households are getting the assistance they need through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. Weatherization improvements create jobs, decrease emissions and help hardworking families save money.  For many families weatherizing costs are too high and the payoff takes too long. This funding helps eliminate these barriers by improving existing infrastructure to create jobs and reduce energy use.”

Under the weatherization program, local agencies provide whole-home energy efficiency upgrades, including conducting an energy audit in the home to identify the most cost-effective improvements, and implementing solutions that range from installing additional insulation and weather-stripping, sealing windows and doors, caulking cracks in the building, and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
 
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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.