Free Services To ‘EmPower’ Residents
To help more low-income households cut their energy bills in the coming year, funding for EmPower New York will increase by $18 million, providing a total of $46 million in 2012, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced.
EmPower New York is a NYSERDA program to help low-income residents reduce their use of electricity, improve the efficiency of their heating systems and increase the comfort of their homes. Funding in 2011 totaled $28 million. The additional funding for 2012 is allocated through the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard Order of Oct. 25, 2011.
Families that receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) spend 25 percent of their income on utilities, while median-income households spend four percent, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“When winter comes, many lowincome families are faced with the dilemma of whether to pay for food or to pay for heat and lights,” said Francis J. Murray Jr., president and CEO of NYSERDA. “EmPower New York services help create a more affordable living situation and can really make a difference for many families.”
EmPower New York services are provided free to households earning 60 percent or less of the statewide median income (HEAP eligible). Services include high-efficiency lighting, replacement of inefficient refrigerators and freezers with new EnergyStar qualified models, heating system upgrades, insulation and air sealing, and health and safety testing to ensure the home is properly ventilated and gases are not escaping into the living space.
For every participant, EmPower also provides tips on ways to save energy, like using cold water to wash clothes, unplugging or using a power strip to turn off electronics and chargers when not in use, turning down the thermostat at night or when the home is unoccupied, and other easy steps that can cut costs.
–SEE ENERGY ON PG. 36-
