ENERGY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES OVER $400 MILLION IN FUNDING AND REMOVES BURDENSOME POLICY, HELPING AMERICANS SAVE ON ENERGY BILLS

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the disbursement of over $400 million for energy saving programs designed to help American families save money on their energy bills. This funding helps to advance President Trump’s Executive Orders on Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families and Defeating the Cost-of-Living Crisis and Unleashing American Energy, which terminates expensive and unnecessary New Green Deal mandates and returns the agency’s focus on delivering cost savings directly to the American people. 

The Department is allocating $325 million in Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funds and $30 million in Weatherization Readiness Funds (WRF) to 56 Grantees including all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. Territories. These investments advance the Administration’s policies and priorities to reduce energy costs for American households and generate employment opportunities for American workers by driving down energy costs for low-income families through residential energy efficiency and improved health and safety.

“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are able to focus on reducing energy costs for Americans that can least afford high energy prices through the efforts of Weatherization.” said Eric Mahroum, Director of the DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs. “Every day, President Trump empowers consumer choices while reinvigorating America’s energy industry and the economy. With a commitment to reduce energy costs for all Americans, while simultaneously modernizing and reinvigorating energy dominance across all sectors, President Trump is fulfilling his promises to the American people.”

In addition to the Weatherization funding, DOE is today releasing $64 million in State Energy Program (SEP) funds to the same 56 grantees to pursue programming that ensures energy reliability, availability, security, and cost savings for businesses and residents. State governments are a critical partner in achieving the President’s vision of American Energy Dominance and SEP will continue to advance this critical mission. 

Effective immediately, the department is also rescinding the Weatherization Program Notice 22-10 policy considering social cost of carbon and other non-energy impacts within WAP. Removing the provision reduces steps in the energy audit process and improves efficiency for states when using Federal resources. For more information on timelines related to this policy change, contact WAPTA@hq.doe.gov. 

Since 1976, WAP has served over seven million households and delivers an average annual energy savings of $372 while reducing the Nation’s dependence on imported energy supplies and cutting out-of-pocket medical expenses by an average of $514 per household. WAP’s statutory requirement for cost effectiveness ensures that for every Federal dollar invested there is at a minimum one-dollar payback in energy savings while also stimulating economic growth through increased opportunities for energy and local trade jobs. 

Since 1976, SEP has ensured that State Governments are enjoined in the effort to reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy, strengthen energy security, and perform transmission and distribution planning support activities, yielding savings and reliability for American homes and businesses.