Press Release:
MONTGOMERY—Some low-income and elderly Alabama residents who need help reducing their utility bills will get assistance from $950,000 in grants awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The grants are supporting Alabama’s Weatherization Assistance Program which provides funds to improve the energy efficiency and safety of qualifying homes. Priority is given to those with disabilities, the elderly and low-income households with children.
“Energy bills can be difficult for Alabamians with limited income and resources,” Bentley said. “By making improvements to the energy efficiency of homes, this program helps lower utility bills for our residents who are most in need. I am pleased to award these grants to agencies that will help our citizens.”
An energy audit is conducted of each home that qualifies for weatherization assistance to determine the most cost-efficient measures. Common improvements include installing extra insulation in the attic, walls and floor; sealing air leaks around doors and windows; repairs or tune-ups for air conditioning and heating units; and replacing incandescent light bulbs with high-efficiency compact fluorescents. In addition to lowering energy bills, the improvements can reduce the risk of fire and other hazards.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs administers the program from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Bentley awarded the grants to 16 community agencies across the state that manage the program at the local level and receive applications from individuals who wish to be considered for assistance.
Below is a list of each grant, the recipient agency, counties served and the agency telephone number:
• $42,923 to Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (Lee, Macon and Russell) 334-262-4300
• $25,607 to Community Action Committee Inc. of Chambers-Tallapoosa-Coosa (Chambers, Coosa and Tallapoosa) 256-825-4287
• $60,755 to Community Action Agency of Central Alabama (Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Elmore, Perry and Shelby) 334-567-4361
• $17,279 to Alabama Council on Human Relations Inc. (Lee) 334-821-8336
• $25,745 to Community Action of Etowah County (Etowah) 256-546-9271
• $52,045 to Community Action Partnership of Huntsville-Madison and Limestone Counties (Madison and Limestone) 256-851-9800
• $113,065 to Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity (Jefferson) 205-327-7500
• $86,939 to Mobile Community Action Inc. (Choctaw, Mobile and Washington) 251-457-5700
• $51,768 to Montgomery County Commission (Montgomery) 334-832-1210
• $61,025 to Community Action Partnership of North Alabama Inc. (Cullman, Lawrence, Marion, Morgan, Walker and Winston) 256-734-5170
• $69,293 to Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama Inc. (Blount, Cherokee, DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall and St. Clair) 256-638-4430
• $34,577 to Community Action Agency of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale) 256-766-4330
• $102,793 to Organized Community Action Program Inc. (Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Lowndes and Pike) 334-566-1712
• $68,770 to Community Action Agency of South Alabama (Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox) 251-626-2646
• $60,236 to Community Action Agency of Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Calhoun and Cleburne (Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph and Talladega) 256-362-6611
• $77,180 to Community Service Programs of West Alabama Inc. (Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter and Tuscaloosa) 205-752-5429