Federal stimulus dollars aimed at making homes more energy efficient should benefit both small-business owners and low-income families in Benton and Franklin counties.
Washington officials learned Thursday that the state will receive nearly $60 million in stimulus money through the nation's Weatherization Assistance Program. The program helps low-income families reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. The $59.5 million should go toward increasing insulation, sealing leaky vents and ducts and replacing windows, among other measures.
It's unknown so far how much of that money will find its way to Benton and Franklin counties, but amounts should be available soon.
Tony Usibelli, assistant director of the state Department of Community Trade and Economic Development, said state officials plan to design a distribution plan in the coming weeks.
Julie Palakovich of CTED's Weatherization Program said federal dollars should make their way to Washington communities within a month.
Much of the money is expected to be funneled to agencies like the Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee and the Energy Services Department in Richland. From there, eligible residents will be identified and contractors will be hired.
Although a distribution plan has yet to be created, Usibelli expects agencies receiving the stimulus money to see a "four-, five- or sixfold increase" compared with the funding they normally receive from the state.
"It may actually be bigger than that," he said.
The Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee provides weatherization services to about 100 homes each year, said Dave Odom, weatherization director. He expects the federal stimulus dollars to present both opportunities and challenges.
"I've been running this program for over 25 years and this is unprecedented," he said. "This is huge."
Odom wouldn't speculate how much stimulus money the Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee might receive, but he guessed at its effects.
He plans to hire additional staff to handle the influx of requests he expects the office to receive. About 400 people already are on waiting lists to receive weatherization assistance.
Odom also hopes to see local contractors provided with training so they'll be able to accommodate potential workload increases.
"There's only a few people who do this work," he said.
Window upgrades usually come to mind when people hear the word weatherization, Odom said, but that represents only a fraction of the work his office performs. Instead, he said, much of the work is focused on insulation, testing duct systems for leaks and sealing gaps around doors and windows.
"We'll have to find and train contractors to do this kind of work," he said.
Households eligible to receive weatherization assistance must have a combined income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $44,000 for a family of four.
In the past, the national Weatherization Assistance Program has reduced participants' heating bills by an average of 32 percent, a release stated.
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