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Governor Jim Gibbons has announced that
Friday, October 30, 2009 will be proclaimed
“Weatherization Day” in Nevada. “The
dedication of this day [October 30th] as
Weatherization Day celebrates the wonderful
accomplishments of this excellent federal,
state, and local partnership,” said Governor
Gibbons. Gibbons further explained that,
“This program has helped thousands of
Nevada’s low-income families conserve energy
and reduce their utility bills.” To show his
continued support, Governor Gibbons will be
given a personal tour of an on-going
weatherization job next week in Reno. The
project is funded through the Nevada Housing
Division’s Weatherization Assistance Program
with work performed through one of the
Division’s subgrantees, Community Services
Agency of Reno.
Chas Horsey, Administrator of the Nevada
Housing Division offered these comments –
“The Division’s Weatherization Assistance
Program became a reality when the 2001
Nevada Legislature passed Assembly Bill 661,
which created a special revenue fund for
assisting Nevada’s low-income families in
weatherizing their homes by improving energy
efficiency and for meeting health and safety
standards. The state’s Welfare Division
administers the fund, and 25 percent of the
money in the fund is distributed to the
Housing Division’s Weatherization Assistance
Program.” “Additionally,” reported Horsey,
“The Weatherization Assistance Fund has
received money from the Fund for Energy
Assistance and Conservation in Nevada (FEAC)
and the U.S. Department of Energy. These
combined funds have provided more than $4
million annually to assist households whose
gross income is at or below 200 percent of
the federal poverty income guidelines,
established by the federal Office of
Management and Budget.”
October is also designated as Energy
Awareness Month. Each year, the Department
of Energy (DOE) uses the onset of winter to
promote energy conservation, renewable
energy, and new technology use in the energy
industry. With the higher cost of fuel oil,
and the ever-fluctuating electric prices,
celebrating a successful conservation
program like the Weatherization Assistance
Program is essential.
Currently, the Nevada Housing Division
provides state and federal funds to five
Subgrantees (service providers) who are
located throughout the state and utilize
licensed contractors to perform the work
described below:
Types of weatherization work include:
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Insulation: ceiling, floor and duct.
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Duct leakage sealing (return, plenum and
supply systems).
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Shell infiltration sealing; i.e.,
replace broken glass, window and
exterior door replacement, door weather
stripping, caulking, evaporative cooler
covers, etc.
-
Insulation of water heater and water
heater pipes.
-
Low-flow showerheads.
-
Mobile home roof insulation.
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Minor home repairs.
-
Heating and cooling system repairs
and/or replacements.
-
Compact fluorescent light bulbs.
-
Refrigerator replacement.
To become a service provider, an entity must
be classified as a community action agency,
or other public or nonprofit entity. These
entities are required to respond to Request
for Proposals (RFPs) issued by the Housing
Division.
The first round of RFPs has concluded
with the following service providers
selected:
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Nevada Rural Housing Authority, Tel.
(775) 283-0099 (serving Douglas, Lyon,
Storey Counties and Carson City);
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HELP of Southern Nevada, Tel. (702)
369-4357 (serving Clark County,
excluding the City of Henderson);
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Rural Nevada Development Corporation,
Tel. (775) 289-8519 or Toll Free (866)
404-5204 (serving White Pine, Elko,
Humboldt, Eureka, Esmeralda, Lincoln,
Pershing, Lander, Mineral, Churchill,
and Nye Counties);
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Neighborhood Services, Tel. (702)
267-2014 (serving City of Henderson);
and
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Community Services Agency, Tel. (775)
786-6023 (serving Washoe County).
Individuals who are in need of
weatherization services or contractors
interested in working within the
weatherization field should contact one of
these five agencies. Reducing energy
consumption is a national concern and a
major priority in the new federally-funded
economic stimulus plan, the American
Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
Through the ARRA, the Nevada Housing
Division’s Weatherization Assistance Program
will receive approximately an additional
$11,500,000 per year for the next three
years. This funding represents an increase
of nearly three times the normal year’s
amount for weatherizing homes. The ARRA’s
stimulus funds will allow local
organizations to perform more energy audits,
swap out inefficient furnaces or air
conditioners, and add insulation or other
improvements in four times as many homes as
usual. “This means we will be able to serve
significantly more lower-income households
plus help create jobs in Nevada,” said
Horsey.
Information on the Weatherization Assistance
Program and the ARRA is available on the
Housing Division’s web site at:
www.nvhousing.state.nv.us.
Editor’s Note:
CONTACT: Jean
Robinson-Norton
NEVADA HOUSING DIVISION
Tel. (702) 486-7220, ext. 224
Cell: (702) 301-0979
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