On September 30th, 2022, President Biden proclaimed October to be Energy Awareness Month. Part of this proclamation explained parts of the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL), including how funding from this bill will benefit some of the most vulnerable populations in the United States. President Biden stated "My Administration will prioritize ensuring that frontline and fence-line communities most impacted by climate change receive the benefits of the clean energy economy. That is why I made a commitment to deliver 40 percent of the benefits from Federal investments in climate and clean energy to disadvantaged communities and why I established a White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council in my first month in office...To this end, we are helping these communities access the resources they need to spur economic revitalization and clean up environmental pollution."
President Biden stated: "...To this end, we are helping these communities access the resources they need to spur economic revitalization and clean up environmental pollution."
A lack of knowledge or ability to be energy aware can affect some of Blue Ridge Community Action's most vulnerable populations. One example of this could be seniors and disabled adults not being able to weatherize their homes for hot and cold seasons. This is where the national Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) can help. The WAP was signed into law 46 years ago by President Gerald Ford. This program is an incredibly successful federal, state, & local partnership that serves every county in the US and 5 US territories. The goal of the Weatherization Assistance Program is to reduce energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while also ensuring their health and safety. The program supports 8,500 jobs and provides weatherization services to approximately 35,000 homes every year using DOE funds. Through weatherization improvements and upgrades, these households save on average $372 or more every year according to a national evaluation of the program. Since the program began in 1976, WAP has helped improve the lives of more than 7 million families through weatherization services. Low-income families are more likely to live in housing with heating problems and inadequate insulation. Repairs done by WAP technicians, such as adding attic insulation or repairing furnaces, assists in promoting energy equity by lowering utility burden and making energy more affordable for families.
Learn More About the WAP Program In The Video Above!
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the Weatherization program through Blue Ridge Community Action, you can learn more HERE. Please scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Apply Here" to learn about guidelines to receive services. Please note that only the following counties are offered Weatherization services by BRCA: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Mecklenburg, Union, Gaston, Stanly.