Stimulus money will weatherize homes

Millions of federal dollars that were held up in the state budget impasse, will be used to weatherize Pennsylvania homes.

Millions of federal dollars that were held up in the state budget impasse, will be used to weatherize Pennsylvania homes. The state has been awarded $123 million dollars in stimulus money for a program that’s expected to reach almost $253 million dollars. The cash is expected to save or create nearly 1,000 jobs in the state over the next 2 and a half years.

Listen:
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Craig Heim is the Executive Director of the Office of Energy Conservation and Weatherization.

Heim: We’re at the point now where we’re reviewing the plans of each of these agencies. Some will be approved right away and in some cases we’ll want to sit down with agencies and refine the plans that they have. If we find that some of the agencies are failing in their production we’ll consider bringing new organizations in.

Local groups have had several months to prepare for the large infusion of cash and the sevenfold increase in weatherization services. One of the organizations expecting to get money is the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation. A spokesperson says the money will allow PHDC to do more weatherstripping, pipe wrapping, and heating system repairs.