Training To Begin For Recovery Act Weatherization Program

Weatherization is the federal energy efficiency program for low- to moderate-income families. The types of weatherization projects allowed under the program may include installation of storm windows and insulation, air and duct sealing, caulking, and other related activities to reduce home energy costs and increase home energy efficiency.

 

“The Recovery Act’s weatherization program will be good for Tennessee on two important levels,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “Not only will the program help low- to moderate-income Tennesseans lower their energy bills, it will also get licensed and trained Tennessee contractors back to work.”

 

With recent changes in the eligibility requirements for the program, more Tennesseans than ever will be eligible for weatherization assistance.

 

“The Recovery Act calls for the program to be available to households with an income of up to 200 percent of poverty, and the General Assembly recently enacted changes to Tennessee’s program to mirror this requirement,” explained DHS Commissioner Gina Lodge. “That means, for example, a family of three with an income of up to $36,620 could be eligible for weatherization assistance.”

 

The change in eligibility from 125 percent of poverty to 200 percent will take effect July 1, 2009. Priority will still be given to the elderly, people with disabilities and families with small children.

 

DHS has reached an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to provide highly technical training sessions for energy auditors and weatherization contractors. Energy auditors identify the most cost-effective means for reducing heating and cooling usage in the home. Under the DHS-TVA partnership, the department will provide TVA with the energy efficiency improvement data from the 10-12,000 newly weatherized homes. The non-personal data will help TVA with future power supply planning and offer insight into the impacts of various energy efficiency measures on a wide variety of homes in the Tennessee Valley.

 

DHS works with a network of 18 local community agencies that will carry out the weatherization program. The TVA-led training sessions are being coordinated through these local agencies. Any interested licensed contractor or energy auditor should contact their local agency for training times and locations or visit the DHS Recovery Website at http://tn.gov/wap.  Training space is limited and registration is required by calling the following temporary toll free number: 1-877-830-3304.

 

TVA is the nation’s largest public power provider and is completely self-financing. TVA provides power to large industries and 158 power distributors that serve approximately 9 million consumers in seven southeastern states. Tennessee is its largest service area. The Recovery weatherization program provides opportunities for local community action agencies to partner with TVA to help leverage resources in order to support increased weatherization training needs under an accelerated timeframe.

 

For more information on DHS and its programs, visit www.tn.gov/humanserv  

 

For more information, please contact Michelle Mowery Johnson at (615) 313-4707 or michelle.moweryjohnson@tn.gov.

 

For a list of all Weatherization Assistance Program agencies in the Tennessee and the counties they serve, please see below:

 

3509 Tuckaleechee Pike

Maryville, Tennessee 37703

(865)983-8411

Serving Blount County

 

501 West 12th Street

Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402

(423) 757-5538

Serving Hamilton County

 

P. O. Box 634 - 915 Highway 51 South

Covington, Tennessee 38019

(901) 476-5226

Serving Fayette, Lauderdale & Tipton Counties

 

P.O. Box 208 - 213 College Street

Erin, Tennessee 37061

(931) 289-4101

Serving Dickson, Houston, Humphreys & Stewart Counties

 

P.O. Box 3297, 155 Sixth Street, S.E.

Cleveland, Tennessee 37320

 (423) 479-4111 x 101

Serving Bradley County

 

350 Pageant Lane, Suite 307

Clarksville, TN 37040

(931) 648-5774

 

2247 Western Avenue, PO Box 51650

Knoxville, Tennessee 37950-1650

(865) 637-6700

Serving Knox County

 

9111 Cross Park Drive, Suite D100

Knoxville, Tennessee 37923

(865) 691-2551 or (800) 552-0127 x 4825

Serving: Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Monroe, Morgan, Scott, Sevier & Union Counties

 

701 South Sixth Street

Nashville, Tennessee 37206

(615) 252-8500

Serving Davidson County

 

P.O. Box 43 - 141 Odd Fellow Cemetery Road

Rockwood, Tennessee 37854

(865) 354-0450

Serving Loudon and Roane Counties

 

100 North Main, Suite 1300

Memphis, Tennessee 38103-0513

(901) 545-4630

Serving Shelby County

 

1012 Resource Road, P. O. Box 909

Dunlap, Tennessee 37327

(423) 949-2191

Serving Bledsoe, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea & Sequatchie Counties

 

233 Legend Drive, Suite 103, P. O. Box 310

Lebanon, Tennessee 37088-0310

(615) 742-1113 or 1137

Serving Cheatham, Sumner, Trousdale, Rutherford, Robertson, Wilson & Williamson Counties

 

231 S. Wilson Street

Dresden, Tennessee 38225

(731) 364-3228

Serving Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion & Weakley Counties

 

606 Lee Avenue, P. O. Box 638

Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334

(931) 433-7182

Serving Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry & Wayne Counties

 

1527 White Avenue

Henderson, Tennessee 38340

(731) 989-5111

Serving Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Madison & McNairy Counties

 

3111 Enterprise Drive

Cookeville, Tennessee 38506

(931) 526-8305

Serving Clay, Cannon, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Smith, Warren, White & Van Buren Counties

 

301 Louis Street, P. O. Box 46

Kingsport, Tennessee 37662

(423) 246-6180

Serving Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, Sullivan, Washington

 

 

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