Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Manager
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States Launch Home Energy Rebates Program
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that Arizona, New Mexico, Maine, and Rhode Island have launched their Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs.
- New Mexico: NM’s HEAR will provide low-income single-family homeowners and low- and middle-income renters up to $14,000 in rebates to upgrade equipment and appliances. Rebates are available now, but the program is being launched in phases, so not all products are currently available. NM’s Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) will be available later in 2024.
- Arizona: In partnership with local community action agencies, AZ’s HEAR will initially focus on providing heat pumps under an air-conditioning replacement program; low-moderate (LMI) owners of single-family homes facing extreme heat will be eligible for up to a $8,000 rebate. Later in the fall, the state plans to roll out the remainder of its program, providing LMI homeowners and renters with up to $14,000 in rebates to upgrade equipment and appliances. It will cover up to 100% of costs for lower-income families.
- Maine: Overseen by the Maine Governor’s Energy Office and implemented by Efficiency Maine, which already offers robust incentives for heat pumps and other upgrades. Rebates are currently available for LI owners of manufactured homes and affordable multifamily new construction of 24+ units. After the first year, that state plans to expand the manufactured home incentives to include eligibility for moderate-income owners. Smaller new construction multifamily properties will also be able to apply for rebates. HER funding is expected to be available by late 2024 or early 2025.
- Rhode Island: The program is open to income-eligible and moderate-income residents of single-family homes, multi-family homes, and renters across Rhode Island. The HEAR Program offers two rebate pathways: Pathway 1 (Launched Sep. 17, 2024): For households with income up to 80% Area Median Income (AMI), or households participating in LIHEAP. Pathway 2 (Expected to launch in 2025): For households with income up to 150% of the AMI.
Home Energy Rebates are expected to become available in several states in the coming weeks.
Climate Pollution Reduction Tribal Grantees Selected
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected 34 Tribal and territorial communities to receive $300 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG). Funds will be used to address climate change, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate the clean energy transition. Cumulatively, the selectees’ proposed projects are estimated to reduce over seven million metric tons of CO2 emissions by 2050. They will target pollution from six sectors of the economy, particularly focusing on transportation ($45 million), electric power ($139 million), and commercial and residential buildings ($55 million), while stimulating workforce development and job creation.
President Biden Announces Billions to Rural America’s Energy Sector
As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program announced $7.3 billion to help rural electric cooperatives build clean energy. Collectively, the 16 selections will build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy—including 4,733 megawatts of solar—and make enabling investments in transmission, substation upgrades, and distributed energy resource management software. Projects will deliver cleaner, more affordable to approx. five million households across 23 states reduce pollution by 2.9 billion tons. Additional selected New ERA cooperatives and awards will be made in the coming months.