POTTSTOWN — Area residents will have a unique opportunity Oct. 16 when the Department of Environmental Protection holds one of only three in-person hearings on new home-energy rebate programs being put into place in Pennsylvania.
It will take place Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at on the second floor art gallery of North Hall of the Montgomery County Community College campus in Pottstown. If you can’t make that, there is a virtual session on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m.
These energy efficiency programs are funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act and Pennsylvania has been awarded $258 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to help eligible Pennsylvanians save on home energy costs by offering rebates aimed at improving energy efficiency.
These programs aim to provide income-eligible residents with rebates for high-efficiency home appliances, equipment, and energy efficiency improvements for both single- and multi-family homes and landlords, tenants, and homeowners through two new programs called Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates and Home Efficiency Rebates.
DEP is managing these new programs and needs to hear from those who will take advantage of these rebates on how these programs should work. DEP will conduct information sessions to convene with the public, discuss the development of the rebate programs, and incorporate public feedback.
DEP’s Energy Programs Office is currently designing the programs for implementation in compliance with federal requirements and is expected to submit the program plans for federal approval by mid-November.
If you’d like a little help in understanding the programs and how to maximize your input, two free advance online workshops on the programs, one at noon and another at 6 p.m., are being offered by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania.
The aim of the prep session is to give the public all the information needed to provide effective feedback on the PA Home Energy Rebate Programs to the DEP.
The Housing Alliance’s prep sessions will: Review the PA Home Energy Rebate Programs; Discuss why feedback is important and; Review public comment tips for crafting an effective and impactful statement.
