TDEC and the City of Bristol Announce New Energy Efficiency Assistance Program

Program Will Provide Low Income Homeowners with Energy-Saving Home Improvements

BRISTOL – Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau and Bristol Mayor Michelle Dolan announce the launch of the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program, a new grant program for low to moderate income homeowners. The program will provide qualifying homeowners with a free in-home energy evaluation and financial assistance to install recommended energy efficiency upgrades.

“By encouraging investments in home energy savings, the Energy Efficiency Assistance Program has two long-term goals; to decrease air pollutant emissions associated with the generation of electricity and to increase economic opportunity of participating homeowners through reduced energy use and lower monthly utility bills,” Martineau said.

The Bristol Tennessee Electric Service will provide free in-home energy evaluations to qualifying applicants. Upon completion of the evaluation, participants will receive a customized implementation plan that sets out specific home energy improvement measures. Energy-efficiency upgrades may include windows and doors, refrigerators, electrical systems, insulation and heating and air systems.

In addition, financial assistance of up to $15,000 per home will be provided to qualified homeowners until funds are expended.. Homeowners must provide the city with access to utility bills in order to monitor and verify the energy savings generated from the energy efficiency improvement measures.

“This project will not only produce environmental benefits to the City of Bristol in the way of reduced electricity-generated emissions, it will also provide economic benefits by lowering electricity bills and increasing demand for local energy-related jobs and services,” Dolan said.

The Energy Efficiency Assistance Program is funded by a Clean Air Act settlement agreement between King Pharmaceuticals, LLC, the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The settlement agreement was negotiated through the assistance of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, TDEC’s Office of General Counsel and the Division of Air Pollution Control and entered in the federal district court in Greeneville in August 2013. TDEC committed to dedicate a total of $575,000 of settlement funds to complete homeowner energy efficiency improvement measures under the consent decree, establishing this program to be administered under a contract with the City of Bristol.

Interested homeowners can contact Mindy Bowman with the City of Bristol’s Community Development Office at 423-989-5514.

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