SAVING ENERGY, SAVING MONEY - HELPFUL INFORMATION AND TIPS

Dear New Yorker:

Energy costs are a major concern to all of us in the Northeast -- especially during the winter months. 

While the prices of home heating fuels go up and down with national and international markets and are NOT controlled by the utilities or state governments, my colleagues and I in the State Senate are committed to providing relief. Keeping warm in winter shouldn�t mean breaking the family budget.

There are many programs that can help New Yorkers conserve energy and reduce heating costs. The following web page provides an overview on and links to available state and federal assistance programs, as well as useful tips on how to save energy and save money.

Sincerely,
Joseph L. Bruno
State Senator

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New York Energy $mart
New York Energy $mart funds some 2,700 projects in more than 30 programs that helps New Yorkers save energy and money by:

* replacing aging appliances with ENERGY STAR products;
* conducting home performance energy audits;
* making homes safe & more comfortable;
* building new, more efficient homes; and
* finding qualified contractors and builders.


The ENERGY STAR Label
New York Energy $mart brings you ENERGY STAR, a government backed program that helps consumers and businesses save money through energy-efficiency. The ENERGY STAR label is given to products and appliances that cut appliance electricity use by 20-50% to reduce monthly utility bills.


Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program
Under Home Performance with ENERGY STAR�, a participating Building Performance Institute (BPI)-certified Home Performance contractor will perform a home energy audit and provide recommendations for energy improvements.

There is a fee for the audit. However, if you choose to have the work done, the fee is deducted from the cost of the work. After completing the audit, the BPI-certified Home Performance contractor will provide itemized cost estimates for each suggested improvement--making it easier to choose which improvements to make--and a computerized report outlining the energy savings per improvement.


Financing options to pay for the work:
ENERGY STAR Financing - offers homeowners low-interest, unsecured loans from $2,500 to $20,000, depending on qualifications.
Energy $mart Loan Fund - provides a network of NY lenders that offer loans for energy-efficient home upgrades. New York Energy $mart reduces the rates on these loans by up to 4.0% over a 10-year term.
Homeowner Financing Incentive - provides 10% of the cost of eligible measures, in the form of a check, directly from the NYSERDA.

Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
If you are income-eligible, you may receive assistance to cover up to 50% of the cost of energy efficiency improvements recommended by a BPI-certified Home Performance contractor�s home energy audit. Households with income between 60% and 80% of State Median Income may be eligible for the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, another New York Energy $mart program.

Under this program, homeowners and renters may be eligible for subsidies of up to $5,000 per household, and 2-4 family building owners up to a maximum of $10,000 per building. Also, low-interest loans are available to cover the balance of the cost of the work.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, also called HEAP, provides financial assistance to help pay home heating costs. To be eligible, a household must meet income guidelines, currently 60% of the State Median Income or below, and either pay directly for heating costs or pay rent that includes heating costs. Individual applicants must be U.S. citizens or qualified aliens.

Priority is given to those households that have a child or children under age 8, adults over 60, or disabled individuals living in the house; spend a large portion of their income on energy bills; have the lowest income; or run out of heating fuel. Applications are taken at all local departments of social services.

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
The federally-funded Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) provides money-saving (and in some cases, life-saving) energy efficiency home improvements at no cost to those who qualify. Services are for people with low-incomes, particularly elderly adults, handicapped people, and families with young children. In New York, the program provides services to people with household incomes below 60% of the State Median Income, who reside in either single-family homes or multifamily buildings.

As part of WAP, a contractor will visit your home to determine what energy saving steps can be taken. Examples of weatherization services include adding insulation, making doors and windows more air-tight, replacing problem furnaces and ensuring overall electrical safety.

Choosing Your Gas/Electric Company
A major change has occurred in our state�s energy industry: New Yorkers may now purchase electricity and natural gas from companies other than their utility in a competitive market. This important change should bring you better value for your energy dollar.

Energy service is made up of two parts, supply and delivery. Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) can compete to sell you electricity and natural gas, while your utility will still deliver your energy and respond to emergencies. The Legislature passed a measure in 2002 to ensure that ESCOs provide the same consumer protections that regulated utilities must provide. For more information, call 1-888-Ask-PSC1.

Consumer Rights Consumers who are having problems paying their utility bill should be aware of their rights and responsibilities under the Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA) rules.


Special Protections
Special protections are available for consumers with medical emergencies; or who are elderly, blind or disabled; and to all consumers during the cold weather period between November 1 and April 15.

If your utility is aware that you and all adults living with you are 62 years of age or older, blind or disabled, it will make special attempts to contact you by phone or, if necessary, in person, at least three days before a scheduled service shut off in order to help you keep your utility service on.

During the cold weather period of November 1 to April 15, your utility has to make special efforts to determine if disconnection of your heat-related service will cause a problem to your health and safety.


Payment Arrangements
Deferred Payment Agreements - If you have a financial problem that prevented you from paying previous bills, you can make a deferred payment agreement, which will allow you to pay the overdue amount in reasonable installments.

Third Party Notification - As a residential customer, you can select a "third party," such as a relative or friend, to receive all notices relating to service termination. The third party can contact your utility on your behalf and help you work out payment terms.

Budget or Balanced Billing - These payment plans help to spread payments out more evenly across the year. Call your utility company at the number located on your bill or in the front of your telephone book to see what�s available in your area.


Disconnections
If your service has been, or is about to be, terminated for non-payment, you can call the NYS Public Service Commission�s Consumer Services Division at their special toll-free Emergency HOTLINE, 1-800-342-3355 between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on business days.

Tips For Lowering Your Energy Bills

Winterizing Your Home
* Have your furnace cleaned and checked annually. A dirty or plugged filter reduces the amount of heated air supplied to your home or apartment, increasing your heating cost.

* Set the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Each degree you keep the thermostat set below 68 F can save you 3 to 5 percent of your heating cost.

* Make sure air registers are not obstructed by furniture, carpeting or drapes.

* Keep windows near the thermostat tightly closed.

* Open shades and drapes on sunny sides of your home or apartment during daytime hours. Close them at night.

* Keep windows tightly latched. Latching generally reduces air leakage through gaps around window sashes.

* For a temporary but quick and effective fix before winter, tape plastic film storm window kits to the inside of the windows. If left in place, these kits usually last up to three years.

* For the best insulation of all, wear warm clothes.

* Keep waterbeds covered with a heavy comforter or blankets. The heater in an unmade waterbed can consume 30 percent more electricity than the heater in a made-up bed.

* Keep fireplace damper closed unless in use. Close the damper as soon as you are certain the fire is completely out.

* If using a portable space heater, turn down the central heating thermostat to offset the energy being consumed by the space heater.

* Never operate kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. Never burn charcoal in the house or garage.

 

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