Obama Rebate Program Will Create Jobs, Save Homeowners Money

WASHINGTON (March 2, 2010) - President Obama gave more details today of a $6 billion program to give homeowners rebates to make improvements to their homes that make them more energy efficient.

Congress still needs to approve the plan, known formally as Home Star -- and nicknamed “Cash for Caulkers.” Improvements such as adding insulation or replacing old furnaces can reduce monthly energy bills while creating jobs in the slumping construction industry, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The following is a statement by Lane Burt, manager of Building Energy Policy at NRDC:  

“Some estimates show that homeowners could save up to $1200 a year on energy costs while improving the comfort and value of their homes.  Even the most basic upgrade puts money in our pockets, puts Americans back to work and puts energy waste on the run. It's a triple play on a more efficient future. And it pays for itself by helping our economy to recover. I hope Congress will continue to work hard to make this a reality.

“American homes are so wildly inefficient that billions and billions of dollars in wasted energy are holding back our economic recovery. Fixing our leaky homes has the potential to create countless high quality jobs that cannot be sent overseas.  There are well over 100 million homes in this country and nearly all of them can slash their energy use by half with off-the-shelf technology. With home efficiency, we will not be limited by the amount of work that needs to be done, but rather the amount of people out there to do the work.”