Weatherization Funds Available For Baton Rouge Residents

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — More East Baton Rouge residents will be able to take advantage of weatherization projects to lower their heating and cooling bills thanks to $619,440 in grants the city-parish's Office of Community Development received from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The repairs offered by the program include sealing cracks around windows and doors, repairing ducts, and tuning and repairing heating and cooling units.

The measures reduce the average energy costs by about $300 per dwelling.

In previous years, Baton Rouge has been awarded between $200,000 and $300,000, meaning this year the program will be available to more residents.

From 2009 to 2012, Jamie Mabile, director of the city-parish Office of Community Development, says t program has reached between 90 and 276 people per year.