45 Years of Success for the Weatherization Assistance Program

October 30th is Weatherization Day. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Weatherization Assistance Program. The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created on August 14th, 1976, when President Gerald Ford signed the Energy Conservation and Production Act into law. The legislation established a weatherization program in order to “increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditures, and improve their health and safety…” The new program targeted the elderly, people with disabilities, children, and those with a high energy burden to address issues like drafty windows and poor air sealing.

Forty-five years later, the WAP has evolved into nationwide energy efficiency program administered by building science professionals that has served more than eight million low-income people in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, five U.S. Territories, and three Native American Tribes. The WAP continues to provide cost-effective energy efficiency savings to low-income Americans, while now also improving health and safety, supporting a robust national workforce, and utilizing cutting edge technology.

From its roots in the 1973 oil crisis to expansion during the 2008 Housing Crisis to its current role in addressing indoor air quality concerns in the COVID-19 pandemic, the WAP has always changed and improved with the times. Now that WAP has finished its 45th year, we have the opportunity to celebrate nearly half a century of success in meeting our program’s mission. Tioga Opportunities, Inc. is proud to celebrate this milestone anniversary and help households across our area improve their quality of life through our Weatherization Assistance Program. You can learn more by visiting, https://tiogaopp.org/energy-weatherization/