Governor Abigail Spanberger announced the release of more than $67 million in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) funds for home weatherization repairs and upgrades across Virginia.
The money, which had been previously withheld by the prior administration, will support critical repairs to more than 1,000 homes through the Commonwealth's Weatherization Deferral Repair program. The program fixes leaking roofs, repairs structural issues, and addresses electrical, plumbing, mold, and water damage problems.
An additional $15 million from RGGI funding will help residents access enhanced energy efficiency improvements through the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), providing new insulation, air sealing, energy-efficient light bulbs, and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Department of Housing and Community Development manages both programs through a statewide network of 15 weatherization providers. The announcement also noted that $52 million in previously withheld RGGI funds will go to the Affordable and Special Needs Housing program for energy-efficiency upgrades in affordable housing construction and renovation.
Spanberger and the General Assembly established bill credits for residential customers and small businesses that will offset RGGI costs in the near term. The governor said that across the RGGI program nationally, $5.7 billion in auction proceeds invested in energy and clean energy programs to date are projected to yield $22.6 billion in total bill savings for consumers.