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Hie Herald and The Lantern

Wednesday, December

Home Audits Reduce

Energy Use, Cost

Anthony T. Catanoso, Director

jr

Thomas Tucker *

William Sturm Gerald Thornton

Ralph W. Evans

In a joint effon, the New Jersey Department of Energy, New Jersey’s gas and electric utility companies and the New Jersey Fuel Merchants Association will provide low-cost energy audits for the state’s homeowners beginning this month. This new service, called the New Jersey Home Energy Savings Program, will provide homeowner/occupants of one-to-four family dwellings with comprehensive information on conservation options and financing for home energy improvements. This audit service will include on-site structural inspection of the dwellings. Audits will be performed by utility personnel at a $15 charge. Combustion efficiency teats of oil-fired furnaces will be provided by fuel oil service personnel for a $10 fee. Free of Charge Home audits will be provided free of charge for residents eligible for the Lifeline Credit Program. Lifeline is designed to abeorb some of the costs of home heating for the elderly, the disabled and the blind, with a statefunded $100 utility credit. “The New Jersey Home Energy Savings Program has been conceived to secure maximum citizen participation,” explained Energy Commissioner Joel R. Jacobson. “This program will supply information and instruction that can reduce some ~ ' 4 ‘ "* fttel bills

much as 50 percent, while reducing New Jersey’s

overall consumption of energy.” The one-hour audits will instruct homeowners on what modifications they can make, especially small modifications that cost less than $100 such as weatherstripping and caulking. The program will be announced through inserts in all residential electric utility bills, init^Uy over the next three months. If the public response is favorable, this period may be extended. Electric heating customers will be asked to contact their electric utilities for information and requests for audits. Gas heating customers will be directed to contact their gas company, while oil heating homeowners will be referred to the NJDOE’s toll-free energy Information Line <*0>«24242. To monitor and evaluate the quality and success of the program, the NJDOE will receive monthlv summaries from each utility and from the Energy Information Line. Additionally, the NJDOE will re-examine randomly some of the on-site Inspections performed by eech utility. Six months after the initial audits have been performed, follow-up questionnaires will be sent to homeowners on a random basis. The NJDOE will submit the program’s results to the U.6. Department of Energy as New Jersey’s version of the federal Residential Conservation Service Program.

Best Wishes For The Holiday Season and New Year From The BOROUGH OF AVALON Mayor Ellsworth Armacost

Council Members: Raymond S. Gray, Jr.

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James Busha

PhilipF. Jud

Mary Grace keen

Rachel H. Sloan

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the TOWNSHIP OF UPPER Mayor Leonard Migliaccio

DanM Beyai ft Frank Krak And All TH« El«ct*d And Appointed OHicioU Of Uppor Townahip