Madison, WI – One year after its adoption, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), also known as President Biden’s Affordable Clean Energy Plan, is already delivering health, economic, climate and environmental benefits to Wisconsin, say local officials and environmental advocates.
Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi joined with climate advocates from Faith in Place, Healthy Climate Wisconsin, the National Wildlife Federation and others today in Wisconsin to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the IRA, which has generated billions of dollars of investments to address the dire effects of climate change. The event, sponsored by Climate Action Campaign (CAC), was held at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison.
On Aug. 16, 2022, President Biden signed into law the IRA, which provides critical investments to address the climate crisis and expand clean energy development and infrastructure. Since then, Wisconsin has received $445 million in clean energy investments. The state has also generated over 500 new good-paying clean energy jobs within the last year.
“The Inflation Reduction Act is helping Madison to leap forward in our clean energy investments, and do so in ways that reduce energy bills, clean the air, and support good-paying jobs,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “The programs supported by the Biden Administration, Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congressperson Mark Pocan will be transformational for our residents, our economy and our climate.”
Among a myriad of local benefits, the IRA includes a major investment for Madison communities through funding the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Rebate Program, which will complement the city-sponsored Efficiency Navigator Program to ensure residents of Madison have opportunities to lower their energy bills.
“We understand that people who have lower incomes often pay a higher proportion of their income on utility bills, and are most impacted by climate change,” said Sustain Dane Executive Director Claire Oleksiak. “The Efficiency Navigator program is supporting affordable housing and climate resilience.”
Working closely with the City of Middleton and the City of Madison, the Efficiency Navigator Program is a city-sponsored initiative that provides free energy efficiency and other upgrades to small- and medium-sized multifamily housing while reducing utility bill costs for residents.
“The Efficiency Navigator takes the guesswork out of upgrading a home and saving energy,” said Heather Allen, Associate Director of Policy for Elevate. “Together, we are supporting Madison’s working families to create safer, more comfortable homes while reducing energy bills and expanding the local clean energy workforce.”
Program participation is open to unsubsidized multifamily housing with rents that are affordable to households at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. Selected buildings receive free technical assistance and building upgrades such as efficient lighting, improved heating, recommendations to improve home health and more.
This impactful initiative is just one example of what communities can begin to envision for the future of Madison and the rest of the state. Every household in Madison, not just those participating in the Efficiency Navigator Program, are eligible to receive financial support for their energy efficiency projects thanks to federal funding through the IRA.
The IRA provides tax incentives and rebates directly to businesses and households to help cover the cost of energy efficiency upgrades, electric heat pumps and more. Residents can learn more about these programs and how they can directly benefit here.
