CSHB 323(ENE): "An Act relating to the Alaska energy efficient home grant fund; and creating a grant program for converting homes in regions designated as particulate matter nonattainment areas to efficient home heating systems."
00 CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 323(ENE) 01 "An Act relating to the Alaska energy efficient home grant fund; and creating a grant 02 program for converting homes in regions designated as particulate matter 03 nonattainment areas to efficient home heating systems." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 18.56.410(b) is amended to read: 06 (b) Subject to appropriation, the corporation shall [MAY] grant funds from 07 the Alaska energy efficient home grant fund to the owner of a home within a region 08 designated as a particulate matter nonattainment area and otherwise eligible 09 under this section for the purpose of converting to an efficient home heating 10 system. A homeowner is not eligible for a grant under this section if the 11 homeowner is eligible for an energy efficiency and weatherization program grant 12 under AS 18.56.850 that is limited to low or moderate income households. To 13 qualify for a grant under this section, an eligible homeowner shall obtain an 14 energy audit performed by an energy rater approved under regulations adopted
01 by the corporation. The cost of the audit shall be borne by the homeowner. The 02 energy rater shall, under regulations adopted by the corporation, perform an 03 inspection of the home and prepare a written estimate of the cost of converting an 04 existing heating method to an efficient home heating system. The amount of the 05 grant may not exceed the lesser of the cost of converting to an efficient home 06 heating system, as estimated by an energy rater under this subsection, or 07 (1) $7,500 for a furnace; or 08 (2) $5,000 for a wood stove [AGENCIES OF THE STATE OR 09 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INDIVIDUALS, OR BUSINESSES THAT RETROFIT 10 EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS OR BUILD NEW SINGLE FAMILY 11 DWELLINGS THAT MEET CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE CORPORATION]. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 18.56.410(c) is amended to read: 13 (c) The corporation shall adopt guidelines and procedures for the fund and 14 may adopt additional eligibility requirements for grants made under this section; 15 however, the corporation may not attach income limits for homeowners who 16 apply for a grant under this section. 17 * Sec. 3. AS 18.56.410 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 18 (d) A home is eligible for a grant under this section if it is a substantially 19 complete owner-occupied single family dwelling or duplex used as a permanent 20 residence by the grant applicant, as determined by the corporation, is located in a 21 region designated as a particulate matter nonattainment area in the state, and meets 22 other requirements that may be adopted under (c) of this section. Not more than 25 23 percent of the gross floor area of the building for which a grant is received may be 24 devoted to commercial use. An eligible home does not include a home 25 (1) that is to be destroyed, abandoned, or converted to another purpose 26 within 12 months after an energy audit is performed under this subsection; 27 (2) that has an existing heating oil device designated by the United 28 States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, to 29 have a rating of greater than or equal to 80 percent annual fuel utilization efficiency or 30 has as an existing heating method a wood stove listed as a Certified Wood Stove by 31 the United States Environmental Protection Agency; or
01 (3) for which a grant was previously received under this section. 02 (e) In this section, 03 (1) "efficient home heating system" means a 04 (A) furnace or boiler designated by the United States 05 Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to 06 have a rating of greater than or equal to 80 percent annual fuel utilization 07 efficiency; or 08 (B) wood stove listed as a Certified Wood Stove by the United 09 States Environmental Protection Agency; 10 (2) "particulate matter nonattainment area" means a region designated 11 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a particulate matter (PM 12 2.5) nonattainment area under the most current standard. 13 * Sec. 4. AS 18.56.850 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14 (c) A homeowner that has received a grant under AS 18.56.410 for an efficient 15 home heating system is not eligible for a grant under (a) of this section, regardless of 16 whether the homeowner has moved to a home that is not the same home for which the 17 grant was received under AS 18.56.410.