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Jury hears Trump and Cohen Discussing Hush-Money Deal on secret recording; Nature-based solutions help solve Mississippi River Delta problems; Public lands groups cheer the expansion of two CA national monuments; 'Art Against the Odds' shines a light on artists in the WI justice system.

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President Biden defends dissent but says "order must prevail" on campus, former President Trump won't commit to accepting the 2024 election results and Nebraska lawmakers circumvent a ballot measure repealing private school vouchers.

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Bidding begins soon for Wyoming's elk antlers, Southeastern states gained population in the past year, small rural energy projects are losing out to bigger proposals, and a rural arts cooperative is filling the gap for schools in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Big Energy & Money Savings in PA Affordable Housing

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Monday, June 1, 2015   

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Basic steps for Pennsylvania's affordable housing will have a huge energy efficiency payoff, according to two new studies. The National Housing Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) are part of a broad coalition looking at the issue.

Michael Bodaken, executive director with the housing trust, says basic measures such as compact fluorescent bulbs, low-flow faucets, double-pane windows and better insulation would yield big results in existing affordable apartments $21 billion in energy savings in eight states over the next 20 years. He says in PA the return is more than three times the cost.

"Tripling my investment in something that actually helps make people more energy efficient, healthier and more comfortable seems like a good thing to consider," says Bodaken.

The studies found families in Pennsylvania's affordable-housing apartments could cut 13 percent from their natural gas consumption and even more from their electricity use.

Deron Lovaas with the NRDC says this is big, low-hanging fruit, which also means savings for the utilities and the apartments' owners. He says with a little better information, incentives and financing, utilities and property owners in other states already are seeing lower energy use and better bottom lines.

"If owners and managers have a pathway to energy-efficiency programs and a pathway to financing, they'll take advantage of that," says Lovaas. "We'll see savings accrue to tenants, owners and managers alike."

For the owners of affordable housing such as the housing trust, Bodaken says the upgrades mean keeping units on the market longer and keeping rents down. For utilities they mean fewer unpaid bills and lower collection costs. He says the improvements are really no-brainers.

"Literally billions of dollars of energy-efficiency potential. We could reduce annual electric usage just in Pennsylvania by 25 percent," says Bodaken.

More details on the studies and on how to at make the improvements at energyefficiencyforall.org.


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