Arizona voters unaware of Biden's clean energy plan, more outreach needed
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(Arizona News Connection) Only one in five Arizona voters said they have heard about President Joe Biden's effort to address climate change and expand clean energy.
One organization contends Arizona seniors have won big with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, especially as the state continues to battle relentless heat and the effects of climate change.
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Dora Vazques, executive director of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, said older Arizonans experience greater risk when exposed to extreme temperatures, which has led to an increased demand for energy and price hikes.
"It is a crisis in that 'are we able to pay for those electricity bills?''' Vazques noted. "With this plan, there are a lot of incentives to weatherize your home. Weatherize meaning that you can have funding to put in new windows, to put in insulation; things that will help to protect you."
The Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency is expected to take advantage of approximately $150 million in rebates to benefit Arizona homes. Vazques pointed out older adults, who rely on Social Security to cover their expenses, are less likely to combat rising energy costs and are less able to afford repairs on dated equipment. Information on incentives is at homes.rewiringamerica.org.
While upfront costs for going electric tend to be higher than fossil-fuel dependent counterparts, Vazques noted the investments will save money in the long-term. Rewiring America found the average household could save about $360 per year by making the switch. Vazques emphasized one of the biggest challenges is the lack of awareness among Arizona homeowners and renters about the help available to them.
"They need those upgrades to move away from gas appliances to electric appliances, to upgrade that cooler to an air conditioner," Vazques outlined. "This is a godsend for all of Arizona."
Vazques added clean energy investments will also help Arizona's economy. Biden's clean energy plan will bring more than $4 billion in clean energy investments to Arizona by 2030, according to Climate Power.
