Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 20 - Division of County Operations › Rule 016.20.11-003 - ARRA Weatherization Assistance Program State Plan 2009 - 2012

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
OVERVIEW
A.
Background
Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of County
				Operations, Office of Community Services (DHS) will administer the American
				Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Low-Income Weatherization Assistance
				Program in compliance with
				public
				law 111-5. DHS will administer the American
				Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009-2012 Weatherization Program, in compliance
				with the appHcable law, including regulations contained in 10 CFR Part 440
				(issued February 1, 2002), and other procedures appUcable to this regulation as
				the United States Department of Energy may prescribe for the administration of
				financial assistance. The plan is for a three-year period, fiscal year 2009
				through fiscal year 2012.
DHS will monitor subgrantee performance in an effort to
				increase production of weatherized units. Quarterly production reports will be
				submitted to DOE on time.
All units weatherized using American Recovery and Reinvestment
				Act funds fi-om DOE will comply with all requirements for a completed unit and
				will be reported to DOE.
The purpose of the Weatherization Assistance program is to
				increase energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income
				persons, reduce their total residential expenditures, and improve their health
				and safety.
The priority population for the Weatherization Assistance
				Program is persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, persons
				with disabilities, families with children, high residential energy users, and
				households with high energy burden. The ARRA weatherization program was enacted
				to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery. The only health and
				safety measures installed with ARRA funds will be "energy-related" health and
				safety measures. The state ensures that it will comply with the DOE "prudent
				use" policy for health and safety funds.
B.
General Funding
The federally appropriated ARRA funds are included in the plan
				for DOE approval. The DOE allocation is $48,114,415.
C. Adjusted
Average
The adjusted average of $6,500 will be in use for the
				program.
D.
Funds for
Administrative Purposes
The state will use less than 5% for administration; the balance
				up to the 5% allowable will be passed to subgrantees. Subgrantees will receive
				5% for administration since all will be allocated more than $350,000 for the
				program period.
E.
			 Additional funding
The state has received an amendment to the existing grant for
				Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers (SERC) activities.
1. Selected Arkansas Weatherization
			 subgrantees are hereby authorized to obligate funds and perform all tasks
			 associated with the Sustainable
Energy
Resources for Consumers
			 (SERC) activities as delineated in the Department of Energy notice of selection
			 dated August 25, 2010 and the authorizing law, EISA Section 411(b), which
			 states that funds must be used to expand WAP for matenals, benefits, and
			 renewable and domestic energy technologies not covered under the
			 program.
2. The selected project(s)
			 must comply with the following guidelines:
a)
State limits per unit:
DOE limits the
statewide
average cost per unit to $12,000 and limits any individual expenditure
			 per unit to a maximum of #30,000.
b)
Expansion of the WAP Program:
Ensure that SERC ftmds are spent to expand the Weatherization program
			 beyond the materials, benefits and technologies currently covered by the WAP.
			 Expanding the program is defined as using funds to:
a. Implement technologies outside of Appendix
			 A to Part 440 - Standards for Weatherization Materials (Appendix A).
b. Implement technologies included in
			 Appendix A, but that do not meet current WAP SIR requirements for the
			 Sub-Grantee.
Technologies not installed with WAP funds due to budgetary
				constraints (to comply with the $6,500 average per home limit) or precluded by
				existing income limits are «o/eligible expenses.
c)
Evaluation:
The
			 Department of Energy will be conducting independent evaluations of project
			 performance under the Sustainable Energy Resources for Consumers grants
			 program. This will sometimes require structuring projects in a way that will
			 enable the development of accurate performance metrics. These performance
			 metrics may include but not be limited to the creation of comparison groups,
			 the gathering of metering information, the collection of billing data and the
			 collection of comprehensive cost information.
3. The Recipient shall revise their current
			 Annual Plan and Budget with the Office of Community Services (OCS) to reflect
			 the addition of the SERC activities.
The Budget Revision Application
			 shall be submitted within 60 days of the date of this amendment.
The application shall include, at a minimum, the following
				information:
- Standard Form 424
- Standard Form 424A
- Budget Justification File
In the event an appUcation is not received within 60 days after
				the date of this amendment, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Office
				of Community Services reserves the right to place a hold on the funds the
				Recipient can request for reimbursement or advance.
4. The Special Terms and Conditions,
			 Reporting Requirements Provision is hereby revised to include the following
			 language:
''NOTE: Subject to OMB approval pursuant to the Paperwork
				Reduction Act and the Privacy Information Act, DOE reserves the right to amend
				the Reporting requirements to include additional data."
5. The Special Terms and
			 Conditions are hereby revised to include the following NEPA provision.
''NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) REQUIREMENTS
The following SERC activities have received a Categorically
				Exclusion (CX) NEPA determination:
* Durable high-R enclosure system retrofits, including
				high-performance walls, foundations, windows, attic ventilation, attic and
				basement air sealing, and ceiling or cathedral roof insulation;
* High-performance space conditioning system retrofits,
				including air handler upgrades, ducts in conditioned space, ventilation,
				heating, solar ventilation pre-heat, cooling, and direct supply of combustion
				air, if needed;\
* High-performance hot water systems, including condensing,
				tankless, and solar hot water systems;
* Cool roof technologies;
* Integration with utility smart-grid pilots or
				implementations;
* Energy usage benchmarking with feedback, which could be o
				In-home displays o Increased on-line access to energy use information o Reports
				or mailings o Other means of transmitting this information;
* Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) and other behavior
				approaches;
* Developing innovative buying cooperatives and bulk buying
				strategies to lower costs of materials;
* Onsite renewable energy technology that generates electricity
				fi-om renewable resources, including the following which are generally
				categorically excluded under the National Environmental PoHcy Act
				(NEPA):
o Solar Electricity/Photovoltaic - appropriately sized system
				or unit on existing rooftops and parking shade structures; or a 60 KW system or
				small unit installed on the ground within the boundaries of an existing
				facility. o Wind Turbine - 20 KW or smaller. o Solar Thermal - system must be
				20 KW or smaller. o Solar Thermal Hot Water - appropriately sized for
				residences or small commercial buildings. o Ground Source Heat Pump - 5.5 tons
				of capacity or smaller, horizontal/ vertical,
ground, closed-loop system. o Combined Heat and Power System -
				boilers sized appropriate for the buildings in which they are located. o
				Biomass Thermal - 3 MMBTUs per hour or smaller system with appropriate
				Best
Available Control Technologies (BACT) installed and
				operated.
Any SERC activities that are not identified above may require
				an individual NEAP review and determination. You are restricted from taking any
				action using Federal fimds for projects that would have an adverse effect on
				the environment prior to DOE providing a final NEPA determination.
If an eHgible sub grantee moves forward with activities that
				are identified above in advance of a final NEPA determination, associated costs
				may not be recognized as allowable project costs.