Home owners with limited incomes may be able to lower their energy bills with help provided by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

The SouthEastern Arizona Community Action Program has announced it will receive about $4.6 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program in Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties over the next three years.

Nicole Arreola, the southern Cochise County coordinator for SEACAP, said they are hoping to get as many applications as possible for the program.

SEACAP assists low income households with utility and rental assistance and the home weatherization program, which provided home repairs and improvements to aid energy efficiency.

“We’ve been granted a good amount of funding,” she said.  “We want to take as many applications as possible.”

Eligibility is based on income and family size, Arreola said.

An individual must have an income of less than $21,660 to be eligible. A family of four with a household income less than $44,100 could also qualify.

One an application is approved a weatherization supervisor will visit the home to test the home’s energy efficiency and assess the needed repairs.

Home improvements available through the program include weather stripping, insulation, sealing leaks and replacing outdated appliances with modern, energy-efficient heaters, air conditioners and other appliances.

A maximum investment of $6,500 per home is allowed by the program, Arreola said.

The improvements are expected to reduce home heating bills by an average of 32 percent.

For application information residents of Southern Cochise County can call SEACAP case managers Jessica Esqueda or Priscilla Lord or Nicole Arreola at 432-5401.

Other county residents can call 1 (800) 293-1144.