Help Available for Storm-Affected Village Residents

Babylon residents who buy high-efficiency appliances to replace items damaged by Hurricane turned Tropical Storm Irene or Tropical Storm Lee are now eligible for a New York state rebate program.

That’s because Governor Andrew Cuomo launched an $8 million appliance and equipment rebate program this week called the New York State Storm Relief Rebate Program.

It's being administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The program money will help residents cover the costs of replacing vital household appliances and equipment – such as refrigerators, boilers, washing machines, and furnaces – damaged by recent flooding with ENERGY STAR or other high-efficiency models.

Rebates will be a fixed amount for different appliances, and could cover up to 100 percent of the costs of a purchase.

However, if the cost of the appliance exceeds the cap, then the program will pay a portion of the total costs up to the cap.

Products eligible under this rebate program include refrigerators ($350), clothes washers ($250), clothes dryers ($250), dehumidifiers ($100), furnaces ($2,000), boilers ($2,500) and qualified hot water heaters (gas storage water heaters, heat pump water heaters, electric water heaters, $400).

Only appliances and equipment that replace those damaged in the storms are eligible for rebates. The only exception is dehumidifiers that could either replace a damaged unit, or be purchased to reduce humidity resulting from the storms.

The program is providing this assistance exclusively for New York state residents who aren’t receiving compensation from FEMA or insurance companies for these appliances or equipment.

Rebates are only available to residents of single-family homes and multi-family buildings, and there’s a maximum of one rebate per appliance/equipment type per installation address.

Purchases also must be made on or after August 29, 2011 for residents affected by Irene, or on or after September 9, 2011 for residents affected by Lee.

Appliances or equipment must meet the ENERGY STAR criteria – though exceptions might apply. See the website for more information.

To apply for the rebate, call 1-877-NY-SMART or 1-877-697-6278, or fill out an application online.

The process is expected to take approximately four to six weeks for a completed application. Original receipts must be included with the application.