Staff reports
Need a new clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator, or freezer?
If so, you may be eligible to grab a share of the economic stimulus funds available from the state of Minnesota for energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® appliances.
Minnesota’s “Trade-in & Save Appliance Rebate Program,” which will provide rebates of up to $200, will begin on March 1. The program is funded with federal stimulus cash from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Minnesota has $5,009,000 to spend on a projected 25,450 appliances.
Stimulus rebate funds are extremely limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The state has set up a website and toll-free line for customers to reserve their rebates before they start shopping. The reservation system (online and phone) officially opens at 8 a.m. on March 1. General program information will be posted on MNApplianceRebate.com beginning February 1; phone numbers will be provided at a later date.
Minnesota’s appliance program includes rebates for the
following ENERGY STAR -labeled appliances:
»Clothes washers – $200 stimulus rebate
»Dishwashers – $150 stimulus rebate
»Refrigerators – $200 stimulus rebate with purchase and proof of
recycling of your old unit; $100 stimulus rebate for purchase only; must
be larger than 7.75 cubic feet
»Freezers – $100 stimulus rebate with purchase and proof of recycling of
your old unit; $50 stimulus rebate for purchase only
Proof of “recycling/demanufacturing” for refrigerators and freezers can be signed by any party picking up an appliance who certifies that it will be taken off the grid and turned over to an appropriate recycler, ensuring that the appliance will be fully decommissioned and the CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) recycled.
Minnesota homeowners will be limited to one stimulus appliance rebate per household. The rebate is not for commercial uses such as landlords buying for rental properties. The qualifying appliance must be purchased in a store – not online – from a Minnesota retailer. The purchases must be made between March 1 and March 31.
Once a reservation is made, the residents will have 17 days to purchase, recycle their refrigerators and freezers, and postmark their applications, although the state is considering making exceptions for appliances that must be special-ordered. Funds from unclaimed reservations or disqualified applications will be given to residents on a first-come, first-served basis who have submitted their paperwork and are on a waiting list.
Due to the limited funds, the rebates are expected to be gone quickly.
For even more savings, City of Grand Marais electric
customers are eligible to receive the following ENERGY
STAR appliance rebates from the Grand Marais Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) in addition to the stimulus
rebate from the state:
»Clothes washers – $50 utility rebate
»Dishwashers – $25 utility rebate
»Refrigerators – $25 utility rebate plus up to $50 for recycling your old
(working) refrigerator
»Freezers – $25 utility rebate plus up to $50 for the recycling of your old
(working) freezer
PUC rebate forms are available at SaveEnergyInGrandMarais. com and from appliance retailers. The city’s year-round rebate program is separate from the state’s stimulus rebate program. Please visit www.MNApplianceRebate.com or your appliance retailer if you have questions about the state stimulus program.
Don’t miss out on this limited-time deal! These rebates, coupled with the savings over the lifetime of the appliance, make this the perfect time to buy an ENERGY STAR appliance!
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