Oklahoma City, OK, May 28, 2009    Representatives from Oklahoma’s Community Action Agencies visited M-D Building Products last week to get some first-hand knowledge about the tools and weatherization products available to assist them in making thousands of homes in Oklahoma more energy efficient.  These Oklahoma agencies will be receiving $60 million out of an estimated $5 billion allocated to the weatherization program as part of the recently introduced stimulus package, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

M-D Building Products, which was founded in 1920, develops, manufactures and markets a range of residential and commercial weatherproofing products, including door and window weather-stripping, garage door weather-stripping, pipe insulation and a complete line of interior and exterior caulk marketed under both the Tower Sealants and DuPont ™  brands.

“We have been in the weatherization business for almost a century , so we thought it might be helpful to share our knowledge and expertise with the people  in our state  who will be responsible for administering the  weatherization program,,” commented Loren Plotkin, President and CEO of M-D Building Products.

The new funding means more than 7,000 homes across Oklahoma could be weatherized this year, rather than the usual 1,000. The attendees of the M-D Building Products tour will be managing most of the weatherization projects across the state.

Brian Rice, Weatherization Director of Opportunities, Inc.  in Watonga, Oklahoma attended the informational meeting at MD Building Products.  His agency will receive approximately $1.2 million this year from the stimulus package allowing them to weatherize an additional 100-150 homes in 13 northwestern counties of Oklahoma.

“We have been using M-D Building Products for years, but it was extremely helpful to tour their facility and see the products being made,” said Rice. 
The money for the weatherization projects will be dispersed by the Oklahoma Commerce Department to the 19 Community Action Agencies located across the state.  Families can apply to their local Community Action Agency or they can call 1-866-933-4203 to find out more information about how to apply.  The qualification standards have expanded to include families that make up to 200 percent of the state poverty level. Previously, only families that made up to 150 percent of the poverty level were eligible.

All Americans can benefit from a portion of the weatherization stimulus program by taking advantage of a tax credit for the purchase of energy-efficient materials such as windows, climate control systems and insulation.  Credits for these types of purchases have been increased from 10 percent of the cost of materials with a maximum of $500, to 30 percent of the cost of materials with a maximum of $1,500.

Representative from Oklahoma’s Community Action Agencies toured M-D Building Products to learn more about weatherization products manufactured in Oklahoma.  (L to R) Derek Turner, M-D Building Products Plant Manager, Jana Thompson, and Dana Trent, INCA Community Services, Tishomingo, Brian Rice, Opportunities Inc., Watonga, John Jones, Ki Bois Community Action Foundation, Stigler and Robert Meador, Community Action Development Corp, Frederick, OK.