Issues & Topics

Energy

Community Action Agencies administer programs to help ease the burden of skyrocketing energy costs on low-income families.

Weatherization

NCAF's Response to the Inspector General Report on WAP

Progress in the Recovery Act Weatherization Program
March 2, 2010

In recent weeks, the anniversary of the Recovery Act (ARRA) focused media attention on the much-expanded Dept. of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program. It had originally been expected that this was one program that could expand quickly; its operations and systems are long-established; demand is high for its services that reduce energy use in low-to-moderate-income housing, and workers in the homebuilding and remodeling market desperately need jobs.

However, new requirements raised unexpected roadblocks to implementation, and a recently-issued DOE Inspector General [IG] report pointed to legislated mandates, new federal regulations, ill-timed delays in state budget processes and staffing shortages in the state offices responsible.

The National Community Action Foundation (NCAF) shares the confidence expressed by the Department of Energy in its published response to the IG report. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kathleen Hogan wrote: “The Department is confident that the weatherization efforts under the Recovery Act continue to ramp up and will achieve the economic impact envisioned while creating clean energy jobs across the nation.” The leaders of our local Weatherization agencies nationwide agree that the program is poised to make good on its promise of good jobs, excellent training in green-collar building skills, and hundreds of thousands of homes with lower energy bills.

While Community Action Agencies also agree with the Inspector General report’s overall findings, we believe the recommendations fall short; more must be done to ensure that the program can successfully meet its goals. Certain aspects of the federal implementation of the program, as well as some states’ design of their program, can still derail its forward progress. Departures from proven Weatherization practices are in direct conflict with the reason Congress and the Administration chose Weatherization: it was a “scalable” vehicle for delivering jobs and efficient homes.

The Administration’s team at the Department of Energy has adopted a welcome policy of unprecedented openness and regular dialogue with our organization and our national partners, the state administrators of the program (NASCSP). Over time, this process will certainly result in better solutions and more effective implementation at all levels of the program. NCAF has made very specific recommendations to the DOE, states and Congress about decisions that would overcome the obstacles identified in the first year of ARRA program design, planning and implementation; there is every reason to expect success soon, followed by a triumphant report on the second anniversary of ARRA

The National Community Action Foundation represents the nation’s 1,100 local Community Action Agencies in Washington, DC. About three quarters of these local, community-led organizations deliver the services of the US Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) assists the lowest income households who spend a high proportion of their income on home energy costs. Forms of assistance available to low-income households through State LIHEAP programs include: financial assistance towards a household's energy bill, emergency assistance if a household's home energy service is shut off or about to be shut off, and a range of other energy-related services.