U.S. Senators urge Obama Administration to take action
WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to put federal dollars to good use making homes energy efficient and creating jobs, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators led by Jack Reed (D-RI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to take action and use its authority to prevent the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) from shriveling up and leaving millions of Americans out in the cold. Through grants to states working with community partners, WAP has successfully weatherized 7.3 million low-income homes, helping low-income families reduce their energy bills by upgrading insulation and making energy-saving improvements to heating, cooling, and electrical systems.
WAP funding was slashed from $174 million in 2011 to $68 million in fiscal year 2012 because DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) still had funds left over from the Recovery Act. These funds have now been expended. But the $68 million level of funding was extended to 2013 because Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR), and the program may now be cut another 5 percent or more due to the sequester and other across the board reductions. If this happens, thousands fewer homes will be weatherized, eligible families will lose potential energy savings, and there could be a significant loss of full-time employment for a large number of skilled weatherization workers.
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