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News & Events |
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Press ReleasesLocal Energy Conservation Program Caught in Washington Spending FightWILLIMANTIC, April 11, 2007 - Before its Spring recess, the U.S. Senate directed the Energy Department to restore funding for local weatherization efforts that the Administration cut from its 2007 spending plan just as local crews were gearing up for the year. The Bush Administration recently revised the Energy Department's 2007 spending plan to cut the Weatherization Assistance Program by $38 million, or 16 percent. This change of plans would translate into a 20 percent cut to the local weatherization program managed by the ACCESS Community Action Agency. According to the agency's Director of Development and Home Services, Kathryn M. Crees, its skilled local weatherization crew weather-proofs and upgrades heating systems of about 240 homes, affecting over 600 low-wage workers and retirees each year. The Department of Energy estimates these investments reduce energy use by 20 to 30 percent for at least two decades and lower home energy bills an average of $358 each year after the improvements are made. After the Energy Department funding announcement, the Senate amended the Iraq war supplemental emergency spending bill, instructing the Secretary of Energy to restore the program to nearly 2006 levels using funds originally designated for this purpose. However, with the fate of the supplemental spending bill caught between the White House and Congress, the ACCESS Community Action Agency weatherization team is uncertain about how much of its mission can be accomplished. "Until a few weeks ago, we were anticipating full funding for the weatherization program year, which begins April 1," said Crees. "Our weatherization crews are ready to go, and we are prepared to weatherize over 175 homes this year. Now we're unsure how the federal funding situation will affect us. If these cuts are not reversed, there will be many disappointed families in Windham, Tolland and New London Counties, who are currently on weatherization waiting lists. "We hope Congress will reverse this cut before the year moves very far," said Crees. "We are grateful for the commitment of Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) to the low-income energy consumers in our state. We appreciate that they tried to prevent these cuts, and we are confident they will do everything in their power to turn this bad decision around." Senator Dodd was one of the co-sponsors of the Senate amendment to restore Weatherization funding. Crees urged individuals in the community to contact our Senators and Representative to thank them and to continue to urge their support of this funding. Earlier this month, Dodd, Lieberman, and Courtney signed a letter sent to Secretary of Energy Sam Bodman and Office of Management and Budget Director Rob Portman urging them to maintain or increase the Weatherization program as authorized in the 2005 Energy Policy Act. |