State failed to spend $5.4M in energy funds to aid poor, auditor says
a downward ripple effect that hurt local agencies and caused subcontractors Pennsylvania failed to that do weatherization spend more than $5.4 million work to no longer participate of federal weatherization in the weatherization funds intended to help program,” Michael low-income households Gerber, a spokesman for due to the 2015-16 state the department, said in a budget impasse and statement. “With fewer changes in federal standards, subcontractors participating an audit released in the program, less Tuesday found. actual weatherization
The unspent funds, work could be done, and which were returned to the ability for local agencies the federal government, to work through their could have helped more waiting lists was diminished. than 500 homes become The federal changes more energy-efficient and forced major challenges reduce the residents’ heating on programs in every bills. state, not just Pennsylvania,
“That’s Pennsylvania and the changes were dollars that were sent given almost no consideration back to the federal government,” by this audit.” state Auditor General While the auditor general Eugene DePasquale didn’t fault the agency said Tuesday at a news for the lengthy budget conference in Harrisburg. standoff in 2015-16 between
The audit covered the Democratic Gov. Weatherization Assistance Tom Wolf and the RepublicanProgram, administeredcontrolled General by the state’s Department Assembly, he said the of Community and agency failed to proactively Economic Development plan during this and the Low Income Home budget impasse period. Energy Assistance Program, When weatherization known as LIHEAP, funds weren’t released to which helps families pay local agencies until February their utility bills and is 2016, local agencies run by the state’s Department then had to spend roughly of Human Services. two years’ worth of funding
Both programs are federally in a 17-month period. funded. “While it is clear those
Mr. DePasquale said funds cannot legally be Tuesday his audit showed spent during a budget impasse, the LIHEAP program is that is not an excuse well-run overall and is for poor planning,” helping the people it is intended Mr. DePasquale said in a to serve. statement. “DCED should
The audit faulted DCED, have spent that time preparing however, for failing to to help the largest spend millions in federal number of vulnerable residents. funds, as well as for what it Instead, DCED had called a “flawed” and to give $5.4 million back to “poorly administered” process the federal government. to prioritize weatherization That is unacceptable.” services. The audit also recommended
Weatherization funds that legislation be can pay for improvements enacted “that requires all such as installation of insulation, available federal funding replacement of heating that promotes the safety systems with more energyand welfare of at-risk Pennsylvaniansefficient ones, and to be released to other home repairs and education state agencies as of July 1 measures to help of each year” in the event people reduce energy of a future impasse, Mr. waste. Households must DePasquale said. have a total income below Problems with the 200 percent of the federal weatherization program poverty income guidelines, have been noted in prior or $40,840 for a family of audits. three, to take part in the The auditor said the governor program. should consider
DCED said in a statement moving the program to the that it dispensed Department of Human Services more than $30 million that and out of DCED, was used to weatherize which is primarily an economic more than 3,700 homes development within the period of the agency. audit, July 1, 2013, through DCED said it “will continue June 30, 2017. to address deficiencies
The audit was conducted with all of our programs “at a time when to improve the services federally mandated offered to Pennsylvania changes, including drastically businesses and residents.” higher work standards,” were being implemented to weatherization programs nationally.
“These changes caused Pittsburgh Post-Gazette