PRINTER'S NO. 2788
No. 228 Session of 1986
INTRODUCED BY MILLER, LLOYD, MICHLOVIC, BURNS, GODSHALL, VROON,
LAUGHLIN, REBER, COY, RAYMOND, PISTELLA, LASHINGER, OLASZ,
ARTY, TRUMAN, FOX, SWEET, MICOZZIE, ITKIN, SERAFINI, HOWLETT,
WOGAN, HALUSKA, PETRARCA, FATTAH, J. TAYLOR, RICHARDSON,
McVERRY, MRKONIC, D. W. SNYDER AND GEIST, JANUARY 27, 1986
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 28, 1986
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2 conduct a performance audit of the Pennsylvania
3 Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).
4 WHEREAS, Weatherization is a federally funded program
5 designed to assist low-income families reduce their heating
6 costs, save energy and obtain warmer housing; the Department of
7 Public Welfare receives Federal Department of Health and Human
8 Services funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
9 Program (LIHEAP) and may allocate portions of these moneys to
10 weatherization; the Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
11 receives Federal Department of Energy (DOE) funding for
12 weatherization and administers LIHEAP/DOE funds for WAP; the DCA
13 contracts with political subdivisions and nonprofit
14 organizations, known as local service agencies, throughout
15 Pennsylvania to weatherize income-eligible households; and
16 WHEREAS, Since 1979, the average cost of electricity has
17 increased by more than 60% and the cost of gas has almost
1 doubled; many low-income households are unable to either pay for
2 fuel oil or to meet their utility bills; and the Pennsylvania
3 Public Utility Commission has directed its staff to prepare
4 regulations to require utilities to sponsor weatherization
5 programs for low-income households, to include energy surveys,
6 low-cost weatherization measures, and conservation education, it
7 being in the public interest to prevent the escalation of
8 uncollectible accounts which could be written off and included
9 in a utility's requests for future rate increases; and
10 WHEREAS, The overall amount of funding for the Pennsylvania
11 WAP has decreased from $32,800,000 in fiscal year 1983-1984 to
12 $22,400,000 in 1984-1985, to a projected total of $19,300,000 in
13 1985-1986; the DOE funds may be phased out entirely by fiscal
14 year 1986-1987; and
15 WHEREAS, Linkages between various State and local agencies,
16 including the volunteer sector, are complex and diverse, and
17 there is a pressing need to ensure that the Pennsylvania WAP is
18 administered effectively and properly, using reduced resources;
19 therefore be it
20 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
21 direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a
22 performance audit of the Pennsylvania Weatherization Assistance
23 Program. The committee shall conduct such inquiries as it deems
24 necessary, including, but not limited to, obtaining interviews
25 with samples of provider agencies and recipients, with
26 responsible administrators within the Department of Public
27 Welfare and the Department of Community Affairs, the Governor's
28 Energy Council, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and
29 the Weatherization Policy Advisory Council of the Department of
30 Community Affairs, and with such other persons and entities as
19860H0228R2788 - 2 -
1 it deems necessary; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the committee, in developing its
3 recommendations, direct particular attention to identifying ways
4 in which the WAP can be more widely utilized, and that the
5 committee report its findings and recommendations to the Senate
6 and the House of Representatives as soon as possible.
A13L82JS/19860H0228R2788 - 3 -