Daily Kos Features Delaware’s Weatherization Stimulus
Meteor Blades at Daily Kos has published a post about how states are slow to use their stimulus weatherization dollars. One exception that is cited is the state of Delaware (with a h/t to Delaware’s very own TommyWonk).
In fact, thanks to foot-dragging at the state level, only 8% of that money had been spent by the middle of February, according to a special report from the Department of Energy’s Inspector General. The DOE took the inspector general’s advice last March to initiate steps ensuring rapid progress, but the grantees didn’t get it together. Thus, by February 16 this year, Connecticut had weatherized 23 of the 7500 homes it was supposed to, Illinois had finished 331 of the 26,933 on its list, New York had done 280 of its 45,400, and Texas had done zero of its 33,908. Only Delaware, having weatherized a third of the 1526 homes it was supposed to met its first-year goal in the program that ends in 2012.
The post links to this document from the state of Delaware:
In late February, the U.S. Inspector General prepared a report indicating that nationally, states had weatherized only 5.17% of the homes for which American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds were provided, even though one third of the life of the ARRA program had expired. Delaware, by contrast, had weatherized 34% of the homes for which it had received funds-almost seven times the national average, and first among the states.
In Delaware, the Department of Health and Social Services oversees the low-income home weatherization program. The day-to-day operations of the program are run by two non-profit organizations, Neighborhood House and First State Community Action. The state has authorized four entities to train new workers for this weatherization work, and the bulk of the training has been conducted by Delaware Technical and Community College and the Laborers union.
Other states can learn a lot from Delaware’s example. Congratulations to Governor Markell and Lt. Governor Denn on the good job they are doing using the stimulus funds to help our state.
