"Most successful" energy efficiency program to be scrapped by Bush administration

A Congressional committee has issued a stinging rebuke to the Bush administration over the elimination of funding for a low income family energy efficiency program. Apparently the Department of Energy sought to remove flattering wording on its website about the program to hide any embarrassment about its termination.

As recently as Feb 4, the DOE website called the Weatherization Assistance program - which enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient - “this country's longest running, and perhaps most successful energy efficiency program.”

The President’s budget proposal released that same day would eliminate the program.
Praise for the program has since been erased from DOE’s website (see below).

“Instead of insulating the poor against high energy costs, the Department of Energy is more concerned with insulating themselves against embarrassment,” said Rep. Edward J. Markey, Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “And while the weatherization program did a successful job at things like weather-stripping, it seems the Bush administration has failed miserably at web-stripping.”

Click here to find the link for the current DOE website page. Click here to view the cached page with previous wording.

Click here to read a press release from the website of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

- David Adams

Comments

[Melissa M]

Oooh Snap!
Nice reporting David & the St. Pete Times!

Doesn't the current administration understand that the cheapest, cleanest kilowatt hour is the one we do not use?