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BPA Makes Largest-Ever Weatherization Contributions

Low-income households in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana will benefit from increased weatherization funds allocated to these states by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).

BPA, the region’s federal power marketing agency, announced on October 23 that the states will receive $15 million over the rate period of FY 2007-2009, the largest amount BPA has provided for low- income weatherization in its 69-year history.

The weatherization funds are allocated to each of the four states based on their relative numbers of low-income residents per the 2000 census. A total of $500,000 will be set aside annually for Northwest tribal weatherization programs and the remaining $4.5 million annual allocation is divided among the states as follows: Washington will receive $2,305,000, Oregon $1,235,000, Idaho $518,000, and Montana $441,000.

During the most recent BPA rate period, from 2000 to 2006, BPA committed about $3.7 million per year for weatherization in the four states and $150,000 per year for the tribal weatherization programs.

BPA distributes its weatherization funds through cooperative agreements with the four states.  The funds are to be used in conjunction with existing state-run low-income weatherization programs that follow U.S. Department of Energy Weather Assistance Program guidelines. Funds earmarked for low-income tribal weatherization programs are allocated similarly through direct contracts with Northwest tribes.

 BPA coordinates with states and tribes through their programs because they have expertise and established strategies for effectively reaching their respective low-income residents.

“These BPA funds are crucial because existing state and federal weatherization funds are being stretched and the need continues to climb,” said Julie Palakovich, weatherization program manager for the Housing Division of the Washington State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.

BPA also is making $36 million available to utilities during the FY 2007- 2009 rate period via the agency’s Conservation and Rate Credit program so that utilities can conduct their own conservation efforts, which can include utility-run low-income weatherization programs. While it is unclear at this point how much of the available pool of utility conservation funds will be used specifically for low-income weatherization activities, from 2002 to 2005 an average of $3 million per year was used for these utility program efforts.

Source: BPA news releases

Page Last Updated: January 27, 2010