Weatherization Assistance Program Poised as Issue of Importance in Bipartisan Agendas

Over the past few years, the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) has gained increased recognition for its many environmental and economic benefits as issues of energy and climate move to the forefront. This attention has come from both sides of the aisle with true and enthuastic support from Republicans and Democrats alike.

Recently, Ohio State Representative Jimmy Stewart (R-Albany)described his support of the WAP in the Athens News stating, "You can't get more conservative than energy efficiency".

Positive mention of weatherization surfaces once more in the Pennsylvania’s GOP's energy platform as an area of conservation they support.

This is similiar to Democratic support of the program evidenced in a previous blog posted in April which discussed how the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was poised to become an issue in the 2008 Presidential Campaign thanks to Senator Edwards' inclusion of the WAP in his Environmental Policy Platform.

Earlier this month, fellow Democratic candidate Barack Obama published his own Environmental Platform which listed both Weatherization and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as worthwhile investments for a "Clean Energy Future". The text from this section of his plan can be found below and a full text version is posted to Gristmill.

Invest Revenue for a Clean Energy Future:
Some of the revenue generated by auctioning allowances will be used to support the development and deployment of clean energy, invest in energy efficiency improvements and address transition costs, including helping American workers affected by this economic transition and helping lower-income Americans afford their energy bills by expanding the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, expanding weatherization grants for low-income individuals to make their homes more energy efficient, and establishing a dedicated fund to assist low-income Americans afford higher electricity and energy bills

We thank the above parties and policymakers for their support of the WAP and for recognizing how this program works to ensure energy is affordable for families most in need while meeting long-term energy conservation goals.

We are truly grateful for this bipartisan support and appreciate the renewed interest and recognition of the Weatherization Assistance Program as "low hanging fruit" on our path to Energy Independence.