Left out in the cold

Weatherization is about making improvements to a home to stop air leaks. It makes heating and cooling more efficient, which drives down the cost of utility bills. And it must be cost effective – with a payback that covers the cost of labor and materials in just a few years, some within just one year.

In New York State alone, WAP assisted almost 15,000 low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities last year. These households save, on average, between $600 and $800 in annual energy costs. That money is put toward medicine, clothing, groceries and school supplies, empowering families on the brink to remain self-sufficient. Weatherization assistance also keeps families investing in the local economy, rather than wasting much-needed dollars to pay for imported oil from some of the most troubled spots in the world.

As experts in their respective fields, weatherization technicians must meet higher technical standards that other heating and insulation contractors do not. This ensures weatherized homes are safe, free from hazards such as lead paint, mold or carbon monoxide.

Republicans in Congress would argue that WAP is all federal government spending. However, New York leveraged more than $50 million last year in other public and private funds from this investment. These federal dollars are stretched to maximize their investment potential in the kind of public-private partnership that we should applaud, not punish. Additionally, hundreds of indirect jobs are supported due to the buying of materials such as insulation, furnaces, windows, tools and equipment. 

Finally, the energy saved by New York’s weatherization program is equal to more than 80,000 barrels of oil each year. 

If the events of the greatest recession since the Great Depression have taught us anything, it’s that our country is at a nexus. We can either continue to conduct business as usual and fall into the same old traps, or we can come together, and put people over politics and policy above party. Especially during these frigid months as storms sweep across the country, it is that spirit of cooperation that we must embrace. Eliminating a successful program that keeps people in their houses and out of the freezing cold during the winter months, helps create and maintain jobs, lowers our dependence on foreign oil and enhances our nation’s quality of life simply because one bureaucrat or member of Congress dislikes it is not the right thing to do. America can, and must, do better. 

Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) is a member of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives and the former president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.