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Bill to form state study committee on home weatherization wins neutral support from DOE
Summary
Representative Heath Howard asked lawmakers to form a study committee to coordinate weatherization programs and expand access to low-income and rural households. The Department of Energy said it is neutral on HB 599 and noted federal limits on how WAP funds may be used.
The Science, Technology and Energy Committee heard testimony March 3 on House Bill 599, a measure to establish a study committee to identify and coordinate weatherization programs across New Hampshire and to recommend strategies to expand access.
Representative Heath Howard, the bill's sponsor, told lawmakers that roughly 60 percent of New Hampshire homes predate 1980 and that weatherization can cut household heating costs and reduce the state's residential carbon footprint. "This isn't just a story. This is the reality for thousands of Granite Staters," Howard said, urging a centralized body to unify stakeholders and leverage federal funds.
Meg Stone, representing the Department of Energy, said the department is neutral on HB 599 and said the department would be willing to participate if the committee is formed. Stone described how the Department of Energy administers the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which is means‑tested and limited to households at or below 60 percent of state median income, and she provided program and funding details: "For WAP funding, New Hampshire receives about $2,000,000 each year, subject to congressional approval," Stone said. The department also noted a one‑time Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act appropriation of $18 million for weatherization, of which roughly half has been received and about half of that portion has been obligated.
Stone told the committee the department does not maintain a statewide database of every home that has or has not been weatherized and cautioned that states must comply with federal WAP terms and conditions; changes that conflict with federal requirements could put that funding at risk. Committee members asked about program coordination with NH Saves and the state's community action agencies; Stone said the department contracts with five community action agencies to deliver WAP services and that NH Saves and other utility-administered programs are part of the overall state landscape.
Ending: The department said it would supply follow-up information requested by the committee (including program outreach and education expenditures). The committee did not vote March 3 on HB 599; the department asked for time to provide several detailed program figures.
