Federal funding holdup persists

North country agencies still are waiting for millions in federal stimulus funds they were promised in May to weatherize homes. Agency officials said Friday that they have heard funding is not likely to arrive before cold weather hits.

"On one hand, it's kind of frustrating because we want to get people working on these homes, but I understand the need to really make sure all their ducks are in a row before they release the funding and approve the contracts," Scott P. Mathys, chief executive officer of Lewis County Opportunities, said of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

DHCR is in charge of meting out $394,686,513 the state received for weatherization programs through the federal stimulus package.

"We expect that money to be going out to subgrantees within the next two or three weeks," spokesman James C. Plastiras said Friday.

Mr. Mathys and Norma S. Cary, St. Lawrence County Community Development Program director, both said they had heard funding might arrive in October.

"We'd certainly like the stimulus money before the heating season, but our funding sources aren't really giving us any concrete information as far as timing," Mrs. Cary said. "We'll be contracting with private contractors in the community to do some of the work. It's not just about energy savings, but to create jobs and put more funds in local pockets."

Lewis County Opportunities is expecting $457,140, which will allow the agency to hire three more workers and increase the number of homes it can weatherize from 60 to 92. St. Lawrence County's Community Development Program will receive $1,993,329, and the Community Action Planning Council of Jefferson County will receive $1,664,797.

CAPC officials have said they expect to be able to weatherize "a couple hundred" more homes over the next few years. Mrs. Cary has said CDP does not expect the number of homes served to increase that much, but more money will be invested in each project.

Each agency's weatherization program will do an energy audit on eligible homes to determine whether they need new windows, doors, insulation, furnaces or other energy efficiency measures. Eligibility is based on household income.

Even in the absence of stimulus funding, Mrs. Cary said, her agency has been able to increase investment in weatherization projects thanks to a doubling of its state weatherization contract to $900,000.

A Community Action Planning Council official said CAPC likewise has not received stimulus funding, but the agency is able to keep work going through this year's $760,000 state weatherization contract.

"There are houses being done," said Peggy J. Plumley, CAPC Energy Services Department office manager.

"Some people do get frustrated, but I think there's a purpose to waiting," Mr. Mathys said. "Everybody wants to make sure the funds are spent exactly how they are intended, and no one can point a finger that something was done improperly."