Wednesday, October 20, 2010
WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley has sent a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu regarding a new audit report from the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General (OIG). The report indicates that taxpayer dollars are being spent on shoddy work under the stimulus-funded Weatherization Assistance Program in Illinois, and that the work may not only be a fiscal threat to the American taxpayer, but also a serious physical threat to residents of weatherized homes through gas leaks and fire hazards.
"The amount of taxpayer dollars being wasted and the apparent lack of prevention of fraud, waste and abuse in these weatherization projects by the Department of Energy and states are very concerning," Grassley said. "This isn't the first time the Department has fallen asleep at the wheel while overseeing stimulus spending and it's critical to the American taxpayer that the Department take immediate steps to make sure this doesn't happen again."
Click here to view Grassley's letter to Secretary Chu.
Click here to view the OIG's report which details the significant substandard performance in areas of workmanship, initial home assessments, and contractor billing for labor costs not incurred and materials that had not been installed.
Click here to view Grassley's July 23rd press release detailing other problems that the Department of Energy has encountered in utilizing the stimulus dollars for weatherization projects.
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