Birmingham, AL – A federal audit shows Alabama has completed 7 percent of the work promised with nearly $72 million in federal economic stimulus funds meant to make the homes of low-income residents more energy efficient.
The audit by the Energy Department's inspector general says that nationally, about 5 percent of the expected 586,000 homes have been weatherized since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law last year.
The audit found 477 of 6,651 homes in Alabama had been completed as of Feb. 16.
The manager for Alabama's program agrees progress has been slow. Kit Gallup cited two factors: rule changes by the federal government and disagreements with local agencies responsible for hiring contractors.
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