Energy Conservation

Funding State Energy Assistance Programs Gao ID: RCED-87-114FS March 31, 1987

In response to a congressional request, GAO determined: (1) total funding for state energy assistance programs from both congressional appropriations and oil company overcharge settlements; (2) how much the Department of Energy (DOE) collected from oil companies as a result of overcharge settlements; and (3) how states used oil overcharge funds.

GAO found that: (1) during fiscal years 1982 through 1986, Congress appropriated $1.4 billion for four DOE energy conservation programs and $9.9 billion for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) low-income energy assistance program; (2) as of September 30, 1986, DOE had collected about $5.6 billion from oil companies for overcharge violations; and (3) DOE distributed about $1.4 billion of these funds to injured parties and about $3.2 billion to states. GAO also found that: (1) as of September 30, 1986, states had used about $200 million of the oil overcharge funds for energy assistance programs; and (2) states spent about 81 percent of the funds for DOE programs and 19 percent for the HHS program.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.