42 U.S.C. § 8626b : US Code - Section 8626B: Residential Energy Assistance Challenge option (R.E.A.Ch.)

Search 42 U.S.C. § 8626b : US Code - Section 8626B: Residential Energy Assistance Challenge option (R.E.A.Ch.)

(a) Purpose
The purpose of the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge (in
this section referred to as "R.E.A.Ch.") program is to -
(1) minimize health and safety risks that result from high
energy burdens on low-income Americans;
(2) prevent homelessness as a result of inability to pay energy
bills;
(3) increase the efficiency of energy usage by low-income
families; and
(4) target energy assistance to individuals who are most in
need.
(b) Funding
(1) Allocation
For each fiscal year, the Secretary may allocate not more than
25 percent of the amount made available pursuant to section
8621(d) of this title for such fiscal year to a R.E.A.Ch. fund
for the purpose of making incentive grants to States that submit
qualifying plans that are approved by the Secretary as R.E.A.Ch.
initiatives. States may use such grants for the costs of
planning, implementing, and evaluating the initiative.
(2) Reservation
The Secretary shall reserve from any funds allocated under this
subsection, funds to make additional payments to State R.E.A.Ch.
programs that -
(A) have energy efficiency education services plans that meet
quality standards established by the Secretary in consultation
with the Secretary of Energy; and
(B) have the potential for being replicable model designs for
other programs.
States shall use such supplemental funds for the implementation
and evaluation of the energy efficiency education services.
(c) Criteria
(1) In general
Not later than May 31, 1995, the Secretary shall establish
criteria for approving State plans required by subsection (a) of
this section, for energy efficiency education quality standards
described in subsection (b)(2)(A) of this section, and for the
distribution of funds to States with approved plans.
(2) Documentation
Notwithstanding the limitations of section 8624(b) of this
title regarding the authority of the Secretary with respect to
plans, the Secretary may require a State to provide appropriate
documentation that its R.E.A.Ch. activities conform to the State
plan as approved by the Secretary.
(d) Focus
The State may designate all or part of the State, or all or part
of the client population, as a focus of its R.E.A.Ch. initiative.
(e) State plans
(1) In general
Each State plan shall include each of the elements described in
paragraph (2), to be met by State and local agencies.
(2) Elements of State plans
Each State plan shall include -
(A) an assurance that such State will deliver services
through community-based nonprofit entities in such State, by -
(i) awarding grants to, or entering into contracts with,
such entities for the purpose of providing such services and
payments directly to individuals eligible for benefits; or
(ii) if a State makes payments directly to eligible
individuals or energy suppliers, making contracts with such
entities to administer such programs, including -
(I) determining eligibility;
(II) providing outreach services; and
(III) providing benefits other than payments;
(B) an assurance that, in awarding grants or entering into
contracts to carry out its R.E.A.Ch. initiative, the State will
give priority to organizations that -
(i) are described in section 9902(1) of this title, except
where significant geographic portions of the State are not
served by such entities;
(ii) the Secretary has determined have a record of
successfully providing services under the Low-Income Home
Energy Assistance Program; and
(iii) receive weatherization assistance program funds under
part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production
Act [42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.];
except that a State may not require any such entity to operate
a R.E.A.Ch. program;
(C) an assurance that, subject to subparagraph (D), each
entity that receives a grant or enters into a contract under
subparagraph (A)(i) will provide a variety of services and
benefits, including -
(i) payments to, or on behalf of, individuals eligible for
residential energy assistance services and benefits under
section 8624(b) of this title for home energy costs;
(ii) energy efficiency education;
(iii) residential energy demand management services,
including any other energy related residential repair and
energy efficiency improvements in coordination with, or
delivered by, Department of Energy weatherization assistance
programs at the discretion of the State;
(iv) family services, such as counseling and needs
assessment, related to energy budget management, payment
plans, and related services; and
(v) negotiation with home energy suppliers on behalf of
households eligible for R.E.A.Ch. services and benefits;
(D) a description of the methodology the State and local
agencies will use to determine -
(i) which households will receive one or more forms of
benefits under the State R.E.A.Ch. initiative;
(ii) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to
provide more cost-effective long-term outcomes than payment
benefits alone; and
(iii) the amount of such benefit required to meet the goals
of the program;
(E) a method for targeting nonmonetary benefits;
(F) a description of the crisis and emergency assistance
activities the State will undertake that are designed to -
(i) discourage family energy crises;
(ii) encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior;
and
(iii) provide only financial incentives that encourage
household payment;
(G) a description of the activities the State will undertake
to -
(i) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay
home energy costs; and
(ii) provide incentives for vendors to help reduce the
energy burdens of recipients of assistance;
(H) an assurance that the State will require each entity that
receives a grant or enters into a contract under this section
to solicit and be responsive to the views of individuals who
are financially eligible for benefits and services under this
section in establishing its local program;
(I) a description of performance goals for the State
R.E.A.Ch. initiative including -
(i) a reduction in the energy costs of participating
households over one or more fiscal years;
(ii) an increase in the regularity of home energy bill
payments by eligible households; and
(iii) an increase in energy vendor contributions towards
reducing energy burdens of eligible households;
(J) a description of the indicators that will be used by the
State to measure whether the performance goals have been
achieved;
(K) a demonstration that the plan is consistent with section
8622 of this title, paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (9),
(10), (11), (12), (13), and (14) of section 8624(b) of this
title, subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) of
section 8624 of this title, and section 8625 of this title;
(L) an assurance that benefits and services will be provided
in addition to other benefit payments and services provided
under this subchapter and in coordination with such benefit
payments and services; and
(M) an assurance that no regulated utility covered by the
plan will be required to act in a manner that is inconsistent
with applicable regulatory requirements.
(f) Cost or function
None of the costs of providing services or benefits under this
section shall be considered to be an administrative cost or
function for purposes of any limitation on administrative costs or
functions contained in this subchapter.