Economic Opportunity Amendments of 1980

(Reported to House from the Committee on Education and Labor with amendment, H. Rept. 96-945 (Part I))

Economic Opportunity Amendments of 1980 - Declares the purpose of this Act to be to establish a comprehensive energy conservation services program to enable low-income individuals and families, particularly older persons and families which include older persons and severely handicapped individuals, to participate in energy assistance programs designed to reduce energy consumption and the impact of high energy costs.

Amends the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to add a title XI, "Comprehensive Energy Conservation Services".

Requires the Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity to establish a weatherization program to improve the energy efficiency of the dwellings of low-income individuals and families and to provide access to low-cost, dispersed alternative energy sources. Authorizes the Director to make grants to States, Indian tribal organizations, and migrant and seasonal farmworker organizations for such purposes. Requires the Director to issue regulations to carry out such program, and sets forth the nature of such regulations.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out such program for fiscal years 1981 through 1983 and establishes procedures to be followed by the Director in making allotments of such funds.

Provides that, in any State where the Director determines that: (1) low-income members of an Indian tribe or migrant and seasonal farmworkers are not receiving benefits equivalent to assistance provided to other low-income and near-poor individuals and families; and (2) such migrant and seasonal farmworkers or members of such tribe would be better served by means of a direct grant, the Director shall reserve from State allotted funds, a specified amount to be granted directly to an organization serving such individuals.

Limits the portion of weatherization grants which may be used: (1) for administering activities to five percent; and (2) for program support to 25 percent. Authorizes the Director to prescribe regulations to raise or lower the program support percentage. Requires the Director, in allocating weatherization funds, to give priority to community action agencies unless the agency: (1) has a pattern of ineffective administration; or (2) is not large enough to carry out a project.

Requires States and approved area applicants to submit a weatherization plan in order to receive weatherization assistance. Describes required components of such plans, and requires the Director to establish procedures for the approval of such plans. Requires such plans, among other things, to: (1) include an analysis of the area to be served; (2) include the long-term goals of the plan; (3) provide for nondiscrimination and equal employment; (4) describe outreach activities; and (5) describe administrative arrangements, a proposed annual budget, and procedures to obtain weatherization materials.

Requires the Director to establish procedures, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, to utilize individuals in Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) employment and training programs and older persons eligible for assistance under the Multipurpose Senior Centers Program of the Older Americans Act of 1965 to perform work on local weatherization projects. Requires the Director to make arrangements with prime sponsors under the CETA program and with State or local apprenticeship boards or other apprenticeship programs for providing work and training opportunities for eligible participants in such local projects. Authorizes the Director to waive such requirements to the extent that eligible individuals are not available. Sets forth requirement concerning payment of wages to individuals employed pursuant to these provisions.

Authorizes a State or area, after having been approved for financial assistance, to designate: (1) certain community action agencies; (2) Indian tribal organizations; (3) migrant and seasonal farmworker organizations; (4) community development corporations; (5) community-based organizations; (6) public or private nonprofit agencies; and (7) certain political subdivisions of a State, or combinations thereof, as local weatherization projects and to provide financial assistance to such projects. Sets forth requirements for obtaining such designation, and the functions of local weatherization projects. Requires a project to: (1) establish a local project advisory committee; (2) provide for the participation of the population to be served; and (3) provide support to enable low-income and severely handicapped individuals to secure assistance from public and private sources.

Provides that an individual or family shall be eligible if: (1) income is equal to or less than 100 percent of the poverty level; (2) an individual is severely handicapped or a family has an adult member who is severely handicapped; (3) an individual is over 60 years old, the individual's income is equal to or less than 150 percent of the poverty level; or (4) total family income is equal to or less than 150 percent of the poverty level, if a family member is 60 years old or older, and the dwellings of such individuals or families are determined to need weatherization.

Sets forth administrative provisions for such programs.

Requires the Director to prescribe procedures for appeals, notice, and hearings in the event applications for financial assistance are rejected or not acted upon within the specified period of time.

Authorizes the Director to provide technical assistance to State agencies, area agencies, and local project agencies for conducting such programs and to provide training for personnel needed in connection with such programs.

Requires the Director to provide for continuing evaluation and monitoring of programs established under this Act, and to publish the results of such evaluations. Directs the Director to submit such publications to the appropriate congressional committees.

Requires the Director to prepare an annual report on the weatherization assistance program for submission to Congress and the President.

Directs the Director to develop and conduct a crisis intervention program. Authorizes the Director to make grants to States to provide short-term assistance and counseling to low-income individuals and families and severely handicapped individuals threatened with severe hardship or danger to health or life from lack of fuel, utility shutoff, or other energy-related crisis.

Provides that crisis intervention may include provision of blankets or warm clothing, temporary loan of space heaters, emergency repairs of heating systems and housing, emergency delivery of fuel or firewood, the provision temporary shelter, financial counseling, and other similar services.

Requires States to submit applications in order to receive financial assistance for such crisis intervention programs. Requires the Director to establish regulations to carry out such programs.

Authorizes eligible States to provide financial assistance to certain agencies and organizations to administer such programs.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out such program for fiscal years 1981 through 1983 and establishes allotments of such funds.

Directs the Director and a State or area receiving assistance for the weatherization program established under this Act to conduct outreach activities to inform and enroll all eligible low-income individuals and families and severely handicapped individuals in programs providing energy-related assistance authorized under this Act and in other Federal, State, or local energy-related assistance for which they are eligible.

Requires the Director to submit an annual report to Congress and the President on the crisis intervention program.

Authorizes the Director to provide financial assistance to public agencies and nonprofit private organizations for: (1) education and counseling activities for low-income energy consumers in energy-conservation practices and sound residential energy management, self-help activities in energy conservation and alternative energy applications, and maintenance of weatherization and alternative energy improvements; (2) assistance in the development, application, and support of alternative energy sources; (3) assistance in the development and support of community planning and coordination capability in energy audit, energy conservation and alternative resource development activities; and (4) assistance for research, demonstration, or pilot projects designed to test or assist in the development of new approaches or methods to enable low-income individuals and families to participate in energy conservation programs.

Directs the President to establish procedures to assure the coordination of all energy conservation and energy assistance programs affecting low-income individuals and families, and severely handicapped individuals carried out by any Federal department or agency.

Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1981 through 1983 for such programs.

States that the value of any assistance provided to any individual or family under this Act shall not be considered income or resources for any purpose.

Repeals provisions under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 requiring the establishment of an "Emergency Energy Conservation Services" program.