California may have to return energy-efficiency federal funding in 4 months if they don't use it

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A volunteer lines tape around a window before applying plastic in order to weatherize a home during winter.

According to a recent state audit, California is not spending enough money — at least, not on energy reforms.

The report says that officials continue to drag their feet on energy-saving renovations, only using a little over half of the nearly $186 million granted California for efficiency projects by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009.

California Auditor Elaine Howle warns that based on its agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Commission must spend the remaining $108.6 million by April 30, 2012 or be forced to give the money back.

The injection of funds to California's Weatherization Assistance for Low Income Persons initiative came as nearly an overdose to the program, which had a budget of only $34 million the year before, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The Obama administration granted the stimulus funds to help families boost their home energy savings, create jobs and move toward energy independence.

According to the report, Los Angeles has made "significant progress" in insulating homes after a slow start.

But, Howle says, Oakland and San Francisco may risk having to return some of the money because their programs are so behind.

Oakland and San Francisco officials have said their programs were slow to start because they focused on insulating apartments, which take longer to retrofit than single-family homes.

The Act went into effect in Feb. 2009. California has been awarded, in total, almost $34 billion by the federal stimulus package — nearly double that of New York, the recipient of the fund's second-highest amount of funds ($17 billion).