BOSTON – Senator Michael R. Knapik (R-Westfield) and Senator Katherine Clark (D-Melrose) authored a letter to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means to request $20 million in forward funding for the federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, otherwise known as LIHEAP. The two Senator’s were joined by 82 legislators in filing the request to the recently filed supplemental spending bill.
“This is truly a bipartisan effort to urge the administration to advance the program some money so it can begin providing this much need assistance to thousands of families across the Commonwealth,” Senator Knapik said. “For many of our constituents, LIHEAP has been essential to how they deal with the cold weather. What we are requesting today is a bit of a guarantee that they will be provided the same safeguard this winter,” Knapik continued.
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded block grant program, administered at the state and local level, that helps low-income elders, families, and other households pay their heating bills. The benefit amount each family receives depends on the amount on the funding allocated to the Commonwealth by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Although federal budget negotiations are ongoing, the Senators note that the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the state agency in charge of dispersing the funds, “expects Massachusetts will receive $105.8 million based on the President’s budget recommendation, with the possibility of receiving $132.6 million as approved by Congress in the 6 month continuing resolution”. To date, these funds have not been distributed; delaying the programs annual November 1st start. Further delay of federal funds will leave thousands of families across the Commonwealth without heat as winter quickly approaches.
This request will allocate $20 million from the stabilization fund for LIHEAP if federal funds are still not available. This will allow DHCD to disperse funds to the local level so those organizations, like the Valley Opportunity Council here in the Pioneer Valley, can issue heating benefits. Once the federal funds are received, the Stabilization Fund will be reimbursed.
The request letter cites the growing need for the program, the slow economic recovery, and the high cost of heat as the main reasons to expedite funding. As pointed out in the letter, “The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts the average home heating expenditure per household will increase 19% for home heating oil, 15% for natural gas, and 13% for propane, making this the most expensive winter on record”.
“This measure ensures that no matter how long federal fund are held up, Massachusetts will have enough money to begin the program,” Knapik said. “Given the high cost of fuel, the sluggish economic recovery, and the expectation of a much colder winter than last, Massachusetts families need this assistance now more than ever,” Knapik added.
The Supplemental Budget process is a way for the Commonwealth to further fund programs that are experiencing funding shortfalls. Governor Patrick filed the supplemental budget on Thursday to allocate $30 million to cover costs of the investigation, court proceedings, and other expenses related to the mishandling of evidence at the state crime lab in Jamaica Plain.
