Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – On Wednesday, Congresswomen Lori Trahan (MA-03) and Annie Kuster (NH-02), members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led a coalition of New England Congressional Delegation members in requesting that President Joe Biden release stockpiles from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve (NEHHOR) to help lower home heating costs for families across the region.

“With winter quickly approaching, we are writing to request swift action to lower heating costs for New England residents by releasing stockpiles from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve,” the lawmakers wrote. “By law, the president is authorized to release oil from the NEHHOR in the event of a ‘severe energy supply disruption,’ or a ‘regional supply shortage of significant scope and duration and that action taken under this section would assist directly and significantly in reducing the adverse impact of such shortage.’”

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, diesel and home heating oil levels are 63 percent below the five-year average in the New England region, a direct result of Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine and pandemic-caused global supply chain bottlenecks. At the same time, utility companies National Grid and Eversource have submitted proposals to increase home heating utility rates by well over 20 percent this winter.

“Families should not be forced to make hard choices about keeping loved ones warm and healthy and putting food on the table,” the lawmakers continued. “We stand ready to work with you and your administration to take the steps necessary to shore up New England’s supply of heating oil so that families throughout our states are not faced with this impossible choice.”

The request sent follows a unanimous vote from members of the New England Delegation to allocate $1 billion in additional funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Shortly after passage of the additional LIHEAP funding, Trahan led members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in calling on the Biden administration to expedite the release of the approximately $37 million in home heating assistance for families across the Commonwealth.

Members of the New England Delegation who signed Wednesday’s letter include Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Katherine Clark (MA-05), David N. Cicilline (RI-01), Jared Golden (ME-02), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), James R. Langevin (RI-02), John B. Larson (CT-0), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Joe Courtney (CT-0), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), William R. Keating (MA-09), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Chris Pappas (NH-01).

A copy of the letter sent on Wednesday can be accessed HERE.

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