In the News
Mass. to get $160M in federal fuel assistance
Washington,
November 2, 2022
Mass. to get $160M in federal fuel assistanceBy: Christian M. WadeBOSTON — The state is getting more fuel assistance from the federal government to help low-income residents heat their homes this winter, when energy costs are expected to skyrocket. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it is providing $4.5 billion in assistance for home heating costs and unpaid utility bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Massachusetts will receive nearly $160 million for LIHEAP grants, according to members of the state’s congressional delegation who pushed for the additional fuel assistance. That’s a huge increase over the $37 million the state was initially expecting to receive. “No parent should have to choose between heating their home or putting food on the table for their family,” said U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford. “This investment of federal home heating assistance will go a long way toward keeping the heat on in tens of thousands of homes across the commonwealth.” Vice President Kamala Harris was expected to visit Boston on Wednesday to tout the administration’s plans to release the additional fuel assistance. Separately, the U.S. Department of Energy said Wednesday that it will allocate $9 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to support more than 1.6 million households in upgrading their homes to lower energy bills. Record-high inflation, ongoing supply-chain issues and Russia’s protracted war in Ukraine have disrupted global energy markets, driving prices for natural gas higher. Homes using heating oil will spend an average of $2,354 for heat this winter, up 27% from last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest estimates. Massachusetts is the third-largest consumer of home heating oil in the nation, with an estimated 700,000 homes using about 850 million gallons a year, according to industry figures. Two of the state’s largest utilities, National Grid and Eversource, are seeking approval of double-digit natural gas-rate hikes. The companies cite rising demand and constraints on domestic supply, which they say have pushed prices to some of the highest levels in a decade. A proposal by National Grid, which serves about 1.2 million customers in Massachusetts, calls for increasing gas bills by an average of 22%, or about $50 more per month, compared to last winter’s rates. Eversource, which serves about 1.4 million gas customers in the state, has asked regulators to approve a gas rate increase that would see the average bill for customers of the former Columbia Gas Company rise by 25%, or about $61 more a month, over last winter. Meanwhile, the cost of home heating oil is expected to spike this winter, too, prompting New England governors to call for additional fuel assistance. Massachusetts already has some of the highest energy costs in the nation and consumer advocates say the proposed rate increases could have a devastating impact on low- and middle-income households that have trouble keeping up with expenses. Under the LIHEAP program, Massachusetts residents who earn 60% of the state median income are eligible for assistance paying for fuel, electricity and weatherization upgrades. An individual with income of $42,411 or less is eligible for assistance, while the maximum level for a family of four is $81,561 a year, according to the state Executive Office of Housing and Community Development. LIHEAP grants are also available for individuals and households which have reported income ranging from 100% to 200% of the federal poverty level. Last year, more than 134,000 low-income households in Massachusetts received assistance through the program, according to federal data. The program helps thousands of consumers whose heating or cooling service was disconnected by their utility for overdue bills or who had run out of fuel oil, propane, or wood. Thousands of other low-income residents have gotten financial help upgrading heating or cooling equipment, according to the state. Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com. |