U.S. to Release $100M in Heating Aid

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- After lawmakers complained that utilities were cutting off heat for thousands of seniors and low-income families before the worst of winter, federal authorities announced Thursday they would release $100 million in emergency heating aid for the poor.

The Department of Health and Human Services said it would distribute $100 million from a $300 million fund for the Low-Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program.
...
Members of Congress had been pressing the Bush administration to release the full $300 million heating aid emergency reserve. The issue of when and how much LIHEAP money to release is often a point of contention between northern lawmakers and the White House.

"This fraction of the $300 million is not sufficient to meet the demands the states are facing," Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said after the release was announced. More than 21,000 Rhode Island families had their utilities shut off as of October because of nonpayment of heating bills, Reed said.
...
The largest benefactor of the program, New York, will receive nearly $17 million of the fresh infusion of aid. Pennsylvania will get $7.5 million, and Massachusetts $5.6 million.

Two other cold-weather states, Minnesota and Michigan, each will receive more than $4 million. Louisiana, by comparison, will get about $600,000.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-heating-aid,0,3724405.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Malva Zebrina]

1. So nu?

Maine is not a part of New England? Maybe not cold enough?

Anybody know where one applies for this heating assistance?

Nevermind. I found it in the link.

[happyslug]

2. Here is the PA PUC News Release on People without Utlility Serivice:

PUC Urges Consumers to Call Utilities to Restore Service
_____
December 22, 2004

HARRISBURG - With approximately 15,000 households entering the heating
season without heat-related utility service, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is urging those consumers to contact their utilities for help now.

Every December, the PUC's Bureau of Consumer Services (BCS) releases its cold weather survey results. The survey results show that as of
Dec. 15:

* 4,496 residential households remain without electric service;
* 10,509 residential households who heat with natural gas are without service;

* Over half (51 percent) of the natural gas properties without service
are customers of Philadelphia Gas Works;

* A majority of households (8,398 households or 56 percent of the total off accounts) who have no service live in the Philadelphia area;

* In addition to the 15,000 households entering the heating season without heat-related service, utilities report that an additional 14,595 residences where service was previously terminated are now vacant; and

* An additional 2,586 households whose natural gas service has been
shut off may now be using potentially dangerous heating sources such as kerosene and electric space heaters, kitchen stoves or ovens, fireplaces, or connecting extension cords to neighbors' homes.

"The PUC urges customers without service to contact their utilities to discuss restoring heat service," said Mitch Miller, BCS Director. "Anyone who knows of someone whose utility service is off should encourage the person to call the appropriate utility company as soon as possible. Utility companies have special programs to help low-income customers to afford utility service. If customers have any questions or concerns, they should contact the Commission for assistance through our toll-free telephone number, 1-800-692-7380."

Lack of utility service during the winter months poses potential dangers to health and safety. Customers without service risk hypothermia and fires caused by makeshift lighting and heating devices.

The attached charts show the number of residential properties without service for each of the major, regulated electric and natural gas distribution companies in the Commonwealth.

Each year before winter, the PUC requires natural gas and electric utilities to check residential properties where service has been shut off to try to reach payment agreements with the occupants so that service can be restored.

In addition, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) may have funds available to help eligible customers have service restored. Low-income customers should contact their utility for information about how to apply.

In addition, the PUC continues to urge consumers to "Prepare Now for High Winter Gas Prices." Consumers can visit www.utilitychoice.org <http://www.utilitychoice.org/> and click on the "Prepare Now" flame to receive additional information about how to manage the cost of natural gas this winter, including conserving heat and energy, enrolling in budget billing, signing up for low-income assistance programs, and heating homes safely. Consumers can also call 1-888-PUC-FACT for more information.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe, reliable and reasonably priced electric, natural gas, water, telephone and transportation service for Pennsylvania consumers, by regulating public utilities and by serving as stewards of competition.

For recent news releases, or more information about the PUC, visit our Internet homepage at www.puc.state.pa.us <http://www.puc.state.pa.us/> .

Cold weather survey results - charts <http://www.puc.state.pa.us/general/publications_reports/pdf/04cold_weather_
survey_charts.pdf>

# # #

Contact:
Eric Levis
Press Secretary
[phone]
<MAILTO:[e-mail]> [e-mail]

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
Press Office
P.O. Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265
[phone] FAX [phone]

[lebkuchen]

3. Imagine what oil pipeline attacks in Iraq and Saudi Arabia would do

to the US during the winter season.

[durablend]

4. Raise prices thought the roof and bump off some more po'people?

Better not let *co hear you say that.

They'll have the missiles aimed early as tomorrow.

[lebkuchen]

5. Osama has given us plenty of warning on his intentions

to bankrupt the US. I've liquidated as a result. Call me a tin-hatter.

Oil Pipeline in Northern Iraq Is On Fire

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?catid=138&newsid=54448&ch=0&datte=2004-12-23

[bleedingheart]

6. You mean there are poor people in Bush's Amerika???

geez....I thought this was the land of good and plenty?

(sarcasm off)..

[Sara Beverley]

7. Must be the 100 million they are taking from the food programs.

IBN!

[happyslug]

8. Pennsylvania will get 7.5 Million Dollars????

With at least 5000 families in Philadelphia without Gas service TODAY ,And 10,000 people across the state without Gas service(See my above comment from the Report of the PA PUC). $7,500,000 divided by 10,000 equal $750 for each family who does NOT HAVE GAS Service as of 12/15/04. Most of these families owe at least $1000 on their account (which is the reason gas service was terminated in the first place).

On top of this the $7.5 Million is for everyone who is in need of Energy Assistance not just natural gas users. In the middle part of the state people tend to use Oil, Coal and/or Wood. These people also need part of that 7.5 million to help them buy their oil/coal/wood (as do the people who do not have electric Service even if Electric Service is NOT needed by them to heat for most modern furnaces depend on Electricity to operate thus without electricity one can not heat even if your source of heat is NOT electricity).

The reason I mention the people without Natural Gas Service is to show how little $7.5 Million Dollars is. A million dollars sounds like a lot, but most people will EARN more than that in their life time. To put the 7.5 million in prospective let look at what a minimum wage earned will earn during his or her lifetime. If a person works full time from the time one turns 18 till the time one turns 65, that person will have earned over 1/2 million dollars. I mention this to show you that a million dollar is NOT much money any more.

To calculate what a minimal wage earner will earn during his or her lifetime do the following:
Multiply 40 hours per week by the number of weeks in a year (52) this totals at 2080 hours worked per year.
2080 hours times 5.15 equal $10,712 earned per year.
65 years of age minus 18 is 47 years of working.
$10,712 times 47 equals $503,464 per a life time of work.

My point is 7.5 Million is nothing, 75 Million would have been a nice figure for Pennsylvania but that have required a 1 Billion Dollar grant not a $100 Million Grant.