The following news releases and commentary have been issued by the Campaign for Home Energy Assistance. The most recent is at the top:

Cold-weather states lose heating aid to South 

2/12/2010 By David Sharp, Associated Press Writer / USA Today.com

Summary: “Emergency funding more than tripled for Florida and Georgia, and more than doubled in North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, according to the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition. Even Puerto Rico picked up $540,000 under the formula.”

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-02-12-coldweatherfunds_N.htm

A Helping Hand With Heating Bills

Governments, utilities and nonprofits offer help to people with low incomes

By: Bridget Mintz Testa , AARP Bulletin Today , January 12, 2010

Summary: LIHEAP, is the Godzilla of winter heating assistance…For 2010, Congress allocated about $5.1 billion to LIHEAP, including $590 million in emergency funds that the program plans to tap soon. That ‘can serve about 7.5 million households,’ says Mark Wolfe, the director of the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association. Because of the weak economy and relaxed eligibility, he says, ‘millions of families that don’t normally ask for assistance could apply.’  Previously, assistance was available only to applicants whose income was no more than 60 percent of the median in their states, and that calculation was based on the applicant’s income over the past 12 months. This year, applicants are eligible if their income does not exceed 75 percent of the state median income or 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, whichever is higher.”  http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourmoney/personalfinance/articles/a_helping_hand_with_heating_bills.html

01-21-10 Bennet Announces $4.8 Million in Emergency LIHEAP Funding to Help Colorado’s Low-Income Families Cope With High Heating Costs…

by Brian Allmer on January 21, 2010

Summary: Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, announced today that help is on the way for Colorado families struggling to pay their heating bills this winter. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released $4,799,767 in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) contingency funding for Colorado to help eligible low-income homeowners and renters meet home energy costs…‘The snow storms and sub-zero temperatures we’ve experienced in Colorado this winter have reminded us that reliable heating is not something we should take for granted” Bennet said. ‘Coloradans who are struggling to make ends meet shouldn’t have to make impossible choices between groceries and adequate heat for themselves and their kids. With two more months of winter ahead, I will continue the fight to ensure families have the funds they need to stay warm during these difficult economic times.’ ”

http://brianallmerradionetwork.wordpress.com/2010/01/21/01-21-10-bennet-announces-4-8-million-in-emergency-liheap-funding-to-help-colorado%E2%80%99s-low-income-families-cope-with-high-heating-costs/

 Oberstar pushes for home heating assistance

By Andy Birkey 3/2/10 8:30 AM

Summary: ‘Rep. James Oberstar is urging his colleagues to support the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Oberstar, along with representatives from several other northern states…Oberstar is joined by Republican Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware, Democratic Reps. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, and Carolyn McCarthy of New York, in circulating a letter in the House.  http://minnesotaindependent.com/55854/oberstar-pushes-for-home-heating-assistance

More people apply for energy assistance to help with heating

By Julie Schmit, USA TODAY

Summary: “A record number of U.S. households are applying for help to pay home heating bills with 17 states fielding application requests that are up more than 20% from last year, the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association says.  Almost 9 million U.S. households are expected to need help paying winter energy bills. That's up 15% from the record-setting 7.7 million last year, the association says.  Next year may be even worse, when more than 10 million households are likely to need help, given continued weakness in the economy and the swelling ranks of the longer-term unemployed, says Mark Wolfe, the association's executive director…In fiscal 2009 that ended Sept. 30, 4.3 million households had utilities shut off at one time or another for non-payment, up from 4.1 million in the previous year…Some states are seeing far larger numbers of new applications for energy assistance.  In Washington, applications are up 42% from last year, an association survey indicates. Michigan has seen a 38% increase and Nevada, a 34% increase, the survey shows.” http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-03-01-energyhelp01_ST_N.htm

Applications for Help on Heat Bills Rise by 15%

By ERIK ECKHOLM - The New York Times

Published: February 22, 2010

Summary: “The number of households applying for home heating assistance has climbed to record levels for the third straight year, rising by 15 percent to a projected 8.8 million this winter, state energy officials said Monday. This compares with almost 7.7 million recipients last year and 5.7 million in 2008...A large majority of recipients are low-income elderly and disabled people and families living beneath the federal poverty line, which is $22,050 for a family of four. But households with incomes up to 150 percent or even double the poverty line are eligible in many states and, this year, applications have risen from people who are newly on the borderline of poverty…Among larger states, aid applications have climbed particularly in California (17 percent), Michigan (28 percent), New Jersey (24 percent) and Wisconsin (20 percent).”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/23/us/23fuel.html

Hundreds Apply for Help with Utility Bills

Lauren Lea, KARK 4 News, Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 @03:50pm CST

Summary: The harsh winter has been even harder on pocketbooks. More Arkansans are needing help to keep the lights on…The state has more than $36 million to help people and about 75,000 households will receive assistance this year.  Joe Eddie Presley applied for help today. He and his wife are getting by on their Social Security benefits, which were cut. He was unable to afford his $247 electric bill, but it will be paid.” http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/news?cid=293261

Snowe upset with lack of LIHEAP funding

By Rebekah Metzler, Staff Writer / Feb 05, 2010

Summary: “Maine has received nearly 85 percent less funding for the emergency low-income home energy assistance program so far this year compared to last year, and U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe is calling on the Obama administration to explain why it decided to change how the funding is distributed.  The Pine Tree State has received $4.7 million in emergency LIHEAP money, compared to $29.7 million last year, according to a recent release from Snowe's office…Snowe also is upset about Obama's decision to cut overall LIHEAP funding by $1.8 billion from last year's level…‘Given our perilous economic state, with unemployment at 10 percent in our country, I am deeply concerned by the president's decision,’ she said. ‘Energy prices remain higher than historical levels and the increase in unemployment has drastically increased the reliance on this program for thousands of additional families.’ ” http://www.sunjournal.com/content/staliheap020510