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Published: July 23, 2008 10:17 pm
Pa. may receive more funding for low income home heating program
BY MIKE FAHER
The Tribune-Democrat
More help may be on the way for those who struggle to pay ever-increasing home heating bills.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey said proposed legislation would send an additional $210 million to Pennsylvania for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP.
That would more than double the state’s current $183 million federal allocation and allow many more residents to receive assistance this winter.
“This is critically important that we do this, that we get this passed,” the Pennsylvania Democrat said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters.
LIHEAP provides cash benefits to help low-income residents pay for heating fuel.
“Crisis payments” to address energy-related emergencies also are available, and 15 percent of the federal allocation is dedicated to the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s weatherization-assistance program.
LIHEAP benefits are based on income; a family of four earning up to $30,975 would be eligible. More information is available at dpw.state.pa.us/ServicesPrograms/LIHEAP.
Under the cash-benefit portion of the program, about 371,000 Pennsylvanians received help last winter, state Department of Public Welfare spokeswoman Stacey Witalec said.
Casey said the federal legislation would set aside an additional $2.53 billion nationwide for states’ LIHEAP initiatives.
If the Senate bill becomes law, he said “a couple hundred thousand” more households could receive aid in Pennsylvania.
Casey said the bill has 34 co-sponsors, but he acknowledged he is unsure whether the measure could garner enough votes to pass the Senate.
“I think we’ve still got some work to do,” he said, while adding that he would like to see the bill passed “as soon as possible.”
The senator noted that, while many are currently complaining about high gasoline prices, heating season is not far off.
“There’ll be a lot of families that will be suffering if we don’t do enough to prepare for that,” Casey said.
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