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AK | AR | CT | DC | GA | IL | IN | LA | ME | MD | MA
MI | MO | MT | NM | OH | PA | VT | WI | WY

Table of State Funding

Alaska
August 11 – An energy bill and an accompanying appropriations bill passed in a special session August 10 total nearly $1 billion. The bill includes the following:

• $1,200 to most Alaskans to help offset high energy costs.
• $23 million for one year to enhance a state-funded program that assists rural Alaskans with utility costs. The utility assistance program, called Power Cost Equalization, helps subsidize those paying between 12 cents per kilowatt hour and $1 per kwh. Many served under the program are low income.
• $10 million to serve households with income 151-225% of the poverty income guidelines.

Arkansas
October 1 – The Arkansas Weatherization Program began providing energy efficiency services to “severely energy inefficient homes’ through a new program funded by utility ratepayers. Eligibility is based on the condition of the home, rather than income, but it’s estimated that a significant portion of the $4 million budgeted through 2009 will be spent on low-income homes. Weatherization costs for those at or below 125% of FPG are covered by the program and federal Weatherization Assistance Program funds.

Colorado
During 2008, it benefited from 2006 legislation that provides LIHEAP with multi-year funding, including $6 million each for FY 2007 and 2008. In May of 2008, legislation passed that will provide $13 million per year for low-income energy assistance and energy efficiency through 2011. The funds come from mineral and natural gas severance tax revenues generated primarily by natural gas production.

The $13 million will be split evenly between energy assistance and energy efficiency programs, and the energy assistance portion will be split evenly between the state LIHEAP office and Energy Outreach Colorado (EOR), the statewide fuel fund. The Governor’s Energy Office, the federal weatherization grantee, will administer the funds for energy efficiency.

Connecticut
August 30 – the Assembly has passed and Governor Jodi Rell has signed $79 million in state funding with the following amounts for low-income programs.

• $8.5 million to Operation Fuel for emergency home heating assistance for households with incomes between 150 and 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
  
  
• $5 million to Operation Fuel for households with incomes between 200 percent of the federal poverty level to 100 percent of the state median income.
  
  
• $4 million for emergency home heating assistance to people ages 65 and older with incomes at or below 100 percent of the state median income.
  
  
• An additional $2 million for more rebates to income-eligible residents for repairing and upgrading furnaces and boilers to achieve greater efficiency.
  
  
• Creates a contingency fund of about $35 million with remaining surplus funds to cover future emergency heating needs.
  
  
• Allocates $7 million for a new program to subsidize energy audits for customers.
  
  
• Appropriates $2 million for a winter weatherization program targeting low-income households in the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program.
  
  
• Safety Net Assistance Benefits increased from last year’s level of $400 up to $625.
  
  The number of $625 grants that may be awarded has been increased from two to three for “vulnerable” households, defined as households where one or more resident is elderly, disabled or under the age of 6. Non-vulnerable households may receive up to two Safety Net Assistance Benefits.
  
  
• Contingency Heating Assistance Program (CHAP), available to households with incomes up to 60 percent of the median state income, crisis benefit for deliverable fuels households increased from $200 to $325, enough to buy the minimum heating oil delivery of 125 gallons.

The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program also opened its application process two months earlier this year (mid-August instead of mid-October).

Connecticut 2
December 2007– $2.5 million in state funds for an arrearage management program through the statewide fuel fund, Operation Fuel.  

District of Columbia
August 28 – The D.C. Department of the Environment extended the deadline for its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The program usually closes in June, when funds run out. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development added $1.3 million to the program, allowing it to remain open until September 30, allowing an additional 1,000 households to be served.

Georgia
February 21 – The Georgia Public Service Commission allocated $7 million from the state’s natural gas Universal Service Fund (USF) to the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR), the LIHEAP grantee. Customers of Atlanta Gas Light received grants up to $250 each to help pay their winter gas bills. The USF is funded through surcharges on large industrial users.

Illinois
July 2007-  A multi-year rate relief package was approved for electric customers of Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison to help offset electric rates that had escalated after rate caps expired. The package included low-income summer cooling assistance, rate credits and weatherization.  For the low-income, ComEd was to spend at least $20 million over three years; Ameren about $16 million, over 4 years.

Indiana
$6.9 million allocated for energy assistance from a special allocation of TANF funds.

Indiana 2
In November, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission extended three natural gas rate assistance programs through May of 2009, effective December 1. The three utilities, Citizens Gas, Vectren Energy Delivery and NIPSCO, have operated their programs since the winter of 2004-05.  The programs will provide an annual total of about $2.5 million in assistance to Citizens Gas customers, about $5 million to Vectren customers, and $4.5 million to NIPSCO’s customers.

Louisiana
August 25 – $10 million in state funds will be available to supplement LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program, to be split evenly between the two programs. About 11,000 eligible households will receive an average payment of $426 for energy assistance; about 1,700 will receive weatherization help.

August 12 – the Louisiana Public Service Commission unanimously declared the state's first-ever "energy emergency," which will allow elderly, low-income and disabled customers to defer paying the increased portions of their electricity bills for up to a year.

Maine
August 25 – Gov. Baldacci avoided a special legislative session and used his authority to borrow $12.6 million in other state funds for a “short term energy plan,” which includes the following for low-income energy:

• $4.25 million to increase the LIHEAP benefit to $500 per eligible household (current benefit is $415.)
  
  
• Creates a $3.25 million emergency fund in January to help families who either participate in LIHEAP or are slightly above the entitlement threshold in the event of a fuel oil emergency.
  
  
• Increases funding for the state weatherization program by $2 million, potentially helping up to 500 homes, and provides an extra $1 million to repair and fine-tune homes that are LIHEAP-eligible.

Baldacci's plan is essentially a reshuffling of funds from a variety of state agencies and legislators will vote to replenish those funds when they reconvene.

Maine 2
August 25 – The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved a 13 percent increase in the funding of the Low Income Assistance Program, which is funded by electric utility ratepayers to help low-income Mainers with their electricity bills. Those who qualify for LIHEAP also qualify for the state program. The program’s funding was raised from about $6 million annually to $7 million.

Maryland
Reacting to soaring electric bills due to the expiration of electric rate caps, Governor Martin O'Malley in October authorized an additional $5 million for the FY 2008 budget of the Electric Universal Service Program, which helps pay electric bills of low-income households. An economic downturn and escalating electricity bills prompted Maryland’s legislature to provide an extra $13 million later in the year, bringing total state government funds for the year to $34.5 million, including $16.5 million that had been appropriated during 2006.

Massachusetts
November 20, 2007 – Governor Deval Patrick signed a $15 million energy assistance bill allowing the state to raise the average LIHEAP benefit from $715 to $865.

 Massachusetts: Boston
August 20 – The city received a $200,000 donation from National Grid for the city's HeatWorks program, which helps residents, especially seniors, make their homes more energy-efficient; the city will match the donation with $200,000.

 Michigan
August 26 – the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved $55 million in low-income energy assistance grants to seven organizations for the fiscal year beginning October 1. The same day it approved $10 million in low-income energy efficiency grants. The Department of Human Services (the LIHEAP office) received $38 million for energy assistance for low-income households statewide, with $27.75 million of that to supplement the energy crisis portion of the State Emergency Relief program, and $10.25 million for an arrearage payment program; The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW), a statewide fuel fund received $6 million energy assistance statewide; thee Salvation Army, $5 million for energy assistance statewide, and the Michigan Community Action Agency Association, $2.6 million for energy assistance statewide.

On the energy efficiency side, of the $10 million, $8.5 million was awarded to the DHS for statewide distribution to low-income households for energy efficiency upgrades, with up to 20 percent of the grant available for energy education; $750,000 was awarded to United Way Community Services for Southeastern Michigan for matching grants to non-profit facilities for energy efficiency upgrades, energy efficiency audits, and energy efficiency weatherization education; and $500,000 to Newaygo County Community Services for weatherization of low-income homes in the mid-Michigan area.

The grants come from the Low Income and Energy Efficiency Fund (LIEE), which originates from surcharges paid by customers of Detroit Edison and Consumers Energy. The PSC periodically issues requests for proposals for the LIEE funds and since 2002 has awarded around $435 million to state agencies and nonprofits for low-income energy assistance and energy efficiency.

Michigan 2
May 8 – The MPSC approved $7 million in low-income energy assistance grants from the LIEE fund to four organizations, including $4 million to the DHS for direct assistance and crisis assistance; $2.1 million to The Heat and Warmth Fund for shut-off prevention.

Michigan 3
November 8, 2007 – The MPSC awarded $70 million from the LIEE in energy assistance and energy efficiency grants, including $30.9 million to the LIHEAP office (DHS), $20 million to several nonprofit for various energy assistance programs and $14 million for energy efficiency programs operated by DHS and nonprofits.

Missouri
February 1 – Governor Matt Blunt on February 1 signed legislation making $6.4 million available to help low-income Missourians with their winter utility costs. This is the third year in a row that Missouri has provided state funds for its Utilicare program, which was created in 1979, but hadn’t been regularly funded.

Missouri 2
March 2008 – The City of St. Louis has provided $400,000 in energy assistance grants to Heat-Up St. Louis, an all-volunteer, utility-assistance charity covering about 17 Missouri and Illinois counties, including St. Louis. The funds will be used to help low-income, elderly and disabled city residents who are having trouble paying their utility bills.

Montana
August 14 – Declaring the state to be in an energy emergency, primarily due to escalating natural gas costs, Governor Brian Schweitzer, through an executive order, gave $1 million from the state emergency fund to weatherize homes. The money was split evenly between the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program grantee, the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), and the Governor’s Warm Hearts Warm Homes Initiative, which combines public and private funds, donations and volunteer labor to provide low-cost weatherization.

New Mexico
August 27 – Following a legislative special session that ended August 19, Governor Richardson signed into law SB 32 which allocated $1.9 million for LIHEAP. Richardson had requested $4 million for heating assistance and $2 million to weatherize homes.

 Ohio
For the fourth year in a row, the state received TANF funds for energy assistance – $45 million this year. Families with minor children in the home may qualify for up to $400 toward their heating bills if their income is between 175 and 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines.

Pennsylvania
August 26 – Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Investment Act signed into law July 9 will provide $650 million in funding and tax credits for alternative energy and conservation. The fund will be used to spur the development of alternative and renewable energy technologies and help consumers and small businesses take steps to reduce their electricity consumption and save money.

It included the following for low-income households:

• $40 million for emergency energy assistance ($10 million each year over 4 years) to be administered by DPW, the LIHEAP office. The Governor must first declare that there is an energy emergency as a result of costs, weather related conditions or a combination of each.
  
  
• Also: $92.5 million for grants, loans, reimbursements or rebates for consumer conservation and weatherization projects, such as installing energy-efficient windows, doors, or heating and cooling systems; insulation, air-sealing, or geothermal heat pumps.

 Vermont
September 2007 – Allocated $6.8 million to the LIHEAP program from the Corrections Budget in order to maintain the state’s benefit level, which at an average of $1,364 in 2007, is probably the highest in the country.

Wisconsin
July 3 – Wisconsin's Governor Doyle announced the state will provide an additional $1 million in energy assistance funds to help low-income families with disconnections and bill payments. The funds were released to local county and tribal agencies that administer LIHEAP funds

Wyoming
March 2006 – Wyoming legislators approved state funding of almost $12 million for energy assistance and weatherization in 2007 and 2008. For 2008, LIHEAP received $5.5 million and the weatherization program received $495,000.

Page Last Updated: January 27, 2010