AUGUSTA, Maine — The U.S. Department of Health and Human services announced Thursday that Maine will receive nearly $10 million more in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding.
That brings Maine’s total LIHEAP amount for this season to $39,981,695 — still well short of the $56.5 million the state received for the program in 2010-2011.
U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have been working throughout the fall and winter to get low-income Mainers more money to heat their homes this winter.
“Maine’s low-income senior citizens and families are already struggling with high energy costs,” Collins said in a press release. “No one should ever be forced to choose between heating their homes and other vital necessities such as food and medication.”
The lawmakers released statements Thursday saying they were pleased with the extra assistance but that Mainers need more.
“This funding is needed, but it’s not enough,” Michaud said. “President Obama needs to request full funding from the start so that Congress is less likely to move forward with another deep cut to this critical program.”
Snowe, Collins and Michaud each vowed to push to restore LIHEAP funding to last year’s levels.
Heap should have been funded well before now.. Many main people including can’t afford oil. “Any Oil”. I myself am a disabled person and do not have any oil nor have I had any all winter. Heap has no emergency oil reserve at all. This is the only year that I know of for the past 17 year that you could not get 100 gals of energency oil for heap if you ran out of oil. Also the amount of Oil that is being released is an un-deliveral amount for some people who would not be able to afford to cover the extra cost to reach to 100 gals necessay for most oil company’s to dilver. Most will not deliver less than 100 gals. I urge everyone to contact their senators and insist that Heap be fully funded from now on… People should not be living in homes in Maine without heat.
1-877-JOE-4-OIL
You want to make sure you have a shat load of minutes piled up before you try joke for oil there is no one there answering the phones this year, I think it is just some kind of tax shelter set up for a few favorites.
Heat with Maine made Wood Pellets
HALF the price of oil, BTU for BTU.
Think about it then Try it.
You’ll see that Pellets are the way to go over oil.
Fuel Cost Comparison
http://pelletheat.org/pellets/compare-fuel-costs/
Fill in your own local fuel pricing to get actual Savings.
Be sure to include all delivery and transmission charges.
I do not know what county you live in however, call 211, call community action their is a Good Neighbor Fund, right now and most likely for only a few days there is the keep me warm fund, Catholic Charities, Town office, Salvation Army, United Way. Keep calling until you get some oil. Do you have wood, how are you heating?
thank you all for you help…I have called Joe’s oil. Yes! there is someone there to answer the phone, they are sending me a request form. I will call 211 also, thank for the heads up. I have no oil and no heat haven’t had any all winter and I afraid im not the only one.
Well thank god the Chinese bailed us out on that one!
Keep working at it Michaud, you get some more federal debt dollars flowing our way. The baby boomers are depending on you and the gen-x folks can’t wait to be saddled with more “future promises to pay”!
U.S. Debt Clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Anyone who has bought booze or cigarettes or tattoos should be disqualified from receiving free heat
Any one who buys foreign cars and paper products should not get earned income credit too.
Folks we live in Maine, winter comes every year, don’t you budget for oil? Unless you have an emergency, sudden unemployment or illness, you should not be calling for LIHEAP every year. If you can’t afford oil, move to a smaller place or look for a cheaper alternative.
YA right…keep on dreaming. With two children and on disablity there is no money to budget fot anythin. We have lived day to day, week to week and month to month…Get real
Most of us live week to week.
Do you have any advice for your neighbors who live on $700 a month?
Move