Gov. Patrick Testifies at Hearing on Home Energy Costs
HEARING
The New Bedford Standard-Times
Courtney Hime
Boston University Washington News Service
September 25, 2008
WASHINGTON – Gov. Deval Patrick urged Congress Thursday to do its part to stop the “slow-motion Katrina” that is threatening the New England area in the face of rising home heating costs.
Gov. Patrick, in a hearing before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, chaired by Rep. Edward Markey, stressed the importance of fully funding fuel assistance programs – especially for cold-weather states. The hearing was focused on the future of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
In his testimony, Gov. Patrick said Massachusetts was facing a home heating crisis. With the current price of heating oil hovering at $4 a gallon and the average family needing 1,100 gallons of oil during the winter, he said it would cost about $4,000 to heat a household.
The Massachusetts program, he said, “is expected to serve almost 144,000 households this winter. With rising energy costs and level formula funding, our benefits would barely cover half the roughly $1,130 it costs to fill a tank of heating oil.”
At that rate, the governor said, the low-income benefit would run out by the end of 2008.
Gov. Patrick’s numbers were based on the amount of home heating funds available to Massachusetts in the federal fiscal year that ends on Wednesday: $115 million in federal and $15 million in state funds. However, Massachusetts could be seeing an increase in fuel assistance funds.
Thursday’s hearing came directly after House passage of an omnibus spending authorization bill that would virtually double federal funds for the heating assistance program nationally to $5.1 billion. Of that money, Massachusetts is expected to receive $163 million in federal funds, according to Rep. Markey’s office.
In addition to the increase in funds, the legislation also called for an expansion in the eligibility requirements for energy aid, which could potentially allow up to 350,000 Massachusetts households to apply for assistance.
Gov. Patrick said he appreciated the House action and urged that the Senate maintain the amount budgeted for home heating aid when the bill goes to the floor.
“What’s at stake is the real possibility that many citizens in the colder regions of this country would be at risk of freezing to death without federal funding,” he said.
Combined with $10 million state appropriations and $11.5 million in federal contingency funds announced last week, Massachusetts would see a total of about $184.5 million for fuel assistance this winter if the Senate approves the bill.
In New Bedford, Bruce Morell, executive director of People Acting in Community Endeavors, the local fuel assistance provider, said the additional funds would be a great benefit for the area.
“This is a huge help, especially for benefit and funding levels given the current price of oil,” Morell said.
Brigid O’Rourke, spokeswoman for Sen. John Kerry, said the senator “is hopeful” that the Senate will act favorably.
Gov. Patrick said he’s optimistic the state will see fuel assistance funds.
“I met with the whole Massachusetts delegation today, and Sen. Kerry was there, and he’s hopeful and I know he’s going to press for it,” the governor said. “Chairman Markey says he’s been in touch with his counterparts on the Senate side. “So we’re hopeful.”
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