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Friday, January 24, 2003

By Frank Reeves, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Pennsylvania could receive a substantial increase in federal aid to help low-income families pay their heating bills if Congress approves a $2 billion appropriation bill for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

The measure's chances greatly increased this week after Ari Fleischer, the president's press secretary, said Bush now supported increased funding for the program, known as LIHEAP The White House, which originally requested $1.4 billion for LIHEAP vs. $1.7 billion last year, cited rising energy prices for its change of heart.

LIHEAP provides crisis assistance for people whose heat, electricity or water has been cut off. It also helps people who are having a hard time paying their bills and face the prospect of having utilities shut off.

Pennsylvania's share of the $2 billion LIHEAP program would be about $134 million under the new bill, compared with $114 million last year, according to the state Department of Public Welfare, which administers the program. Had Congress cut back the LIHEAP program to $1.4 billion, as the Bush administration originally proposed, the state's share would have been about $93.6 million, the department said.

Congressional action and the Bush administration's change of heart couldn't come too soon, local charities said. With the severe cold weather and spike in energy prices, groups such as the Dollar Energy Fund have already seen a rise in the number of families asking for help with paying their heating bills. The fund, whose money comes from individual donations that are matched dollar-for-dollar by many of the region's utilities, has seen the number of applications for help rise to 2,800 from 1,400 at this same time last year.

State welfare department officials said that statewide, about 224,000 families have received help from LIHEAP so far this winter, compared with about 250,000 at this time last year. In Allegheny County, about 16,500 families have receive aid this winter, compared with about 19,000 by this time last year.

Although the number of people receiving aid is running behind last year, welfare department officials said they expected a surge in requests for assistance before the program ends March 27.

To be eligible for LIHEAP, a family must earn less than $24,435 annually for a family of four, which is 135 percent of the federal poverty level. A family does not have to be on public assistance to apply.

To be eligible for the Dollar Energy Fund, a family must earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $36,200 for a family of four.