$38.7 Million In Home Energy Funds
For Vermont
Released Today
BURLINGTON, October 16 – The Vermont congressional
delegation announced today that Vermont’s share of
federal funding for home heating assistance this winter will be
$38.7 million.
The total is $3.7 million more than was projected
for Vermont
even after Congress doubled funds for the Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program. Last year,
Vermont
received $17 million in federal funds and the state contributed $6.3
million.
The extra assistance at a time of rising home
heating bills was based on a bill introduced in June by Senator
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and cosponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy
(D-Vt.). Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.) sponsored companion
legislation in the House.
Sanders said, “Our delegation worked hard for this
because without the added help, people in Vermont and other
cold-weather states would have gone cold this winter and some may
have frozen to death. At a time when the economy is getting
worse and fuel prices are higher than last winter, this good news is
welcome. It means that many more Vermonters will be able to
participate in the program.”
Leahy said, “Braced by these funds, we now are
heading into winter in a stronger position. This will help
relieve the burden on thousands of Vermont households.”
Welch said, “High home-heating prices threaten the
well-being of too many Vermonters struggling to get by in these
tough economic times,” said Welch. “This boost in funding will
provide a critical lifeline to those Vermonters most in need.”
The $38.7 million dollars includes $25.6 million
in funding based on a formula; $10.6 million in contingency funding
at the discretion of the administration; and the $2.5 million the
state already received in emergency funding in September.
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