Schumer Announces Over $473 Million in Home Heating Aid Coming to New York State - Delivers Essential Funds to Over 1 Million Upstate Households Struggling to Keep Warm

Statement

NY Will Receive $473 Million in Federal Aid for Seniors and Families to Cover the Cost of Heat, With Over a Million Upstate NY'ers Set To Receive Benefits

Record Number of Families Are in Need of Assistance Due to Recession - Bitter Cold Spell And Winter Weather Blanketing the State with Months of Winter Remaining

Funding Released As Part of LIHEAP Block Grants to States

As New Yorkers are being blasted with freezing temperatures and record snowfall, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is releasing funds provided by Congress to help Upstate New York Seniors and families deal with heating bills this winter. As part of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program's (LIHEAP) block grants, New York State is set to receive a total of $473 million. In Upstate New York, a total of 1,101,116 households received the benefit in 2010, and similar numbers of households are expected to be recipients in 2011. Due to the recession and extreme winter weather that has gripped New York, Schumer today said that releasing these resources is essential for Upstate New York families and Seniors who struggle to heat their homes.

"With one of the worst winters in recent memory, and as our economy continues to struggle, families and Seniors in Upstate New York need this heating assistance more than ever," Schumer said. "No one should have to worry about affording basic necessities simply because rising home heating costs are squeezing their family budgets. With this additional LIHEAP aid, more families and Seniors will be able to keep warm this winter."

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of an additional $1.6 billion in LIHEAP block grant funds, bringing the total available under the March 4th Continuing Resolution (CR) to $3.9 billion. New York is set to receive an additional $195.5 million, bringing the total for this year to $473 million. Over a million New Yorkers from across the state historically take advantage of this assistance. Here is the regional breakdown of Upstate households that received LIHEAP aid in 2010:
· In the Buffalo region, 277,924 households received benefits in 2010

· In the Rochester region, 150,060 households received benefits in 2010

· In the Syracuse and Central New York region, 225,533 households received benefits in 2010
· In the Southern Tier, 129,644 households received benefits in 2010
· In the Capital Region, 189,810 households received benefits in 2010
· In the Hudson Valley, 128,145 households received benefits in 2010

Releasing emergency LIHEAP funding will help over a million Upstate families and Seniors with their energy bills, and in doing so, create a noticeable economic multiplier. Less burdened by energy bills, these families have more to spend on other essentials, and can avoid the choice between paying energy bills and putting food on their table.

More families are in need of LIHEAP benefits than ever before. According to projections by National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), in the north east region of the United States home heating costs are expected to skyrocket: oil prices are expected to rise 16% this year, propane 11.3%, natural gas 3.5% and electric heat 3.3%. In addition, Americans continue to struggle due to the recession, with unemployment over 9%. In the last year, states helped 8.7 million households pay their heating bills.

The mission of LIHEAP is to assist households meet their immediate home energy needs. States that wish to assist households in meeting the costs of home energy may apply for a LIHEAP block grant. Congress established the formula for distributing funds to States based on each State's weather and low income population. Home energy is defined by statute as a source of heating or cooling in residential dwellings.

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