Governor Tim Pawlenty announced today that Minnesota will receive an additional $29.1 million in low-income energy assistance from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is directing funds to areas where home heating bills have been impacted by higher energy prices.

The HHS funds for Minnesota are part of an additional $1 billion that was approved by Congress and signed by President Bush this week.  Minnesota will receive an additional $29,139,232 million - bringing the total amount of energy assistance for this winter to $124,249,427.

This winter's heating costs have been higher, leaving low-income Minnesotans in need of help paying their heating bills," said Governor Pawlenty. "Working with our federal partners to provide this additional funding means more assistance for more families and seniors. Some of this new funding will be allocated to weatherizing homes, so less energy is used and heating bills are lowered in future winters."
 
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. The program helps low-income customers pay their heating bills through grant money paid directly to the utility company on behalf of the customer. Approximately 400,000 Minnesota households are income eligible to receive LIHEAP funds.

Earlier this winter, Governor Pawlenty announced $13 million of emergency funding for the state heating assistance program for eligible families, seniors and disabled Minnesotans. The funding was in addition to federal LIHEAP funds.

Minnesota LIHEAP helps pay home heating costs for households with the lowest incomes and highest energy costs. Last year the program served 118,000 households with an average assistance amount of $400 per household. The program expects to serve many more this year with an average assistance amount of $500 per household (a 25 percent increase).

In November, Governor Pawlenty launched initiatives in anticipation of this winter's higher heating bills:

- Promotion of energy conservation programs provided by Minnesota's utility companies to help customers save money and energy. Programs may include weatherization kits, energy audits, insulating attics and sealing attic bypasses.
- Making more money available for energy conservation in homes, schools and nursing homes by accelerating spending on energy conservation and efficiency. The Minnesota Department of Commerce approved an additional $2.1 million in utility spending for energy conservation programs aimed at saving natural gas.
- State buildings to lead by example by cutting energy usage by 10 percent. Governor Pawlenty issued an executive order requiring all state buildings to reduce their energy use by 10 percent.