State Mum on Use of Additional HEAP Funds

We recently reported that New York will receive approximately $120 million more than last year for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Bush Signs LIHEAP Funding Increase; Public Input Needed on How it Will be Allocated in New York. When the State HEAP plan for 2008-09 was developed, it assumed that the funding level would be substantially lower, i.e., at the Bush Administration's initially proposed national funding level of $1.7 billion, which would have reduced funds. Congress raised the national level to $5.1 billion. The State OTDA has not sought additional public input on how the new $120 million for New York will be used, and has announced no programmatic changes.

The New York HEAP program is scheduled to open November 3, 2008.