State receives heating-assistance money

Rhode Island will receive at least $29 million this year for heating assistance for the poor, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed’s office said last week.
The money will come to the Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) run through the R.I. Office of Energy Resources. It arrives as the price of home heating oil has spiked as the region experiences some blistering cold weather.
“LIHEAP helps needy families and senior citizens pay their heating bills,” the Rhode Island Democrat said in a statement. “It is a lifeline for more than 34,000 Rhode Island families, enabling them to stay safe and warm through difficult times.”
Reed’s office said the Rhode Island money constituted a piece of $1.5 billion to help more than 8 million households nationwide pay their energy bills.
At a news conference with Joanne McGunagle, executive director of the Comprehensive Community Action Program in Cranston, Reed also made public a letter calling on President Barack Obama to release $590 million in emergency heating aid to help low-income families pay winter heating bills.
“For many years, LIHEAP has been a vital safety net for low-income families and seniors,” wrote Reed and 37 fellow senators. “In these tough economic times, the program is more important than ever. As such, we respectfully request that you release LIHEAP funding to meet the immediate, emergency needs, and urge you to maintain the federal commitment to low-income energy assistance.”