St. Paul, Minnesota — State Representative Mary Sawatzky (DFL – Willmar) is joining the Minnesota Department of Commerce in reminding low-income households, especially homes with senior citizens, people with disabilities, veterans, and families with children who might be struggling to pay their heating bills that help is still available from Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP).
“This has been a terribly cold and dangerous winter, and now the skyrocketing costs of propane and heating oil are hurting Minnesotans’ pocketbooks,” said Rep. Sawatzky. “The cold isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and even when it does warm up, many will still be struggling to heat their homes. I strongly encourage those in need to apply for this program.”
Last week, , U.S. Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar announced in a joint press release that the bipartisan federal spending bill included an additional $3.4 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
In response to the significant cost increases in propane the Commerce Department has begun to take the necessary steps to increase LIHEAP Crisis payments from $500 to $1,000 for applicants currently heating their homes with propane and heating oil.
Households with an income less than 50 percent of the state median income ($43,642 for a family of four) may qualify; those who qualify are served on a first-come, first-served basis while funds last. People have until May 31, when the program year ends, to apply for EAP.
EAP pays the utility company directly on behalf of eligible households. Qualifying families must apply for assistance at the local service provider in their area; Minnesota has 32 local service providers. A list of local service providers and information on applying for the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program is available by visiting the Energy Assistance section of the Division of Energy Resources website (mn.gov/commerce/energy/) or by calling 1-800-657-3710 or 651-539-1882. EAP is administered by the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
In addition to expanded funding, Governor Mark Dayton and other federal leaders are calling for immediate action to address this critical propane shortage in Minnesota.
Among the action they are calling for the federal government to take is to:
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Maintain and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation exemption to the hours-of-service regulations for as long as may be necessary to address this crisis. Propane suppliers need the ability to safely transport propane from areas with greater supplies like Texas and Kansas to states facing shortages like Minnesota.
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Address any regulatory barriers at the U.S. Department of Energy so that additional shipments of propane can be delivered by other modes of transportation, including rail and pipeline.
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Examine current propane market forces and consider exercising authority outlined in 42 U.S.C. § 6212 to ensure a sufficient supply of propane for domestic consumption.
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Deliver propane to communities in danger of a devastating depletion of their supplies.
Governor Dayton declared a state of emergency on Monday, ordering state agencies to help local governments with relief efforts if the shortage gets even worse and people are unable to obtain fuel. The Governor also met this morning with propane suppliers to discuss the state’s propane shortage and how to improve the supply of propane to Minnesota consumers.
“Governor Dayton, Senator Klobuchar, Senator Franken and our congressional delegation are taking action and I strongly support their efforts,” said Rep. Sawatzky.
Other forms of assistance may be available through county social service programs, community-based organizations, and nonprofit agencies. See the Stay Warm Minnesota webpage for a list of resources.
Rep. Sawatzky encourages constituents to contact her with any questions on this issue. Rep. Sawatzky can be reached by phone at 651-296-6206 or by email at rep.mary.sawatzky@house.mn. Constituents can also visit Rep. Sawatzky’s AreaVoices blog, legislative page and sign up for email updates.