Posted on 09/30/2005 8:22:32 AM PDT by SheLion
AUGUSTA - A legislative panel learned Thursday the Baldacci administration is preparing for fuel shortages and considering emergency state allocations to help prop up programs that provide relief from rising heating oil costs.
The Legislature's Appropriations Committee also was informed of shortfalls within one of the state's most popular heating programs that provides financial assistance to Maine's poorest residents.
Dale McCormick, director of the Maine State Housing Authority, asked lawmakers to consider an emergency funding request of $10.2 million from the state's General Fund to bolster insufficient federal revenues.
"This is not going to be a good year for Maine citizens who depend on the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program, otherwise known as LIHEAP, to ease the financial burden of buying fuel," she said.
In a related development, Gov. John E. Baldacci joined a group of 28 governors Thursday who signed a letter to congressional appropriators in Washington in support of a request for an additional $1.276 billion of emergency funding for LIHEAP. Baldacci emphasized that many families and businesses in Maine are facing difficult times as fuel prices rise. He said the cost of heating oil this year is nearly 60 percent higher than last winter, and a surge of applications is expected for the heating assistance.
"Congress must recognize that covering dramatic increases in natural gas and heating oil prices will pose an immense challenge for our citizens as winter arrives," the governors said in the letter. "Therefore, we encourage you to give strong consideration to the above requests."
McCormick said Maine's LIHEAP program served 46,450 families in 2004 compared to 45,000 families the previous year. The fuel assistance benefit averaged $478 in 2004 compared to $440 in 2003. Immediate emergency fuel benefits were extended in 2004 to 4,475 people under the program and averaged $232 per household. McCormick said the average household income for the LIHEAP participants in 2004 was $12,062.
Because of skyrocketing fuel costs and anticipated increased demand for benefits under the program, McCormick estimated that last year's $478 average benefit will drop to $420 without state intervention.
"I would urge you to consider a state appropriation for [$10.2 million] and what that would do upfront is to allow us to increase the base benefit," she said. "There is a chance that the federal government will allocate emergency appropriations to LIHEAP. If they do, that can be taken into consideration as well."
Jeff Green of the state Department of Health and Human Services said increased fuel costs were seriously jeopardizing two programs designed to get the department's clients to appointments. Volunteers who help transport the poor to and from medical visits, and friends and family who also assist state clients, are finding they no longer can honor their obligations.
"We're in a situation now where some providers told me this morning that they are literally down to zero volunteers who are willing to provide transportation services - they have no volunteers left that are providing that service," Green said.
Anticipating increased costs as state clients turn to taxis to provide the service once offered by volunteers, Green said the administration is proposing a rule change to increase volunteers' reimbursement per mile from 30 cents to 44 cents. Friends and family reimbursement would increase from 15 cents to 22 cents a mile.
"So compared to the cost of doing nothing, the cost of making the rate changes that we're talking about here will be approximately $1 million," Green said. "We plan to go ahead with this and we will [seek a] supplementary appropriation when the Legislature convenes."
Upon hearing from volunteers in Aroostook County that the Department of Health and Human Services was paying to transport children taken by the state for visits with their parents while telling those who need transportation for kidney dialysis or cancer radiation treatments that resources are drying up, Rep. Jeremy Fischer, D-Presque Isle, suggested the department should start prioritizing.
"Is it time to say that we're not going to do as much visitation stuff?" Fischer asked. "We're not delivering kids halfway across the state. The parents ought to be responsible for coming to visit their kids, no matter where the courts have put them, instead of just spending more money."
Green said Fischer's observations represented an "important policy question" that would "require further discussion" by the department.
Beth Nagusky, director of Maine's Office of Energy Independence and Security, said her agency was having tremendous success with state programs such as Operation Keep Maine Warm, which is expected to deliver winter weatherization services to 3,000 homes.
Still, with the statewide average cost of heating oil hovering at $2.49 a gallon and severely diminished refining capacity as a result of Hurricane Katrina, Nagusky said it was necessary for her agency to join forces with the state Department of Transportation and the Maine Public Utilities Commission to monitor all available fuel supplies.
"I don't want to have to overstate the case, but I do have to tell you that there are concerns about fuel supplies this winter - particularly natural gas, and because natural gas fuels 40 percent of electricity generation, [it] has raised concerns about electricity supplies," she said.
I have to differ with you. I have miles and miles of broccoli planted in the fields behind me. Quite a crop this year, too. :)
They are gorgeous. And I think you heat with some kind of pebbles. I haven't looked into them enough to know a lot. But the actual stoves are gorgeous.
That's why I call in a chimney sweep every September to clean out the chimney and the creosol.
I'm guessing that there a invisible sarcasm tags here like on some of the other posts...as I am sure you know that heating oil is a different fraction of the crude oil than gasoline. And no doubt you'd agree that A/C should also be illegal...as a waste of energy...just open your windows and let the loverly Florida breezes in.
People in New Orleans got flooded, I get hot, Maine gets cold. There are places where it would be more comfortable to live. Why aren't we all there?
OldPro and I were pointing out that the "why would I care" thing is what someone was getting ready to say on your thread. It is what is always said on threads here on FR when a natural disaster hits part of this country. Such things as "why do they live there?" etc. We both made it clear that our statements were sarcastic and not truly deriding the fuel issue in Maine.
But you have made it clear that no matter what big city you were born in you have a problem with folks from Texas. In fact, I bet you even made the assumption that I was a man you were responding to out of your southern bigotry.
Ha..Likely story. Pure propaganda. We all know you only have two products, socialist politicians and ice. Did I forget taters?
Mine either, he actually bought them both on ebay a couple of months ago for $2,500(two 1988 Jeta's, Texas cars)cost him another $1,200 in parts for the conversion.
Good think'in, keep an eye on the stove pipe temp also, that's another place where problems can start.
Whoa Bubba, that's quite a leap! I was born and raised in Connecticut as was my father, his father and well.. you get the picture.
The only thing I've ever heard out of a northerners mouth bad about the south was that "you'd better drive the speed limit down there because those good old boy love to ticket Yankees."
I doubt her comments were pointing in that direction,IMHO
I think will freeze a bit this winter and investigate alternatives, I lean towards coal, a Northeaster blows the smoke in the direction of my A$$hole neighbor.
A pellet stove would be the ideal alternative but the pellets come, mostly, from canukistan and they play the market.
I drew that conclusion from the "tone" of her reply. I really doubt that if she had considered I was a woman (which I am) she would have been as angered as she was. Anyway, I have offered an apology for calling her dumb via freep mail with no response as of yet. I don't know why we bother with sarcasm tags if people still don't pay attention to them. Kindof ruins the subtle humor side of threads.
BTW I am King of sarcasm!! and because of it I'm always getting in trouble.
I usually only get in trouble when I go fast and forget to put the tag on. That is probably why I was rather sensitive to making sure the tag was loud and clear...even with 1OldPro. Which then set me off when it was still ignored. And then I do get upset with my gender when it comes to the "you aren't my friend" bit. Men really do have it better at times I think. How often do they say that to each other?
Rocks burn in AZ
:-)
SheLion, it's okay once in a while to say 'asshole.' The mod will let it slip by....
LIved in England for a year and had to use coal....Anthracite coal is hard, clean burning, but heavy and sometimes hard to light. Bituminous coal, has dust, sulfur, and other pollutants and should be avoided.......
I was in Maine in August once. Day time temperatures were never above 70 degrees.
How much is a cord of wood up there? In Portalnd they are getting, are you sitting down, $230. a cord for 6 month old mixed hardwood, split and delivered, but not stacked.
Here in the Stoneham area they are getting $200. from the summer folks, up for the fall, and about $160. or so from the locals.
Me, well, I cut it, and use the churches splitter. Still cost about $15. a cord just for gas and chainsaw oil.
Been doing wood all day, use to be easier when I was younger, like 50.
Jake
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