August 28, 2020 – Nicor Gas in Illinois is offering utility bill payment assistance through their COVID-19 Bill Payment Assistance Program. The program, operating through Nicor Gas, announced that they still have more than $4.5 million in bill payment assistance remaining for utility customers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 21, 2020 – The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to extend the moratorium ban on utility shutoffs until October 1, 2020. Last month, the PUC voted to extend the moratorium until September 1, 2020.

August 17, 2020 – The Office of Community Services (OCS) released a Dear Colleague Letter for an invitation to LIHEAP grantees and stakeholders to comment on the Council on Economic Mobility’s (Council) request for information. The Council recently published a request for information to gather feedback from all of it stakeholders.

August 14, 2020 – The Ohio Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program has been extended until September 30th this year, and additional information is available for participants. The program assists households with utility bills in the summer heat or obtain air conditioning units.

August 7, 2020 – The annual National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition (NEUAC) virtual conference was held this week. The theme for this year’s conference was “United We Stand,” and had over 650 attendees. The conference was hosted virtually this year in recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 31, 2020 – An additional $1.5 billion has been appropriated for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the Coronavirus Response 5 Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020. The funds are to remain available through September 30, 2021, as mentioned in the Act.

July 24, 2020 – Spire, a natural gas provider in Missouri, is expanding their eligibility requirements in order to be able to assist more customers with energy assistance. The expansion of requirements for eligibility include a change from 0% to 135% of the federal poverty guidelines to 136% to 185% of the federal poverty guidelines.

July 17, 2020 – The Ohio Development Services Agency is extending the length of the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program this year, as well as expanding eligibility requirements. The changes have been made to accommodate circumstances due to the health crisis the nation is experiencing.

Last year, the Home Energy Assistance Summer Crisis Program assisted more than 270 families in need of crisis assistance. The assistance is applied to their utility bill or used to purchase fans or air conditioning units.

July 10, 2020 – The FY21 Labor-HHS appropriations bill, released by The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Education and Related Agencies, reveals a proposal for funding for The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at $3,765,304,000. This proposal amount is $25 million more than the previous year.

July 3, 2020 –Wyoming has received additional funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to aid low-income households in paying energy bills. Wyoming received a total of $2.4 million to help low-income families pay heating and energy bills amidst the circumstances of COVID-19.