Gov. Maura Healey is looking on President Donald Trump to launch Low Earnings Dwelling Vitality Help Program (LIHEAP) funding as chilly climate begins settling in New England.
Healey urged the president to launch the funds in remarks Thursday after the Trump administration introduced that LIHEAP funding won’t be restored till the top of the month.
“We have cold temperatures coming next week and the week after. We have a polar vortex expected to be upon us soon here in Massachusetts and New England and it is unacceptable to me that Massachusetts families and residents are going to go without heating assistance that they are due from the federal government,” Healey stated throughout a press convention outdoors her workplace. “So, my message to Donald Trump is get that money out the door and get it out today.”
Gov. Healey has despatched a letter to Health and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of the Workplace of Administration and Finances Russul Vought, urging them to launch the very best attainable quantity of LIHEAP funding licensed underneath the Persevering with Decision. Healey additionally known as on them to make sure this system is totally staffed and operational so states can keep away from delays in implementing help plans, and to supply clear steering and coordination to the states on timelines, eligibility, and disbursement mechanisms.
“I am asking the President of the United States to do his damn job and get heating assistance out now,” Healey demanded. “What needs to happen is the Trump Administration needs to stop showing what I view as a complete disregard for the well-being of Americans, including Bay Staters, by the actions they continue to take. And they need to stop denying people food, stop denying people heat, and stop denying people childcare,” Healey stated.
The Herald requested Gov. Healey if any criticism might be directed in direction of state lawmakers hitting pause final week on invoice (H. 4744) filed by state Rep. Mark Cusak (D-Braintree), that seeks to decrease vitality prices, however would weaken the state’s 2030 local weather mandate based on critics. That laws now sits with the Home Methods and Means Committee, the place revisions are anticipated.
“No, not at all,” stated Healey. “The important thing is that we filed a bill to address energy costs, and the same way we’re trying to drive down housing costs by building more homes, we took action last spring to take about $6 Billion off people’s bills. We followed up with legislation that we think is going to do a few things: continue to remove unnecessary charges, right-size some of the programs that are out there, and importantly, more quickly bring online energy from a number of sources.”
Healey was additionally requested a few new report, launched by the Fiscal Alliance Basis and reported on by the Herald, that discovered state local weather insurance policies and mandates are the first driver behind hovering vitality prices in Massachusetts. The governor stated she “disagrees” with the report’s findings earlier than once more going again to inserting the blame on President Trump.
“Well, I disagree with that. But, I think that one thing we have been clear about is the need to bring in all different types of energy. I also think the reality of dealing with emissions is something states across this country have embraced as something we’ve got to do,” the governor stated. “I’m continuing to be actively engaged and continuing to do everything I can within my power to drive down energy costs. It hasn’t been helpful that the Trump Administration a couple months ago was going to turn off the wind power that was helping to fire up 200,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts.”
Healey’s phrases additionally come simply someday after she deflected blame for elevated vitality prices relative to her stoppage of two pure fuel pipelines as legal professional basic. She even went on to disclaim ever stopping the pipelines, regardless of bragging about it whereas on WBUR throughout her 2022 marketing campaign.
“Families across our state are impacted by the Trump Administration’s failure to do its job, once again. I feel like we’ve shown up, the state has shown up.”
The governor additionally says she has ordered an extension of the moratorium for fuel shutoffs, which started Nov. 1st, to April 1 for individuals who fail to pay their payments.
She stated the state will proceed to attract on the $13 million it has left in LIHEAP funding to help households in a heating emergency. The Healey Administration says heating emergencies embrace houses not having any warmth, receiving a termination discover from a utility, having lower than 1/8 of a tank of oil, or having lower than three days’ provide of different deliverable fuels.
Throughout the 2024-2025 heating season, the Massachusetts Dwelling Vitality Help Program offered over 159,000 Massachusetts households with monetary help to warmth their houses by way of the winter.
