Federal heating aid may increase

www.dailyfreeman.com By Jonathan Ment, Freeman staff January 23, 2003

THERE'S GOOD news for people feeling the combined sting of bitter cold temperatures and high heating costs: The federal government may increase funding for its energy assistance program, and meteorologists think temperatures might climb by early next week - all the way to the freezing mark. The U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted to provide almost $300 million in additional funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides states with grants to help households in need with winter heating costs.

The Senate wants to raise the HEAP budget from $1.7 billion to $2 billion. The House has approved a $1.7 billion package, so the two sides will have to work out a compromise.

THE EXTRA money is needed in New York, where this winter is colder than last yet HEAP funding is down.

"We're operating based on the projection of $191 million," said Michael Hayes, a spokesman for the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers the program in New York. "Last year, we received $212 million."

Hayes said the New York program is going through available funds more quickly that it did a year ago, but because fewer households are being served this year, the situation is not yet critical.

"We've served 572,000 households (so far this year)," Hayes said. "Last year, we served 658,000 for the entire year. "We think we have enough (money) to run through February."

Of the 658,000 households served last winter, 13,000 were in Ulster, Dutchess, Greene and Columbia counties.

GLENN Decker, commissioner of the Ulster County Department of Social Services, said his office is getting a steady stream of requests for HEAP money.

"People hear about it by word of mouth and come in," he said. "We did 30 (on Tuesday. We could probably have 100 applicants between walk-ins and phone calls.

"We're (also) finding the (fuel) dealers are backed up on their service calls," Decker said. "It puts a strain on the whole system. I just heard that one of our employees has been without heat for three days. Their oil company can't get the parts to repair their furnace."

BARRY Motzkin, vice president and general manager of the Kingston Oil Supply Co., said the region was "due for a real winter, and (KOSCO was) prepared for it."

Other factors weighing on oil prices, Motzkin said, are the labor problems in Venezuela, a key oil-producing nation; and the possibility of the United States waging war against Iraq, which sits in the heart of the oil-rich Middle East.

KOSCO was charging $1.499 per gallon of home heating oil on Wednesday, though people who use the company's "price protection plan" pay $1.099, which is less than last year.

"Price protection plans level out volatility in the market, which is what they're supposed to do," said Motzkin, who also is a spokesman for the Hudson Valley Oil Heat Council.

AS FOR Mother Nature's role, temperatures this winter have been about 15 percent colder than last year, which was one of the warmest on record.

"It's so cold right now, it's hard to think that it's ever going to get warm again," Hayes said. "But should the demand decrease, we (HEAP's resources) could go longer."

Hugh Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany, said unlike recent years, when the Mid-Hudson's low temperatures never dropped below zero, "we've had our fifth day below zero in the past week."

And today may be the coldest day yet, with a high temperature of only 15 degrees.

But relief may be in sight: The Weather Service is predicting highs near 30 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with lows only in the teens.

DECKER SAID Ulster County is taking care of all qualified people who need help with heating costs.

"If you tell me you're without (heat), we'll arrange for an emergency delivery," he said. "We will not allow anyone to go without heat. We will find a way."

Motzkin said oil customers can help delivery drivers by uncovering fill caps that are buried in the snow and clearing driveways.

"Cold we handle pretty well; snow is a variable," he said. "Trucks are wider than passenger vehicles, so making sure the driveway is clear and well-sanded is essential."