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"With home heating costs expected to increase by as much as 70
percent this winter, the LIHEAP program will be more important than
ever for senior citizens and families that are just barely getting
by," the governor said. "I want to thank Ameren, Nicor and Peoples
Gas for working with us to ensure that every dollar of LIHEAP aid
will go toward keeping people warm during the difficult months
ahead."
Waiving the reconnection fees and suspending deposits will allow
disconnected customers to get their home heating service restored
with a LIHEAP pledge to pay their past-due balance. With LIHEAP
funds covering actual usage charges only and not administrative
reconnection fees and security deposits, which can add more than
$400 to a bill, the state can help thousands more low-income
households with their heating costs this winter.
In a letter to Ed Hurley, the governor's recently-appointed
special director for emergency energy assistance, Nicor's Scott
Lewis, wrote, "Nicor will waive the reconnection charge for LIHEAP
customers if the customer's account is currently off for nonpayment.
For all LIHEAP customers receiving a LIHEAP pledge, we will
waive, through June 1, 2006, the billing of a deposit."
Rodrigo Sierra of Peoples Energy wrote, "Peoples' utilities will
waive reconnection fees once each calendar year for any customer who
has been disconnected. For LIHEAP customers, Peoples' utilities will
agree to exclude deposit amounts from the ‘amount to reconnect'
calculation."
In negotiations led by the governor's office, Ameren
Corporation's Scott A. Cisel agreed to waive reconnection fees and
suspend deposit requirements.
Commonwealth Edison agreed to waive deposits from Nov. 15 through
March 31 for any new or existing LIHEAP customers who are living in
all-electric-heated buildings and currently disconnected. These
customers would have been required to pay a deposit to have service
restored.
Ameren, Nicor Gas and Peoples Energy also agreed to offer
affordable reconnection terms to LIHEAP beneficiaries under the Good
Samaritan Initiative, starting Dec. 1. This initiative will allow
customers with account balances that are too high to be covered by
the LIHEAP grant alone, but less than $3,000, to have their service
restored by paying $250 or 20 percent of their remaining balance,
whichever is less. Commonwealth Edison will not participate in the
Good Samaritan Initiative but will instead allow its customers to
have their service restored with a payment of 20 percent of the
outstanding balance.
"We have a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable citizens
as they face record energy bills and the looming threat of
disconnection this winter," said Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn. "I salute
Ameren, Nicor and Peoples Energy for adopting the Good Samaritan
reconnection policies and providing thousands of Illinois families
with peace of mind as they brace for a cold winter season."
In addition, Ameren, Nicor Gas, Peoples' Energy and Commonwealth
Edison agreed not to disconnect residential heating customers for
nonpayment between Dec. 1, 2005, and March 31, 2006, even if
temperatures rise above 32 degrees during that time.
"The governor is acting swiftly to deal with the home heating
crisis facing our state and to alert Illinois residents about what
they can do to prepare for winter," Hurley said. "I want to
emphasize that it's important that everyone act now to stay warm and
safe this winter. The best way for
people to reduce their heating bill is to turn down the thermostat
so they use less energy this winter. Then, sealing up air leaks by
caulking and weatherstripping around doors and windows, pipes and
cracks will help keep the heat in and lower utility bills. If people
simply cannot afford to adequately heat their homes, they should
sign up for energy assistance programs or get help by going to a
warming center in their community."
Through LIHEAP, a state- and federally funded energy assistance
program run by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family
Service, heating bill payments are made on behalf of households with
incomes of up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level.
Blagojevich made LIHEAP funding available on Sept. 1 to households
with elderly or disabled members and those currently without home
heating due to service disconnections, to meet their winter heating
needs. On Nov. 1, all LIHEAP-eligible households will be allowed to
apply.
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A single-person household can qualify for LIHEAP with a monthly
income of up to $1,196, a two-person household up to $1,604, and a
family of four can earn up to $2,420. Benefits are paid directly to
the household's appropriate utility. The energy grant applications
are processed through a network of 35 local administering agencies
around the state. These agencies accept applications on a
first-come, first-served basis until funding for the program is
exhausted. The winter heating program is expected to reach 300,000
households this winter with an estimated $150 million in state and
federal funding.
For a complete listing of LIHEAP's local administrating agencies
and additional information about the grant program, go to
www.liheapillinois.com
or call the toll-free LIHEAP information line at 1 (800) 252-8643.
Last week, the governor released a schedule of
Winter Assistance Days occurring across the state to offer members
of low-income households the opportunity to apply for LIHEAP grants,
receive free weatherization kits and learn about several state
health care programs.
Last month, the governor appointed Ed Hurley as the special
director of emergency energy assistance to marshal resources from
the public and private sectors and to coordinate assistance to
vulnerable populations affected by record-high heating costs. The
special director will work with utilities, the Illinois Commerce
Commission and other state agencies to ensure the public's best
interest is protected.
Schedule of energy assistance events
(Day, date, time; host; agency)
Saturday, Oct. 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; hosted by the office of U.S.
Rep. John Shimkus; St. John's Hospital, main lobby, 800 E.
Carpenter, Springfield
Monday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; state Sen. Antonio Munoz,
Alderman George Cardenas; Our Lady of Fatima Church, 3845 S.
California, Chicago
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Pastor Elder Ahart Medders;
Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester, Chicago
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 5-8 p.m.; U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.; St.
Francis De Sales, 10100 S. Ewing, Chicago
Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Alderman Howard Brookins;
Resurrection Lutheran Church, 9349 S. Wentworth, Chicago
Friday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; host to be determined; State of
Illinois Building, Rockford
Saturday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez,
state Sen. Cynthia Soto, 1st Ward Alderman Manuel Flores, 26th Ward
Alderman Billy Ocasio, 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras; Wells High
School, 936 North Ashland, Chicago
Wednesday, Nov. 2, time to be determined; Bloom Township and Rich
townships; place to be determined
Friday, Nov. 4, time to be determined; Rainbow/Push Coalition;
National Headquarters, 930 E. 50th Street, Chicago
Saturday, Nov. 5, time to be determined, Rainbow/Push Coalition;
National Headquarters, 930 E. 50th Street, Chicago
Wednesday, Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.;
Southeast CEDA, 3518 W. 139th St., Robbins
Saturday, Nov. 12, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Mayor Eric Kellogg; Harvey
Community Center, 15320 Center St., Harvey
Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Cook County Commissioner
Deborah Sims; Ford Heights Community Service Association, 443 E.
Lincoln Highway, Ford Heights
Saturday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; U.S. Rep. Danny Davis; District
Office, 3333 Arthington, Chicago
Date and time to be determined; state Sen. Rev. James T. Meeks;
Salem Baptist Church, 752 E. 114th St., Chicago (for members of the
church only)
[News release from the governor's
office] |
