BREAKING: Gianforte Withholding $23 Mil in Heating Bill Relief for Hardworking Montanans as Energy Costs Soar
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
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BREAKING: Gianforte Withholding $23 Mil in Heating Bill Relief for Hardworking Montanans as Energy Costs Soar
Helena, MT – With energy costs expected to rise 47% to 62% from last year, Montanans are left waiting for Governor Gianforte to distribute Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding. The American Rescue Plan Act allocated $27.1 million for the LIHEAP Program– Gianforte’s administration has distributed just $4.1 million, just over 15% of the available funds.
LIHEAP provides assistance to Montana households that may struggle to pay their household heating bills. Over 18,000 Montana households are enrolled in the program every year. With energy costs expected to rise up to 62% this year, LIHEAP assistance is more critical than ever.
Perhaps most importantly, LIHEAP funding must be allocated and committed by the end of Fiscal Year ’22. At the current rate of distribution, it’s possible that Governor Gianforte’s administration will fail to allocate the available funding in time.
This is not a new trend for the Gianforte Administration– his office is currently sitting on millions of federal funds that he has failed to administer and distribute, including over $200 million in pandemic relief funding.
“I’m not sure what the Governor is waiting for. Winter is here and Montanans are already facing historically high energy costs,” says Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Sheila Hogan. “The question remains– where is the money?”
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