The state on Monday authorized a second round of emergency heating aid to low-income people struggling to meet rising fuel costs. The state authorized county social service departments to dispense a new round of supplemental emergency assistance to people who qualify for aid through the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Penn Morris-Stoddard, Washington County's director of welfare programs, said those receiving emergency assistance must be eligible to participate in the HEAP program and have already used up regular HEAP allotments.
Eligibility is for the heating aid program is based on income and family size.
Recipients also must be nearly out of fuel and must have exhausted credit with fuel suppliers, Morris-Stoddard said. In most years, recipients can only receive supplemental emergency payments once, she said. But in the winter of 1999-2000 and again this year, she said, the state has authorized two supplemental payments because of high home heating costs. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. officials Monday predicted natural gas prices for this winter will be at least 55 percent higher than last winter. Fuel oil prices also are up considerably for a second consecutive year.