Like many of you, I am deeply concerned about the impact that high energy prices – from home heating oil to electricity – are having on Maine families.
Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.
With the help of the Legislature, my Administration has already taken steps to help low and middle-income families, and older Maine people, and small businesses with the rising costs of energy.
And this week, I’ve proposed an emergency winter energy relief plan to send more help to Maine people who need it the most this winter.
Here’s what’s in the emergency winter energy relief plan:
- First, a Winter Energy Relief Payment of $450 to about 880,000 Maine people, or about $900 for the average Maine family. You will be eligible if you make less than $100,000 and file your taxes single or married and filing separately; of if you make less than $150,000 if you file as head of household; or if you make less than $200,000 if you file jointly;
- Secondly, there’s a $40 million fund to supplement the Home Energy Assistance Program to help recipients receive a financial benefit equal to last year’s, that’s LIHEAP;
- Thirdly, $10 million to Maine Community Action Partnerships to help them deliver emergency fuel assistance to prevent people from running out of heating fuel and experiencing a heating crisis;
- Fourthly, $21 million for the Emergency Housing Relief Fund. The Legislature and I created that fund earlier this year to support emergency housing and emergency shelters to keep people from experiencing homelessness this winter.
This plan in total incorporates the feedback of both Republican and Democratic leadership in the Legislature. It also builds on the nation-leading inflation relief measures we delivered earlier this year and it is the fastest, most direct way to get help directly to Maine people as we work to bring down energy costs over the long-term.
We’ve got to ease the burden on Maine people by putting money back into their pockets so they can afford these energy costs and ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are able to stay warm this winter.
I ask the Legislature to pass this plan with the support needed to enact it as an emergency measure so we can this relief into the hands of Maine people without delay.
In the meantime, I am taking some executive action to distribute additional heating aid to low-income older Maine people. During the week of December 12, the Department of Health and Human Services will provide one-time payments of $500 to about 13,000 households which include low-income Maine people 65 or older to help them pay their heating costs.
With colder weather around the corner, please be sure to check-in on your neighbors and those who might be at risk. If you or someone you know needs resources to stay warm this winter, please look at our Winter Heating Guide. It’s found at maine.gov/energy/winter-heating-resources.
This is Governor Janet Mills. Please stay warm and thank you for listening.