$140 Million Available to Cover Household Energy Costs
Credit: Conduit Street, D’Paul Nibber
$143,357,536 in American Rescue Plan funding will be applied toward assisting eligible Maryland families seeking to cover utility costs and stay warm this winter.
Several members of Maryland’s Congressional Delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen David Trone, Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, and Jamie Raskin, helped deliver the funding to bolster the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for fiscal year 2022 (October 2021 to September 2022).
The members of Congress discussed the intent behind the funding in a press release:
“For Marylanders struggling to get by, the high energy bills that come during the winter months can create one of the biggest burdens on their pocketbooks. This vital relief will help families cover their utility costs and stay warm this winter. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our communities, we were proud to fight for funding in the American Rescue Plan to support Marylanders, and we will keep working to reduce the burden of high energy costs that so many hardworking Americans face.”
In Congress’s fiscal year 2022 budget, the lawmakers had secured $69,851,450 in LIHEAP funds, in addition to the American Rescue Plan’s allocation of $73,506,086 in Spring of 2021.
Marylanders seeking energy assistance can apply here.
