Winter Heating Bills May Soar in Aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – Parish Responses Needed
Attention: Pastors, Social Concerns Contacts and Others
Dramatic increases in utility bills may catch many customers by surprise this winter. Even before the damage wrought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, energy observers predicted that Missouri households would see their bills for natural gas rise from last year’s statewide average of $710 to $990 this winter.
But the hurricane damage to natural gas pipelines and other infrastructure has caused the U.S. Department of Energy to adjust its projections of the cost of natural gas for this winter upward to $1100. That represents a $390 increase in natural gas over last winter.
Meanwhile, propane is expected to be forty percent higher than last winter.
Utility increases of this magnitude will strain the budgets of most Missouri households, especially those households composed of the poor, disabled or elderly. Churches as well as community and charitable organizations can expect more requests for assistance and some of those requests may come from people who have never asked for help before.
There are programs that offer utility related help. The federally funded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides financial assistance with winter heating bills and emergency help for people facing a utility shutoff, such as warm shelter, blankets, repairing furnaces and refilling propane tanks. The Missouri Public Service Commission administers a Cold Weather Rule designed to help people avert utility shutoffs. Companies bound by the Rule must offer level payment plans to help customers spread the burden of high winter utility bills over the entire calendar year. Often companies not bound by the Cold Weather Rule will also offer level payment plans.
Parish Responses:
Utility assistance programs only work when churches, schools and community organizations make people aware of the help available and advocate on behalf of needy customers. Here are some suggested action steps:
- Use Sunday bulletin announcements and inserts and school and community newsletters to make people aware of LIHEAP and the Cold Weather Rule. See the suggested bulletin inserts provided in the MCC government program reporters that accompany this mailing;
- Post the Missouri Catholic Conference’s utility assistance information on church and school bulletin boards. Leave some copies on a table underneath the bulletin boards. Also distribute the information at parish council meetings and home and school meetings;
- Schools may send utility assistance information home with the school children;
- Form a parish or community group or use an existing committee, such as the parish social concerns committee, to address cold weather issues;
- Identify local organizations that provide help with winter heating bills or offer warm shelter. Have the parish secretary maintain a list of these organizations so that the parish can promptly refer people for help;
- When home visiting or bringing communion to the elderly, the disabled or the homebound, ask about their utility situation. Assist those you visit in understanding billing notices and other mailings from their utility;
- Make sure the elderly, disabled and the poor are aware of LIHEAP and the Cold Weather Rule. Hand deliver or mail copies of MCC’s information or explain the information verbally;
- Have those 65 of age or older and disabled persons register with their utility for additional notifications prior to any cutoff of utility service. Use the registration form accompanying this mailing;
- Recruit volunteers to help people apply for LIHEAP and any local utility assistance;
- Recruit advocates to work with the utility company and the customer in identifying financial options for paying utility bills while keeping the utility service connected;
- Find warm shelter for those who experience a utility cutoff. Work to have utility service restored.
MCC Information on Utility Programs :
For more in-depth information click on one of the links below:
Help Us Help Others:
If your parish or community has developed programs to assist people with winter heating issues, let us know about it. Tell us your story so others can learn from your experience. Email us at winterheating@mocatholic.org
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