Help Available for Hudson County Residents Struggling with High Winter Heating Bills
March 09 2006 - 2:52PM
PR Newswire (US)
LIHEAP Deadline Fast Approaching, Residents Encouraged to Apply for
Aid JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- High natural gas
costs are making it more expensive for New Jersey residents to heat
their homes. As a result, there is an unprecedented amount of
outreach being done to ensure that people know about the resources
available to them. Officials from Hudson County, PSE&G and PACO
gathered in Jersey City Thursday to talk about the need for payment
assistance and to encourage residents to take advantage of programs
designed to provide relief. "While there's tremendous need, only a
small portion of those eligible for energy assistance actually
apply," said Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G's vice president for electric
delivery. "More often than not, they're just not aware there is
help available or they don't know how to apply for it. We're
working to put an end to that." In Hudson County, where there are a
large number of Spanish-speaking residents, the language barrier
compounds the problem. This is something that Eliu Rivera
understands well. Rivera is the Executive Director of PACO, a
bilingual community based organization that provides assistance to
Hudson County residents. "The tools are there," he says. "We just
need to get the word out." PSE&G and PACO are teaming with
Hudson County officials to do just that. English and Spanish fact
sheets with tips for dealing with high energy bills are being
distributed to residents by community based organizations like
schools and churches. Residents are starting to respond to
materials in government offices and notices being posted by small
businesses. Public service announcements touting energy
conservation can be seen on NJN and heard on 660 AM radio during
live coverage of NJ Devils games. And soon residents will see
Spanish language messages offering help with their bills on the
highly visible shuttle buses that run up and down Bergenline Avenue
and Kennedy Boulevard. All of this is an effort to help residents
who are having trouble making ends meet. Visibility is the key to
success, the officials said. They called upon local leaders to take
the message back to their communities and to help direct residents
toward the assistance. The deadline for LIHEAP -- one of the larger
payment assistance programs - - is fast approaching. LIHEAP can
help residents offset the cost of their winter heating bills.
Applicants must meet income eligibility requirements, and they must
apply by March 31st. Completed applications may also qualify and
automatically enroll residents in NJ's Universal Service Fund
(USF), a year-long state-administered payment assistance program
that considers both income and energy consumption in determining
eligibility. Applications are available in all of PSE&G's 16
customer service centers, which are listed in customer's bills.
Detailed information in both English and Spanish on how and where
to apply for LIHEAP, can be found by calling 1-800-510-3102 or
visiting http://www.pseg.com/liheap. "Enrolling in LIHEAP can make
a real difference for families struggling to make ends meet," said
County Executive Thomas A. DeGise. "I urge all those who qualify to
take advantage of this outstanding program -- before the deadline."
On Tuesday night, the United States Senate approved an additional
$1 billion in LIHEAP funding. While the increase still needs to be
approved by the House of Representatives and the President, early
estimates show that this could mean millions of dollars in
additional energy assistance money for New Jersey. "Sky-rocketing
energy prices continue to threaten the health and economic
well-being of families and individuals across New Jersey and our
nation. That is why I continue to fight for increased funding for
LIHEAP, weatherization and other programs that help our families
afford their energy needs," said U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, a
member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "No family
should be forced to choose between heating their home, paying their
utility bill and putting food on the table for their children. I
applaud PSE&G, PACO and the County of Hudson for their efforts
to make needy families aware that there is assistance available to
help them stay warm this winter." For consumers who are feeling the
heat, but don't meet the income requirements to qualify for LIHEAP,
there are other ways they might find relief. There is an
organization called NJSHARES that helps people going through
short-term financial problems. Qualified applicants must show a
history of paying their bills on time and that they have suffered a
hardship that is keeping them from paying their bills now. More
information can be found by calling 1-866-657-4273. PSE&G and
the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities are offering ratepayers
Natural Gas Cost Cutter Kits, which are filled with energy-saving
items and tips that can help them lower their energy consumption
and save as much as $170 a year. To order, consumers should send a
$5 check or money order with their name and address to: Niagara
Conservation Corp. PO Box 2355 Morristown, NJ 07962-2355
Additionally, PSE&G is encouraging its customers to call
1-866-NJSMART, or visit http://www.pseg.com/saveenergy for a free
customized home energy audit. This analysis can help residents
determine which of their appliances use the most energy and provide
specific recommendations for making their home more energy
efficient. It also provides information on rebate programs and
special incentives that can help make purchasing energy efficient
lighting and appliances more affordable. Lastly, PACO and PSE&G
will be hosting a workshop for non-profit organizations in Jersey
City who want to learn more about how they can help residents
burdened by high energy bills. The workshop will be held Monday,
March 20th from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cunningham Library at 275
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The workshop is free of charge.
DATASOURCE: PSE&G CONTACT: ENGLISH: Jim Kennelly, (Hudson Cty),
+1-201-795-6060, or Jenn Connell, (PSE&G), +1-973-430-7734;
PARA ESPANOL: Rosa Pagnillo-Lopez, +1-201-376-2467 Web site:
http://www.pseg.com/ http://www.pseg.com/saveenergy
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