CANONSBURG — Columbia Gas reminds its customers that crisis grants available through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) offer additional benefits to assist income-eligible households without heat or in danger of being without heat.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). It provides cash grants ranging from $200 to $1,000 to assist in paying winter heating bills. Crisis grants, ranging from $25 to $800, can help households with emergency situations such as:
• Broken heating equipment or leaking lines that must be fixed or replaced
• Lack of fuel or the danger of being without a fuel supply
• The danger of having utility service terminated or the main or secondary sources of heat have been shut off
The DHS has given utility companies like Columbia Gas the ability to request crisis monies on behalf of its customers that have already received LIHEAP assistance and still have a past due balance. Columbia Gas is contacting potentially eligible customers via email to seek permission to submit a grant request on their behalf with the DHS, which will then make the final determination regarding eligibility.
The income eligibility limit for the 2020-2021 program is 150 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines. This means individuals with an annual income of up to $19,140 are eligible to apply. A family of four can earn an annual income of up to $39,300. Households can apply for grants until April 9, 2021. Last season, more than 20,000 Columbia Gas customers received LIHEAP grants to help with their energy costs.
Customers are encouraged to apply online through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Service website (COMPASS) at www.compass.state.pa.us.
