August 2008, Volume 3, Issue 8

Home Heating Oil Crisis
This Month’s Feature:
NH Office of Energy & Planning
The Office of Energy and Planning (OEP) is responsible for the statewide administration of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Block Grant (LIHEAP), referred to as the Fuel Assistance Program. LIHEAP is federally funded through the US Department of Health and Human Services. OEP, in turn, contracts with six local Community Action Agencies to provide service to eligible households. As funds become available, the Fuel Assistance Program provides benefits to qualified New Hampshire households to assist with heating costs. Both renters and homeowners are eligible for the Fuel Assistance Program.
OEP also operates the Weatherization Program with grants from the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Health and Human Services. OEP subcontracts with New Hampshire's Community Action Agencies which are responsible for operating and delivering weatherization Community Action Agencies services at the local level.
For additional information, please visit the Fuel Assistance and Weatherization websites.
There is little if anything OEP can "do" about fuel prices. Heating oil, gasoline, kerosene and propane are all unregulated fuels where prices are determined by the marketplace.
Electricity and natural gas are energy sources regulated by the Public Utilities Commission. To assist people with dealing with high energy costs, the OEP has provided a wealth of information on their website to help people use less energy. Please see the Winter Energy Costs page and StayWarmNH website. Much additional information about energy can be found by visiting the Energy Program home page.
(Source OEP)
(Readers note: If you are reading this online, all blue text is a web hyperlink which you can click on to get more information.)
Congressional Delegation Responses to ENH
Paul Hodes:
On July 10, 2008, I introduced H.R. 6473, a bill that provides a bipartisan solution to bring down the price of heating oil. This bill would release heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve onto the market by auction if the price stays above $4 a gallon from November through March. The money raised would go to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Assistance, two programs that assist thousands of New Hampshire families dealing with energy costs each year. H.R. 6473 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
One major cause of rising oil prices is unregulated speculation in the oil market. I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 6334, the Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Oil Prices Act. This legislation would stop excessive speculation in the petroleum markets by closing loopholes that drive up energy prices. Energy analysts recently testified before Congress that if excessive speculation was limited, gas prices could drop to as low as $2 referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
To help lower the cost of fuel, it is also critical that we increase our domestic energy supply. There are currently 68 million acres of federal lands that have been leased to oil companies but have not yet been drilled, limiting supply and driving up fuel prices for NH families.
I am an original co-sponsor of H.R. 6251, the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act, which provides a common sense solution to this problem. This bill prohibits oil companies from receiving new leases unless they have demonstrated diligent efforts to develop the lands they currently own for the production of oil or natural gas. On June 26, 2008, I voted for H.R. 6251, which, unfortunately, did not pass in the House of Representatives. I will continue to fight for sustainable energy policies and encourage responsible drilling on federal lands.
The House also recently passed legislation to encourage new, affordable energy sources. I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008. The bill extends existing tax credits for the production of renewable energy sources, as well as credits that will make it easier for families power their homes with less expensive energy sources. Greater production and consumption of these new energy sources will reduce demand of fossil fuels and lower prices. On May 21, 2008 H.R. 6049 passed the House by a vote of 263 to 160 and is now awaiting action in the Senate.



The following is an overview of comprehensive issues to help you, if you are working on a local initiative.
On August 18, a New England Regional meeting, coordinated by the National Consumer Law Center, was held in Portsmouth. It included representatives of numerous stakeholder groups, including community action agencies, fuel oil dealers, legal aid offices, state energy offices, state health departments, housing advocates, local and state elected officials and several congressional staffers (from the offices of Sens. Collins, Gregg, Snowe, and Sununu and Rep. Hodes). AARP state staff from CT, MA, ME, NH, NJ, PA, RI and VT also attended.
The meeting was to identify local, state, and national policy proposals which address the home heating oil crisis, both short and long term. There was strong interest among regional housing advocates to address energy prices as a core affordable housing issue.
Policy proposals discussed included:
LIHEAP
• Request General State Appropriations to supplement federal funds
• Increase LIHEAP Eligibility and Funding through Categorical Inclusions, including automatic enrollment for those on Medicare Part D Low Income Supplement
• Increase Administrative Efficiency of enrollment to more rapidly process applications
• Encourage Lower Pricing for LIHEAP Recipients such as through the state supplementing the delivery charge
Local Readiness
• Community Plans to Prevent Homelessness, to provide shelters to those who would otherwise be at home with no heat or would have lowered heat
• Communication, to ensure that households know what services are available
• Calling on Neighbors to Help Neighbors, using church and community groups to provide immediate assistance
Energy Impacting Housing Costs
• Increase Available Housing Subsidies—increase Fair Market Rents (FMR) and/or creating utility allowances would increase access to heat and make landlords more willing to accept Section 8 vouchers.
• Include Energy Costs in Foreclosure Prevention Programs and Funding—often homeowners have to choose between mortgage payments and paying the energy bill.
• Insure Safe Shut Offs in Event of Foreclosure—to prevent fire, burst pipes, etc.
• Require Tenant Notification—Banks foreclosing on multi-unit buildings would have to notify tenants in advance that their utilities may be turned off; and require continuation of service during a foreclosure process.
• Connecting Individuals to Social Services—when providing energy or housing assistance, to make sure the household knows about other services available.
• Consider Co-op buying of oil for low income communities and Section 8 tenants.

Government Backing /Credit
• Create Revolving Loan Funds for Customers and Fuel Dealers—capitalized by state appropriations or bonds—to help customers who are not eligible for LIHEAP. Fund is sustained through repayment.
• Create Revolving Loan Funds for energy efficiency; repayment could involve placing a lien on property
• Use State Contracting for Fuel Delivery—have state contract directly for fuel oil deliveries for energy assistance customers and directly pay the dealers to assure their cash flow.

Outreach
• Identify Populations in need to ensure they are informed of services; coordinate among organizations
• Hold Public Forums on the issue that include legislators
• Create awareness via the media
Increase Energy Efficiency
• Prioritize State Resources for Conservation to populations most in need.
• Update Building Codes to include energy efficiency incentives for landlords.
The Use of Home Heating Oil Reserves
• Increase Reserves—the current product reserve would not significantly impact markets. The purpose is to have supply on hand, in case of a market disruption. Current reserves would meet 2 or 3 days of peak demand.
• Review whether current criteria for release are too strict to address shortages (reserve was formed after ports froze, preventing oil deliveries)
• There is not enough oil to impact the market and the risk of shortage is too great to justify release.
(Source: AARP/NH)

Raise Your Voice!
lcamst38@peoplepc.com
engagingnh@yahoo.com
If you’d prefer to talk to a real person, call Carol at 753-9740, or Barbara at 472-2806.


Transportation Summit
You are cordially invited to a Transportation Summit on Wednesday, September 24th from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM at Heritage Commons on the Plymouth State University Campus.
We need your input to craft a transportation solution for our region. Please RSVP to Patsy Kendall of Transport Central no later than September 15. Call 603-536-4101 or email her: prkendall7@yahoo.com using the subject heading of “summit”.
Social Security/
Privatization Issue
The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (Washington, DC) will hold a strategy session on Wednesday, September 10 in Concord. Several EngAGING NH members are invited.
The purpose of the bipartisan meeting is to discuss with leaders interested in senior issues how we can create greater awareness of the importance of Social Security and Medicare to seniors and others. We will keep you posted regarding plans and issues of interest.
BOARD NOTES
"Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. Consequently he who molds public sentiment, goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions."
Abraham Lincoln
To be successful in creating social and political change organizations need to have a two pronged approach:
1. Attention to immediate needs (such as the home heating fuel costs) and
2. A long term strategy that moves toward a goal in incremental steps.
This type of planning works best when there is a clear and concise concept of intent.
Over the years, various approaches to addressing the needs of NH’s elders have