Letter to the Editor: LIEAP offers help in paying utility bills

Editor:

Need assistance paying your heating bill?

Low Income Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP, is Havre and the Hi-Line’s home heating help program. This year, the program has extended the application deadline until 5 p.m., Monday, May 2.

If you live in the counties of Hill, Blaine or Liberty, our office wants to help you. Please contact us for the low income eligibility requirement.

The program, pronounced LEE-APP, is a supplement for paying home heating costs through the winter season. Such heating costs may be natural gas, electricity, propane, and in some cases, even wood. Eligibility requires a household to meet a certain gross income, limit on liquid assets, type of heating fuel used, size, type and location of a home.

Assistance is available to homeowners, as well as renters. Applications are processed from Oct. 1 through May 2.

Unfortunately, due to current agreements, our state-funded program is unable to service Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian reservations. On a positive note, both reservations have their own tribal LIEAP, just contact the tribal Social Services office.

If you have questions, please call the Energy Program at 265-6743. You may also request an application by mail or stop by the District 4 HRDC office at 2229 5th Ave. in Havre.

Sarah Beth Solomon

Energy specialist

District 4 HRDC-Energy Program