WAMC News

HEAP Benefit Season To End Early

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas

Published December 26, 2014 at 9:10 AM EST

If your household depends on the HEAP program to help pay winter heating bills, the clock is ticking toward the deadline to apply.

The current Home Energy Assistance Program Regular Benefit season this year will be one of the shortest on record.

Columbia County officials warn that Unless additional funds become available, the regular benefit season will end December 31st.

HEAP provides limited financial assistance with home heating costs to income eligible households. The regular HEAP benefit amount ranges from $21 to $625 per year depending on living arrangements and type of energy used for heat. The emergency benefit season will begin on Jan. 2.

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Dave Lucas

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.

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