September 21, 2018 – The Natural Gas Fuel Assistance Program in Massachusetts will provide $3 million in funding to programs that assist Massachusetts households in paying for their natural gas service. The two-year grant program will start Nov. 1, 2018 and will end Oct. 31, 2020.
Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General, said, “Every year, tens of thousands of Massachusetts families struggle to pay their heating bills. My goal with this new program is to make sure our residents have the financial assistance they need to stay warm during the cold winter months.”
The grant is open to programs run through state agencies, municipalities, charitable organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Eligible programs may include those that are providing direct assistance to consumers by subsidizing their natural gas heating bills or are providing indirect assistance by helping residents implement energy-efficiency measures designed to lower their natural gas heating bills.
“The Attorney General’s program will help thousands of households to stay current on their bills and avoid termination,” said Charlie Harak, a managing attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “Utility companies terminate gas service to large numbers of low-income households each year because those customers cannot afford to pay their bills.”
The grant program will utilize funds the Attorney General’s Office secured through a settlement with National Grid for improperly charging its customers reconnection service fees.
Source: media reports
To learn more about low-income programs, visit the LIHEAP Clearinghouse here.
