Connecticut Deploys $12.7 Million to Help Residents Pay Heating Bills in Sixth Use of Federal Cuts Response Fund
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced on October 13 that the state will deploy $12.7 million from its Federal Cuts Response Fund to help low-income residents with home heating costs this winter, the sixth time the fund has been tapped.
Lamont said the federal government has repeatedly delayed releasing heating assistance funds it had committed, and that Connecticut will use state money to fill the gap. The state says Connecticut's base federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grant this year is about $86.2 million, but federal delays have made it difficult for states to determine how much assistance they can provide before winter.
The Federal Cuts Response Fund was established by Lamont and Democratic state lawmakers in 2025, and the fiscal year 2027 state budget added another $50 million, to respond quickly to federal policy and funding changes affecting Connecticut residents, businesses and communities. In July, the state drew $5 million from the fund to assist residents who lost federal temporary assistance, after which the fund's balance stood at about $262.5 million.
The state money will be distributed through the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP). The Department of Social Services (DSS) estimates the program will serve about 94,291 households this year, including about 32,893 households that heat with deliverable fuels such as oil and propane. Household income must be at or below 60 percent of the state median income — $93,681 for a family of four.
Under the DSS plan for federal fiscal year 2027, the first day for fuel deliveries that can be paid by the program is November 2, 2026, and the last day to apply is May 31, 2027. DSS Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves said the state funding will help eligible families pay their heating bills and keep their homes warm and safe.
Residents can apply for energy assistance through the state's nine Community Action Agencies, call 211 for information, or visit the DSS website for eligibility and application details. (Based on the Connecticut Governor's Office announcement and the DSS energy assistance plan)
Source: 康涅狄格州州长办公室
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 康涅狄格州首府哈特福德市中心。Kenneth C. Zirkel 摄，CC BY 4.0，维基共享资源
