Vermont Heating Oil Near $6 a Gallon as Emergency Board Weighs Low-Income Heating Aid Package
As the heating season approaches, Vermont Governor Phil Scott and legislative leaders are negotiating an emergency heating assistance package for the roughly 15,000 Vermonters who rely on the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The state Emergency Board is expected to vote on the supplemental aid on Friday, October 23, potentially drawing on state reserves.
The backdrop is a sharp rise in fuel prices: No. 2 heating oil now costs about $6 a gallon, up nearly 60% from a year ago. Josh Davis, executive director of Southeastern Vermont Community Action, said that as temperatures drop, residents are firing up their heating systems and seeking help, and this year's prices are strikingly higher than last year's. Scott voiced support on October 7 at a Rutland press conference for a bipartisan effort to add state heating assistance funds.
Last winter, 14,872 Vermont households received LIHEAP benefits averaging $1,210, covering roughly 45% of heating costs. Federal aid has been essentially flat while fuel costs climb, which is why the state is considering filling the gap with its own money. The final amount and distribution method await Friday's Emergency Board vote.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：佛蒙特州议会大厦（Montpelier）。摄影：Harrison Keely，CC BY 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: the Vermont State House in Montpelier. Photo by Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
