Heating aid cuts could impact many in state

Michigan's winter is expected to be harsh.

And, if the state's allotment of federal funds to help low-income residents pay heating bills is cut as much as 50 percent as expected, things could be much worse for the nearly 41,000 Ingham County households and about 15,000 others in Eaton and Clinton counties who have needed assistance.

"We certainly think people who've been helped in the past are threatened with receiving no help this year and it's supposed to be a cold winter and our economy hasn't improved. It's a huge problem," said Judy Putnam, spokeswoman for the Michigan League for Human Services.

Federal funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, was cut from $5 billion to $4.5 billion for the fiscal year that ended in September. And advocates believe Congress will approve $3.5 billion for fiscal 2012.

The cuts come as Congress focuses more on other areas deemed higher priorities, such as education, reductions in health care fraud and lowering the national debt.

The state's Department of Human Services, which helps administer the LIHEAP funds through the Home Heating Credit, could see its federal heating assistance funds slashed by anywhere from one-third to one-half. Last year the state received $276.5 million in LIHEAP funds.

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