Already this winter, St. Lawrence County has seen multiple, devastating house fires – some reportedly due to faulty furnaces. For those who might have financial difficulties repairing or replacing furnaces, there is help available.

First and foremost, funded through the federal Home Energy Assistance Program (“HEAP”), St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services operates a Heating Equipment Repair and Replacement Benefit that is open to income qualified residents of St. Lawrence County. This benefit will help a homeowner repair or replace a furnace, boiler, or other heating equipment. The maximum gross monthly income for a family of 1 to qualify is $2,391 and $4,598 for a family of four. Folks in need of this service should contact 315-379-2303.

Department of Social Services also offers a Clean and Tune Benefit for homeowners that may help prevent problems with heating systems. This benefit is also income qualified, and is another of the vital services, along with providing energy affordability assistance grants, that is funded by the State and through HEAP.

For those families not currently using natural gas to heat their home, they may qualify for up to $2000 in incentives to switch to a pellet stove. Summer Haven Pool Hearth and Spa in Potsdam serves St. Lawrence County for purposes of this incentive and can be reached at 315-265-1100. Households on the border of income-eligibility for HEAP-funded programs may also, or alternately, be able to receive some assistance from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (“NYSERDA”) for rebates on new heating installations.

Winter in the North Country can be a challenging time for families who encounter difficulties pay their utility bills or buying fuel oil - there are other benefits through Department of Social Services (help paying home heating bills), St. Lawrence County Community Development Program (weatherization), NYSERDA (weatherization and other energy use reduction benefits), and the NYS low-income energy affordability program for HEAP recipients that may help reduce those costs. Additionally, the Public Utility Law Project of New York is here to help residents of New York State who are facing shutoffs of utility services, unaffordable arrears, or other issues with their utility provider. PULP can be contacted at 877-669-2572.

These programs alone don’t make utility costs manageable for all New Yorkers and for that reason PULP will continue to advocate in utility rate cases and other proceedings for all low-income New Yorkers. You can learn more about PULP at utilityproject.org and about your utility consumer rights in PULP’s law manual at http://utilityproject.org/useful-links/.

Anna Sommer, board member, PULP, Canton; Richard Berkley, executive director, PULP, Albany