New Public Outreach Campaign will Include Website, Hotline, Workshops and Public Service Announcements
New Yorkers facing skyrocketing home heating costs have new tools and assistance to get through this coming winter. Eight New York State agencies and authorities have collaborated to address this vital issue and bring relief to New York's most at-risk residents.
At Lifelong Senior Center in Ithaca, Tompkins County, Governor Paterson was joined by
Congressman Maurice Hinchey, State Senator George Winner and Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton in unveiling the new campaign, which will include a website (www.HeatSmartNY.org
), a hotline number (877-NY-SMART), public service announcements and a series of 630 statewide workshops to provide consumers with easy, do-ityourself tips to lower heating bills, as well as information about New York's heating-related programs.
"While we remain focused on reducing spending to address the economic downturn, we must at the same time be mindful that for many New York families, this is going to be an especially harsh and difficult winter," said Governor Paterson. "New Yorkers should not be endangered by falling temperatures and rising heating costs. That is why I have directed these agencies to implement collaborative and coordinated outreach and ensure that New Yorkers have as much information as possible about heating-related programs and ways to reduce home heating costs."
Additionally, Governor Paterson announced the award of $3.5 million in federal grants to low-income New Yorkers for the installation of energy efficiency measures in 1,205 homes. The
grants, awarded by the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), will enable weatherization agencies across New York to address unmet energy efficiency needs in their
communities. A complete list of awards can be found at www.nysdhcr.gov.
State Senator George Winner said: "I can't say enough about this comprehensive effort by Governor Paterson to focus New York government's attention on home heating costs. It's timely, it's urgent, and it's going to be a true lifeline for many senior citizens and families locally and across the State."
Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton said: "Collaboration between these eight agencies to ensure New Yorkers receive the information and assistance they need about help with heating costs is a good first step towards protecting the most vulnerable among us from the dangers of a cold winter. My colleagues and I in the Assembly have consistently fought to provide affordable heating options to those who need it."
The participating agencies include: the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Long Island Power Authority(LIPA), the New York Power Authorities (NYPA), the Consumer Protection Board (CPB), the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), the Office for the Aging (OFA), and the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance(OTDA).
New York State has worked on a number of fronts to improve energy efficiency and provide additional assistance to help lower energy bills this winter, including:
Governor Paterson also thanked New York's Congressional delegation for its assistance in securing $476 million in Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds to enable New York's HEAP program to deal with what is expected to be a winter with significantly increased demand for aid for home heating bills for low-income families, senior citizens and the disabled. The federal government's action will significantly boost efforts to provide relief to cash-strapped New Yorkers unsure about how they will pay to heat their homes this winter.
For more information on New York's programs to address home heating costs and improve energy efficiency visit the new website at www.HeatSmartNY.org, call 1-877-NY-SMART. A complete schedule of workshops, with dates and locations, is available on the HeatSmartNY website.
Additionally, the NYS Office for the Aging is producing a publication called "101 Tips for Saving Energy at Home," to help older New Yorkers improve energy efficiency of their homes.
