More families eligible for energy assistance this winter through newly-passed bill

CONCORD — Chillier temperatures driving out the dregs of summer in the past week are a reminder of the colder months to come. With energy costs still up, state lawmakers voted to expand relief programs to a wider swath of middle-class Granite Staters.

Last week the Legislature passed, and the governor signed, HB 2023. Those earning between 60% and 75% of the state median income are now eligible to apply for relief in the form of one-time energy credits totaling $650, with $450 in fuel assistance and $200 in electric assistance. 

For a four-member household, the eligible income range for this program is between $74,942 and $93,676, including those just above the threshold for existing state and federal assistance as eligible. The median household income is adjusted per the size of the household.

The bill also allocates an additional $7 million to the established energy assistance program for those making less than 60% of the state median income. 

The measure was passed by a voice vote in the House and 23-0 in the Senate.

The total cost of the program is $42 million, drawn from budget surplus funds. The bill text acknowledges that current circumstances — the high price of oil, recent hikes in electricity costs and overall strain to household budgets caused by inflation — warrant a one-time aid expansion.

The package received bipartisan support, but not without some consternation. 

New Hampshire Democrats praised the initiative but also painted it as myopic and insufficient.

“The legislation the House just passed is critical to helping Granite Staters affected by Gov. [Chris] Sununu’s record electric rate hikes this fall,” began a statement by House Democratic Leader David Cote of Nashua. “Granite State families cannot afford the 50% increase that will hit them this fall, and this bill provides temporary relief for lower-income households that are ineligible for existing programs.

Cote went on to attribute rate hikes to Sununu: the governor has obstructed renewable energy initiatives, according to Cote, which would have improved state energy efficiency and are the only route to long-term relief for energy price burdens. 

Republicans rejected proposed amendments to the bill by Senate Democrats that would have lifted the cap on net metering for larger-scale renewable energy projects and allocated funds to energy efficiency initiatives.

State Republicans have heralded the one-time measure as prudent, necessary aid and championed the surplus that paid for it as a product of fiscally responsible governance. 

“Due to no fault of their own, many Granite Staters who have not previously needed assistance may find themselves unable to pay their bills this winter and do not qualify for the federal assistance programs. We want to ensure those people have some help,” read a statement from House Majority Leader Jason Osborne of Auburn. “We believe using this [revenue] surplus to assist households heat their homes this winter is the right thing to do.”

Osborne went on to — like Cote — cast blame for energy cost burdens. Osborne’s statement denounced what he called federal mismanagement by President Joe Biden and inaction by New Hampshire’s national representation but did not describe a specific action causing price increases.

“Although we cannot reverse the federal government’s decisions from Concord, we are doing what we can to help Granite Staters make it through the winter while also easing the tax burden on municipalities’ welfare programs,” Osborne said.

Republican legislators nixed a $100 million relief program proposed by the governor that would have given all electric customers a $100 credit. The relief that passed has a lesser price tag and targets lower and middle income residents.

In a statement, Sununu said that, though the program “looks a little different from what we originally proposed,” it is still “the largest energy relief package this state has ever seen” and “a big win.”

State Sen. Tom Sherman, Sununu’s challenger for the governorship, voted for the bill but called the relief a Band-Aid and characterized New Hampshire’s lagging renewable energy utilization as the underlying cause needing attention.

The new assistance program will be run through the state Department of Energy. For more information about how to apply, visit energy.nh.gov. For the Laconia area, contact the Community Action Program of Belknap-Merrimack Counties by visiting bm-cap.org.