According to the Associated Press, Alaska will receive more than a half million dollars as part of the congressional Low Income Energy Assistance Program. The program helps states aid low-income residents in paying for heating bills this winter. Nationally, 100 million dollars in emergency funding was approved by Congress.
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski says this should help more Alaskans pay for their heating bills this winter. She says Alaskans have seen nearly 30 percent increases in the cost of diesel heating fuel and up to 40 percent hikes in natural gas costs as a result of increased worldwide competition for energy.
Also playing a role is the lingering effect of this past summer's hurricanes, which she says is still reducing U.S. natural gas production from the Gulf of Mexico.