Biden announced $4.5B to help lower home heating costs; $128M to MN, $60M to IA

(ABC 6 News) – The Biden administration said Wednesday it is making $4.5 billion available through a low-income home energy assistance program to help with heating costs this winter.

RELATED: Biden spending $4.5 billion to help lower home heating costs

Spending for the program is significantly higher than the typical annual funding of about $3.5 billion, but far below the $8 billion the administration and congressional Democrats delivered last winter as part of the coronavirus relief package.

The money spent last year was by far the largest appropriation in a single year since the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) was established in 1981.

The money will be provided to state, local and tribal governments to help millions of families pay heating and utility bill costs, and can also be used to make home energy repairs.

This past year, LIHEAP served over 5.3 million households with heating, cooling, and weatherization services, and a similar number are expected to participate this year.

Minnesota will receive approximately $128,861,778 to help families lower winter energy bills. Meanwhile, Iowa will receive approximately $60,453,226.

For more information on this announcement, CLICK HERE.

For more information on LIHEAP, CLICK HERE.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.