Purpose of the Program 415-05-10

(Revised 10/02 ML #2812)

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At the time the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program was initiated the United States Congress found:

1. Recent and projected increases in the cost of primary energy sources have and will continue to cause corresponding sharp increases in the cost of home energy.
2. Fixed income, lower income, and lower middle income households should be protected from disproportionately adverse effects on their incomes resulting from national energy policy and beyond their control.
3. Adequate home heating is a necessary aspect of shelter and the lack of home heating or home cooling for certain individuals poses a threat to life, health or safety.
4. Assistance to households in meeting the burden of rising energy costs is insufficient from existing State and Federal sources and credit is not available to low income households.

Therefore, the purpose of this program is to provide assistance to eligible households to offset the rising costs of home energy that are excessive in relation to household income. Therefore, the benefits provided by the North Dakota Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program are not designed to pay the eligible household's total fuel costs, but rather to protect the household against the rising costs of fuel. Further, benefit amounts are based on the individual household's fuel needs insofar as possible and require a fixed percent of household income be spent for fuel.