Payment plans can help avoid service shut-offs. But, thewinter moratorium doesnot apply to water utilities. The bill also extends the time for cities and counties to impose a sewage lien: A sewage lien may exceed six months' delinquent charges without the necessity of any writing or recording if collection of charges was impacted by the declaration of an emergency by the governor. The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. update email soon. If you qualify as income eligible, there are several programs, including: (1) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally-funded program that helps Massachusetts residents pay their heating bills; (2) the low-income discount rate program for investor-owned electric and gas utility customers; and (3) arrearage management programs (AMPs) for investor-owned electric and gas utility customers. If a customer account is eligible, a credit will be automatically applied to the customer bill. For additional help, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has a variety of programs that can help with energy bills, water and sewer bills, rent costs, eviction prevention, and more. Tom Wolf, who opposes lifting the moratorium. Southern states are more frequently turning to pay-to-use express lanes as a way to address highway congestion without raising taxes. According to research at Indiana University that looked at a nationally representative sample of households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, 20% of Black households and 28% of Hispanic households reported being unable to pay an energy bill between June and August 2020, compared to just 12% of white households. Many residents are struggling to pay their bills, including their monthly utility bills, following the COVID-19 crisis and due to the currently high fossil fuel prices. For resources and updates about New Jerseys response to COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 Information Hub. State Disclosures, Senior Attorney and Director, Urban Water Infrastructure, People & Communities Program. She's argued for more targeted solutions to provide assistance to customers in need, highlighting that utilities are required to work out a down payment plan with customers during the pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not announced program rules or released funds to the states. If you are struggling to pay your electric or gas utility bills, reach out to your utility to discuss available payment plans, arrearage forgiveness programs and other payment assistance programs. (Since interest is generally considered to be a penalty for non-payment it is probably included in "late fees.") There is no similar prohibition for sewer or storm water services. Those moratoriums are running out, and thousands of unemployed people plus others still battling COVID-19 are running out of options. March 17, 2020: CPUC Ensures Essential Utility Services for Consumers to Assist in COVID-19 Mitigation. "I'm charging my cell phone in my truck when I can. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Meanwhile, utility customers have amassed large, unpaid bills, as a majority of the state has been working from home and using more energy. 2023 www.goerie.com. DHCD has a toll-free hotline,1-800-632-8175, that is multi-language and will quickly direct you to your local community action agency that can help answer additional questions about eligibility and process your LIHEAP application. According toRCW 19.16.500(1)(b),utilities may also add a reasonable collections fee to the outstandingdebt. A recent report by Duke University researchers found that, if utility disconnections had been barred nationwide from March through November 2020, COVID-19 infections rates could have been reduced . For small business customers of an investor-owned utility, enrolling in a payment plan may protect your business from electric or gas shut off if you cannot afford your current balance. Moratoriums on electric shutoffs now expiring, Despite the continuing pandemic, Duke and other utilities are now disconnecting customers falling behind, as state moratoriums expire. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. The heat dome of 2021 claimed the lives of 157 people in Washington State . Upcoming TrainingsAttend our live webinars, virtual workshops, and in-person trainings to learn about key local government issues! Global travelers on Tripadvisor platform rank Coronado No. Please visit theCSD websitefor more information. It appears that sewer and storm utilities are not prohibited from charging late fees and interest (depending on the utilitys rate schedule) for any past-due amounts. As Californians are sheltering at home, residential electric usage has increased 15 to 20 percent in recent weeks compared to the same period last year. Your electric or gas utility may be able to arrange a new payment plan that you can afford and, at the same time, the utility can also check your eligibility to participate in a range of payment assistance programs (see discussion below about available residential electric or gas payment assistance programs). Many have indicated that if the moratoriums expire, they will cut customers off from power or heat, said Ruth Sawyer, of the Sierra Club. If you are a residential customer struggling to pay your utility bills, behind on your payments, or interested in more regular payments, reach out to your electric or gas utility to discuss available payment plans and payment assistance programs that may be available. What is a local government agency's responsibility to be available to accept legal papers served by a processor during COVID-19, especially when they have closed their offices to the public? People can apply for assistance online at TRR's website or over the phone by calling the TRR call center at 833-9TX-RENT (833-989-7368). 8, even as sewage contamination led to closures for 35 days last year. . We know the effects of COVID are still very much front and center for many consumers, Commissioner Clifford Rechtschaffen said. The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program that helps low-income homeowners and renters pay for utility and heating bills. Eligible government agencies in Washington State may use our free, one-on-one Ask MRSC service to get answers to legal, policy, or financial questions. The grace period for residential cable and internet for customers with school-aged children ended on December 31, 2021. San Francisco, CA 94102, Utility Business Continuity Plans and PSPS Preparation, CPUC Mobilizes Community Based Organizations for Pilot Program To Help Consumers With Utility Debt, CPUC Executive Director Letter Concerning Extension of Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service Through February 15, 2022, CPUC Acts To Ensure Essential Utility Services for Consumers at Risk of Disconnections, CPUC Actions to Protect Customers During the COVID-19 Pandemic; Utility Disconnection Moratoria and Arrearage Management - Presentation at CPUC Voting Meeting, CPUC Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service through September 30, 2021, CPUC Provides Relief for Customers Who Have Energy Bill Debt, https://liob.cpuc.ca.gov/m-4849-utility-transition-plans/, Executive Director Letter to IOUs on Direction to Conduct Customer Data Validation for Emergency Rental Assistance Program, Executive Director Letter Extending Moratorium on Disconnection for Non-Payment and Fees for Late Payment for Voice Service (Resolution M-4848) Through July 15, 2021, CPUC Extends Emergency Utility Customer Protections and Takes Further Action To Address Energy Arrearages During COVID-19, California Cable & Telecommunications Association, CPUC Implements Consumer Protections to Assist Residential and Small Business Customers, Workshop on COVID-19 Impacts on Customers in the Energy Sector, President Batjer Letter to AT&T regarding Legacy DSL Services Retirement, CPUC Letter to ISPs re: Affordable Broadband Plan Subscription Information, Remarks on COVID-19 Actions from Energy Division Deputy Executive Director, CPUC Letter to Program Administrators on Guidance on Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings Assistance Program Suspensions, CPUC Issues Proposal for Additional Customer Protections Due to Non-Payment, CPUC Letter to ISPs on Affordable Broadband Plans to Support Customers Affected by the COVID-19 State of Emergency. Utilities - Billing and Collection. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program payments were down 40% compared to the previous year, according to PUC data. Most Massachusetts investor-owned electric and gas utility companies offer deferred payment arrangements which allow the customer to set up a customized, manageable payment plan. We will be monitoring very closely the extent to which state and federal funding efforts address the debt that consumers face, Rechtschaffen said. Category:
Earlier this month, Gov. Why is my BGE bill so high 2021? And while they applied to water and sewer districts as well as other municipally-owned utilities, the proclamations did not specifically include sewer or stormwater services. Plus, more than half the amount owed comes from customers not enrolled in assistance programs that help defray utility bills. Plus, if they wish to accelerate or make larger payments, they may do so. We offered specific program design recommendations to deliver assistance to those with the greatest need; maximize public health benefits by using program funds to protect access to essential water service; ensure accountability for program spending by states and utilities; and generate data to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and determine how to improve upon it. The AGO encourages you to contact your electric or gas utility if the recent COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted your household income because you may be newly eligible for other assistance programs. Are we in violation of a law if we do not have a location that is open to the public to serve? The decision essentially meant gas and electric utilities would be barred from disconnecting service through April 15, since the state's winter moratorium takes effect Nov. 1. The Wolf Administration is working to get money provided by the December stimulus package and the American Rescue Plan in March out to qualifying renters and utility customers as quickly as possible to help with overdue balances, the governors press secretary Lyndsay Kensinger said. SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order that will restrict water shutoffs to homes and small businesses while the state responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. Residential customers making payments under payment plans with their investor-owned electric or gas utility will remain protected from shut-off as long as they make payments under the payment schedule. The financial impact of the pandemic has been devastating for many in our community and helping our customers by providing flexible payment options and access to bill assistance resources has been a priority for us, Prince said in an email. If you have been switched without your permission, you should file a complaint with the Department of Public Utilities. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. "I didn't have the $300 they needed," she said. Energy utilities will apply for CAPP assistance on behalf of customers who incurred a past due balance of 60 days or more on their energy bill during the COVID-19 pandemic relief period covering March 4, 2020 through June 15, 2021. Inflation and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine are driving up fossil fuel prices and in turn energy rates for customers across the country this winter. Visit, For more information on community choice electric plans, also known as municipal aggregations, visit this website maintained by the Department of Public Utilities, In addition to your utility, you can contact the Department of Public Utilitiesat877-886-5066, or complete. Want to know more about the team behind MRSC or contact a specific staff member? Further, the prohibitions on disconnecting or refusing to reconnect these services was limited by the language of the proclamations to residential service, but the prohibition on charging late fees did not include that limitation. 1990)]. https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562021/approved/20211222a.shtml, https://www.nj.gov/bpu/newsroom/reports/covid19/Moratorium_Ending_FAQs_061421.pdf. May 7, 2020: The CPUC temporarily modified rates for high energy use customers to minimize the impacts of electricity bills in the summer related to the COVID-19 pandemic. PSC Chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq highlighted the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. Commissioners said utility companies may forgive a portion of the debt for low-income customers who stay current on their payments. The number of people affected is alarming, according to a letter sent to the commission from Gov. Steve has worked in municipal law and government for over 20 years as an Assistant City Attorney for Lynnwood, Seattle, Tacoma, and Auburn, and as the City Attorney for Port Townsend and Auburn. (Rob Nikolewski/The San Diego Union-Tribune), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, California Public Utilities Commission passed an extension, extended the moratorium earlier this year, one of the highest electricity rates in the country, California Alternate Rates for Energy, or CARE, and the Family Electric Rates Assistance, or FERA programs, Is your utility bill going to get even higher? Gavin Newsom went into effect in March 2020, the utilities commission announced power companies could not disconnect services to customers for one year. ,
Eligible government agencies can use our free one-on-one inquiry service. "I asked a neighbor if I could plug in an extension cord to my refrigerator, just to keep it cold so I don't lose my groceries," she said. She cited lower unemployment and COVID-19 infection rates, and pointed to the latest federal stimulus among the reasons the moratorium could be lifted. CPUC Industry Divisions will accept the submittal of Advice Letters and related documents by electronic mail. Last month, regulators voted 2 to 1 to extend a temporary moratorium on utility shutoffs during the COVID-19 crisis for residential customers until Nov. 1. To leave anyone, especially children who rely on utilities to attend virtual school, without electricity or heat is unconscionable when these companies have guaranteed income and millions in revenue.. and utilities under its jurisdiction are doing to support communities In addition, any Massachusetts consumer who signs a contract with a competitive supplier should actively monitor their electric supply costs each month to ensure the rate that the supplier charges them is the same rate that was agreed to under the contract. coronavirus State regulators on Tuesday extended protections against utility cutoffs for people who cant pay through April 30, 2021. This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. But since many utilities issue a combined utility bill it may be difficult to separate out services for which it can charge late fees from those it cannot. The CPUCs oversight consists of ensuring that the utilities are clear about the rules they must adhere to, monitoring the utilities preparation, and evaluating their implementation. Auth. Not only did many customers with overdue bills not set up payment plans with their utility companies, they also did not seek much help in coming up with the money. (Allied organizations have also submitted similar recommendations to HHS, including a letter organized by frontline advocates that NRDC also joined.). This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Puget Sound Energy reported giving $7.6 million in bill credits to nearly 14,000 customers. For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. The proclamations said that customers shall not be charged late fees for energy, telecommunications, or water services between March 23, 2020, and September 30, 2021. The utility shutoff grace period ended on March 15, 2022 for all water, electric, and sewer customers. Energy utilities will apply for CAPP assistance on behalf of customers who incurred a past due balance of 60 days or more on their energy bill during the COVID-19 pandemic relief period covering March 4, 2020 through June 15, 2021. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Lake Washington Sewer & Water Dist. Also ask your electric or gas utility if you qualify for an arrearage forgiveness program or any other payment assistance program. If you received a shut-off notice from your electric or gas utility, call your utility immediately and ask to enroll in a payment plan. New Jersey also has a COVID-19 Hotline staffed by trained healthcare professionals who are standing by to answer your questions, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week: To receive email updates from NJBPU,sign up here. In Fields' case, her supplier put her on a payment plan so she could just pay a few dollars a month. The decision means that utilities will not be able to shut off water, power or heat during the winter months. But utilities will have to balance their need to maintain their revenue stream with the reality that some of their customers may not have the ability to pay the past-due debt and keep up with current expenses. (Getty Images) Paying . The order also applies to small-business customers who have bills at least 60 days past due. *Note:This combined total for New York City and California is likely a conservative estimate. Wolf told commissioners he knew the moratorium couldnt continue indefinitely, but he urged them to continue the protections that are in place for low-income Pennsylvanians. Those balances amounted to $235.7 million. In California and New York City alone, for example, residential water arrears total over $1.6 billion, with over 1.7 million households affected. For more information about which programs you may be eligible for, use DCA's screening tool. Information on testing, vaccines, and help finding appointments near you. A lock icon ( For county-owned utilities, RCW 36.94.150 authorizes a lien for sewerage and water. The extension of the moratorium on shutoffs has been met with frustration by some, including Jason Bessette, general manager of New London Utilities. Ellen Nowak opposed the decision to prevent all water shutoffs during the winter months. Source: Executive Order No. June 17, 2020: The CPUC presented its COVID-19 response. With expanded income eligibility for some programs, more New Jerseyans are now eligible for utility assistance. The state Department of Human Services has worked with counties to make available the money in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the $270 million infusion to LIHEAP from the federal American Relief Plan. Gov. April 23, 2020: CPUC held a workshop on Impacts of COVID-19 on Customer-Oriented Clean Energy Program. The more you pay now the less you will have to make up later. She is borrowing electricity from down the hall to keep her food from spoiling. Customers can opt out of the plan if they want. But Dutrieuille and the commission approved a motion that will allow customers to stretch out payment plans and keep on their services. "It just makes this problem compounding for the individual, and it's making the utility look like more of a bad guy in my eyes.". The program protects specific categories of customers from having their gas or electric shut off between November 15 and March 15 of each year. Click here for more on competitive electric suppliers. The California legislature approved the California Arrearage Payment Program (CAPP) in the 2021-2022 State Budget. Utility Collection Deferrals, Shutoffs, and Payment Plans. Unlike AMP, utility customersdo not need to applyto receive assistance under the CAPP program. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Any utilities who may disconnect service once the winter moratorium ends would also have to submit those plans to regulators by Feb. 15. Small business customers may also qualify for payment plans that include arrearage forgiveness. Most of the assistance is provided through new, emergency programs, although some is provided through pre-existing programs. The California Public Utilities Commission also extended the power shutoff moratorium to Sept. 30, days before it was set to expire on June 30. One water system has already said that it will resume shutoffs the next day. The Governor's Executive Order establishes a six-month grace period in which no residential customer will face disconnection of their gas, electric, or water services before the end of the grace period on December 31, 2021. On-Demand Webinars Watch pre-recorded versions of our recent webinars, at your own convenience. Last month, Ayanna McClure learned how quickly landlords were filing eviction notices when the moratoriums expired. May 7, 2020: Free and affordable Internet access and devices are crucial for low income students as they transition to learning from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I think that we could have been narrower, help those in need, prevent people from digging a bigger hole than they're already in, and eventually driving up rates for everybody," said Nowak. Shutoffs were allowed to resume Nov. 9 for some nonpaying customers, but existing commissionguidelines protected customers with income less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. March 1 2023, Changes for 2022 Annual Reporting for Cash Basis Entities
This is true even if you are behind on rent. If you need help paying your utility bills or your arrears, visit the Board of Public Utilities' Assistance Programs page. Visitwww.mass211.orgor dial 211 to find your local agency. Don't fall behind on your bills or you may find yourself in the dark.__________________________. CARE is available to customers whose total household income is at or below specific income limits, such as $52,4000 for a family of four. Governor Inslee issuedProclamation 20-23.16 on July 2, 2021, which extended the utility shutoff moratorium through September 30, 2021. Can it be done by appointment? Any person who is making good faith efforts should never have their services shut off, he said. Electric and gas utility contact information is provided below: You can considercontacting Mass Savefor an energy efficiency audit. 2023 Cox Media Group. On this webpage you will find information on what the CPUC If you do not qualify for a low-income program, contact your electric or gas utility to learn about deferred payment arrangements. The AMP provides customers with the opportunity to have all or a portion of an arrearage (or outstanding unpaid amounts due) forgiven in exchange for payments of an amount and on a schedule designed individually for each participant. The order protects consumers who may not be able to pay for their water service from shutoffs.