January 6, 2006
Governor’s Column
Energy Assistance for Missourians
The rising cost of energy has impacted all of us and in particular, Missouri’s working families. At the pumps and during these cold winter months Missouri families are dealing with one of the largest increases in energy costs ever seen in our nation. My administration has taken several actions in the interests of Missourians in need, and is committed to charting a course toward enhanced energy efficiency and responsible stewardship of tax dollars to manage our way through future energy challenges.
I worked with the Missouri Energy Development Association to secure an agreement that waives all reconnection fees and suspends deposit requirements for Missouri customers receiving Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or Utilicare assistance to pay winter heating bills.
I also supported the Office of Public Counsel’s request to amend the Cold Weather Rule that will provide Missourians with more lenient reconnection terms, prohibited late fees on deferred balances, provided information about budget billing and required that existing deposits be applied to account balances to avoid disruption of service.
Recently, I announced my support for an emergency supplemental budget bill of $6.1 million to fund Missouri’s Utilicare program. Missouri’s Utilicare program was created to be a safety net for the elderly, disabled and low-income families in the winter season to supplement the cost of energy to heat homes and apartments. Since its creation in 1979, Utilicare has never been adequately funded and has received no funding since 2001. It is imperative that the General Assembly quickly pass this emergency supplemental budget bill in order for Missouri to provide assistance to our fellow citizens during the cold months.
Energy conservation is something we all must focus on in the face of rising energy prices and limited supplies. The state should lead the way by implementing innovative and responsible energy use policies. I recently signed an executive order creating the Missouri Energy Task Force and asked them to provide my office with recommendations for reducing our state’s dependence on oil, providing assistance for low-income Missourians to pay their winter heating bills, and promoting new opportunities for the use of renewable fuels.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asking for an investigation into big oil. Gas prices spiked following Katrina and I asked the attorney general to investigate the wholesale oil industry to ensure that they were not doing anything to artificially inflate the price of fuel for Missourians or any other citizen of the United States.
Big oil companies had a record breaking third quarter and many experienced a 75 percent increase in year over year profits. In November, I sent a letter to Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute, which represents many large oil companies, requesting that they take action to give back to their customers by donating a portion of their profits to Missouri’s Utilicare program.
Enacting a statewide 10 percent ethanol standard will be a priority of mine in the upcoming session. An E10 standard will add to the value of our farm family’s crops, decrease Missouri’s dependence on foreign fuel, help clean our air and reduce prices at the pump.
In Missouri, we will continue to move forward with efforts to look out for those in need of assistance with winter heating bills with an eye on, responsibility and innovation for the future.