It's a cold standoff as New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Representative Paul Tonko publicly push the Trump Administration to release $400 million slated for federal heating assistance. The funds, locked away due to bureaucratic red tape, are leaving 1.5 million New Yorkers in the cold, waiting for aid to warm their homes. As per a statement obtained by the Governor's Office, the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) money is crucial for families bracing against the winter chill.
While the federal government finally ended its 43-day shutdown, the necessary HEAP funds for New York are still yet to flow. Governor Hochul chastised the Trump Administration, stating, "It's shameful that the Trump Administration is threatening to make New Yorkers pay more for their heating bills this winter — and I’m demanding the immediate release of federal funds to help 1.5 million New Yorkers heat their homes." In an effort to stave off the mounting cold crisis – having waited too long, many HEAP-eligible households include vulnerable individuals like older adults, young children, or people with disabilities, according to the Governor's Office.
On the home front, the Governor is also assembling more state aid, boosting enrollment in New York's Energy Affordability Program (EAP), which dishes up to $500 in annual discounts on energy bills. Expected to open for applications on November 24, but only if those federal dollars arrive in due time, the state program is ready to extend help to an additional 1.5 million households, with New York officials estimating 1.5 million more as eligible.
To enroll, New Yorkers can get on their local energy provider or visit ny.gov/EAP to check if they meet the income qualifications and begin the enrollment process. Governor Hochul said that she's working on expanding the income eligibility for the State's EAP in 2026, aiming to assist more households, with announcements to come in the weeks ahead. This comes at a critical moment when, as temperatures have begun to plummet, the delay in federal funds for HEAP and the concurrent potential loss of EAP bill discounts, could see customers facing icier utility bills just when they need the heat the most.
Representative Paul Tonko pulled no punches, accusing the Republican administration of gamifying government shutdowns to "hurt the working Americans suffering most from the affordability crisis Republicans created." Other New York State lawmakers also voiced their frustration over the delays and reiterated calls for immediate action. State Senator Patricia Fahy decried the federal government's tactic of weaponizing "the cold against working people and their families," while Assemblymember John T. McDonald III underscored the urgency, stating, "Now is not the time to delay support, it’s the time to expedite it,” as noted by the Governor's Office.
