缅因州宣布电费自动减免：数万低收入家庭10月起直接降电费
奥古斯塔——缅因州州长珍妮特·米尔斯宣布，从10月1日起，符合条件的低收入家庭将自动获得电费减免，无需单独申请。据州卫生与公众服务部介绍，部门将利用补充营养援助计划（SNAP）、贫困家庭临时援助（TANF）以及缅因州医疗补助（MaineCare）等项目的既有资料，筛查出符合条件的住户，再由电力公司直接在每月的电费账单上打折。
这笔总额4,000万美元的电费减免资金来自缅因州低收入援助计划（LIAP），覆盖中央缅因电力公司（CMP）与 Versant 电力公司的用户。州长办公室表示，由于今冬取暖油价格处于历史高位，提前自动发放减免可以避免最困难的家庭在寒冬中断电断暖。
与此同时，缅因州住房管理局（MaineHousing）已提前向燃料供应商拨付近400万美元的家庭能源援助款（HEAP），帮助约4,400户最脆弱的家庭在寒流到来前备好取暖燃料，优先照顾有老人、幼儿和残障人士的家庭。州长米尔斯还致信缅因州国会代表团，呼吁国会追加低收入家庭能源援助计划（LIHEAP）的联邦拨款，以应对能源价格上涨带来的更大需求。
信息来源：缅因州州长办公室、EIN Presswire 缅因州10月通讯
Maine Announces Automatic Electric Bill Discounts for Low-Income Households Starting in October
AUGUSTA — Maine Governor Janet Mills announced that eligible low-income households will begin receiving automatic discounts on their electric bills starting October 1, with no separate application required. The state Department of Health and Human Services will use existing data from programs such as SNAP, TANF and MaineCare to identify eligible households, and utilities will apply the discounts directly to monthly bills.
The $40 million in electric discounts flows through Maine's Low Income Assistance Program (LIAP) and covers customers of Central Maine Power and Versant. The governor's office said the automatic discounts arrive as heating oil prices sit at historic highs, aiming to keep the most vulnerable households from losing power or heat this winter.
Separately, MaineHousing has issued nearly $4 million in early Home Energy Assistance Program payments to fuel vendors, helping about 4,400 of Maine's most vulnerable households secure heating fuel before cold weather arrives, prioritizing households with older adults, young children and people with disabilities. Governor Mills also wrote to Maine's congressional delegation urging additional federal LIHEAP funding to meet rising need.
Sources: Office of the Maine Governor; EIN Presswire Maine October newsletter
图片来源：图：缅因州州长珍妮特·米尔斯（Janet Mills）。美国国际贸易管理局官方照片，公有领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons
