(Oct. 14) WASHINGTON – Federal heating assistance, which helps more than 133,000 Minnesotans keep warm in the winter, has fallen prey to the federal shutdown.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce, which administers the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, said it has enough money to keep processing applications for the program that helps subsidize heating bills.

But the shutdown has left the state without any money for the program and there may not be any funding until late November or even December.

“We need our annual federal LIHEAP award to be able to start making payments on applicant energy accounts,” an emailed statement from the Department of Commerce said. “Our annual award typically arrives about a month after a budget or continuing resolution is decided.

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