A public hearing on the replacement for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) rule will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. at Maine State Housing Authority, 26 Edison Drive, Augusta, Maine. To listen to or testify virtually, please contact the Board Administrator no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at MaineHousing, 26 Edison Drive, Augusta, Maine 04330-6046; (207) 626-4600 (voice); 1-800-452-4668 (voice in state only); or 711 (Maine Relay) or via e-mail: [email protected].

Upon sufficient notice, appropriate communication auxiliary aids and services will be provided for persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency.

This replacement rule repeals and replaces in its entirety the current Home Energy Assistance Program Rule. The Rule establishes standards for administering fuel assistance, emergency fuel assistance, TANF Supplemental Benefits, weatherization, heat pumps, and heating system repair and replacement funds to low-income households in the State of Maine. This replacement rule changes the ECIP component to one benefit instance per program year, makes minor changes to documentation requirements for citizenship, identity and social security number verification, increases the allowable time to return documentation for an application, updates income documentation and incorporates language to provide clarity and continuity between the rule and the State Plan, adds direct checks for clients that use Wood Pellets, Corn, and Bio-Bricks, and adds a quality control requirement for direct checks, edits the CHIP uses language to eliminate specific repairs, adds clarification for the solicitation and use of price quotes for CHIP repairs, and makes minor formatting and grammar edits.

The 2025 HEAP State Plan can be found on MaineHousing's website here.