Residents of New York’s 19th Congressional District can check which utility-bill assistance programs they may qualify for through a new online tool announced Monday by Rep. Josh Riley.
The eligibility checker on Riley’s website asks a few short questions and directs residents to programs and application information. His office says it takes about a minute to complete.
“Heating bills are too high, and winter is just getting started. There’s help out there, but like most things in government, it couldn’t be more confusing, and a lot of people who qualify never even apply,” Riley said.
He said his office built the tool to help residents navigate the available assistance and find out how to apply.
Heating aid, emergency assistance and home upgrades
The checker covers seven federal and state programs: the Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP; Emergency HEAP; EAP; EEAP; EmPower+; HEAP Clean & Tune; and the Weatherization Assistance Program.
Those programs can help with heating costs, emergency assistance for households facing a shutoff or running out of fuel, furnace and heating-system maintenance, and home energy upgrades intended to reduce bills over time, according to Riley’s office.
The tool is open to all residents of the 19th District as the 2026-27 HEAP season begins. It identifies programs residents may qualify for and where to apply.
Residents who need help with an application or have questions can call Riley’s office at 607-242-0200.
Utility proposals cover rates, taxes and data privacy
In announcing the tool, Riley’s office also pointed to his participation in NYSEG and Central Hudson rate cases opposing proposed increases, along with a series of utility-related bills he has introduced.
The proposals include the Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act, which aims to help households weatherize their homes and use less energy, and the Keep the Lights Local Act, which would end foreign ownership of American utilities.
The No Bonuses for Utility Executives Act would prohibit executive bonuses when utility rates rise faster than inflation. The No Taxes on Utility Bills Act would allow deductions for taxes and state surcharges on gas and electric bills, according to the announcement.
Riley’s office also cited the Lowering Utility Bills Act, aimed at stopping utilities from overcharging customers, and the FAIR Data Act, intended to make data centers cover their own energy costs rather than pass higher bills to families and small businesses.
Another proposal, the Smart Meter Data Privacy Protection Act, would bar the sale of personal data from smart meters. The measures were described as proposed legislation in Riley’s announcement.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.