Dear Friend, 

After a busy week in eastern Connecticut, I’m here with an update on available energy assistance for the coming winter season, new support on the way for small businesses in Enfield, and more. Thanks as always for starting your weekend here. 

Home Energy Assistance is Available for Eastern Connecticut 

This week, I visited Viking Fuel in Norwich. Owner Dave Spurgas and his team work hard to keep homeowners warm and safe during the winter months, which has been particularly challenging with the high cost of home heating oil. As the cold weather approaches, there is assistance available to help low income seniors and working families to help offset these high costs – the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is federally funded, and it provides relief on energy bills during the winter season and beyond to households and families who need it. Beginning last week, applications opened for this winter. Anyone who thinks they may qualify can apply online or by visiting or contacting your local Community Action Agency (info below).

On Tuesday, Rep. Courtney visited Viking Fuel in Norwich to provide on update on the now-open application window for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program with Dave Spurgas, Owner of Viking Fuel, Deb Monahan, Executive Director of the Thames Valley Council on Community Action (TVCCA), and Zach St. John, Energy Director at the TVCCA.

It's important to note there is no longer an asset test to determine eligibility for LIHEAP – instead, eligibility is only determined by income. This change started last winter and it is a major improvement to the program. It’s also important to remember that even if you’ve received support through LIHEAP in previous years, you still need to reapply for this season.

As we approach what could be a particularly tough winter season, I’ve been working in Congress to increase funding for LIHEAP to make sure Connecticut has adequate help. Back in August, I joined a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees – who determine funding levels for the program – calling for an emergency increase in LIHEAP funding. I’ve also pressed this issue with Congressional leadership, making sure they understand the importance LIHEAP has to eastern Connecticut seniors and families struggling with high energy prices. I’m going to keep this work up, and I’ll be sharing more updates and reminders about LIHEAP here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to my Norwich office at (860) 886-0139.

At Viking Fuel, I was joined by Deb Monahan, Executive Director of the Thames Valley Council on Community Action (TVCCA). Deb and the TVCCA have worked for decades to inform people about available home energy cost support. Find your local Community Action Agency here.

The Inflation Reduction Act Makes Substantial Energy Investments 

In addition to support to help people lower costs this fall and winter, we’ve taken action in Congress to help bring down energy costs for decades to come. The Inflation Reduction Act will help lower energy costs by investing in new forms of cutting-edge energy production—from nuclear to help power our nation’s base load, to solar for homes and small businesses, and more—and by making energy-saving technology a lot more accessible in both residential and commercial spaces. Take a look at some of these below, and check out my one-pager online for a full rundown.

• Consumer Home Energy Rebates: $9 billion in consumer home energy rebate programs, focused on low-income consumers, to electrify home appliances and for energy efficient retrofits. for energy efficient retrofits.  
• Consumer Tax Credits: 10 years of consumer tax credits to make homes energy efficient and able to run on clean energy, making heat pumps, rooftop solar, electric HVAC and water heaters more affordable. 
• Solar Tax Credits: restores a 30% tax credit for residential solar systems — making it applicable to panels installed in 2022 and extending the program to Jan. 1, 2034. Leased or purchased battery storage systems would also qualify for a 30% credit, which can also be taken in 2023 for homeowners who buy for a 30% credit, which can also be taken in 2023 for homeowners who buy batteries. 

Rebates for home electrification include: 

• Up to $8,000 for a heat pump, which could cover about a third of the cost of some systems that heat and cool homes.
• Up to $1,750 for heat pump water heaters, which would cover the entire cost of several models.
• Up to $840 for induction stoves, which would pay about two-thirds of the cost of many high-efficiency cook tops.
• Up to $4,000 to upgrade a home’s electrical system, which is often necessary before solar and battery storage systems can be installed.
• Households earning up to 150% of the median income in their area can claim a maximum of $14,000 in total rebates through Sept. 30, 2031. 

These investments in clean energy also mean job opportunities in eastern Connecticut. New London is soon going to be one of the busiest offshore wind hubs in the entire U.S. with the completion of State Pier New London. We’re also home to manufacturing companies like Earthlight Technologies in Ellington who provide solar panel installation services for homes and businesses. These businesses are growing like crazy, and the tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act are going to help keep that growth going while helping homeowners cut their energy bills. 

The Inflation Reduction Act also includes tax credits for nuclear energy—one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle when it comes to increasing our domestic energy production. Simultaneously, the new Infrastructure Law, the IIJA, provides more than $3 billion over the next 5 years to ramp up nuclear energy research and production. In Waterford, the Waterford Nuclear Power plant produces energy for nearly 2 million homes today—soon it could be powering even more, at a very low price-point. 

New American Rescue Plan Support for Small Businesses in Enfield in on the Way

Great news for Enfield this week, as the town announced it would use $250,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to provide additional support to small businesses still recovering from the pandemic. We passed the American Rescue Plan last year to help our local economies come back stronger. Now, in every corner of eastern Connecticut, we've got towns that have gone to work to direct this funding to the small businesses and town services that needed it most.

Click here to read more about Enfield’s use of American Rescue Plans to support small businesses here.

I have always been ready to work in bipartisan fashion with anyone who is serious about helping our eastern Connecticut communities. Republicans and Democrats have highlighted the importance of these resources in our recovery from the pandemic, and it’s great to see Enfield continue putting them to good use. The window for Enfield small businesses to apply for one-time American Rescue Plan support opens on October 1st. Read more here in the Journal Inquirer.

Celebrating One-Thousand Connecticut Made F135 Engines 

On Wednesday, I stopped by aerospace manufacturer Pratt and Whitney to join in celebrating the delivery of their 1000th Connecticut-made F135 engine. I was joined by the Pratt and Whitney team and Congressman John Larson. 

On Wednesday, Rep. Courtney joined Pratt and Whitney and Rep. John Larson at a celebration of the delivery of the aerospace manufacturer’s 1000th F135 engine

Congratulations to all of the Pratt and Whitney employees whose hard work over the past decade brought us to this milestone, providing America’s most capable fighter jet with the safest and most reliable engine in the history of military aviation. The F135 keeps the F-35 flying, and as Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in Washington, I will continue to support the women and men of Pratt and Whitney who do so much for our nation. In recent years on the House Armed Services Committee, we’ve authorized  the highest acquisition levels of new F-35s in our nation’s history. In this year’s NDAA which the Senate will soon pass, we authorized increased maintenance and manufacturing of F135 engines to be built at Pratt and Whitney. The importance of this fighter jet and its engine to our national security cannot be understated.

A Federal Grant Will Improve Safety for Firefighters in West Stafford

We count on firefighters to keep our towns safe, and we should support them every way we can. Last week, I was excited to announce that five fire departments in eastern Connecticut are receiving new federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awards – including the West Stafford Fire Department. This week, I visited the department to catch up with my long-time friend Assistant Fire Chief Bill Morrison, his son Fire Marshal Mark Morrison, and the all-volunteer team in West Stafford who are doing high-tempo work keep their community safe.

On Thursday, Rep. Courtney visited the West Stafford Fire Department which will use a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant to purchase a new uniform washer and dryer – important to the safety and well-being of the firefighters

Firefighting can mean risking exposure to toxic chemicals – including PFAS. For the safety and well-being of firefighters, they need to keep their uniforms clean and chemical-free. Currently, the West Stafford Fire Department uses a uniform washer and dryer that was purchased in the 1990s. It’s only able to clean one uniform at a time. Thanks to the new AFG award, the department will soon purchase a new industrial washer and dryer that can wash three uniforms at a time — a big improvement for their safety and service to Stafford. Thanks to West Stafford Selectmen Sal Titus and Richard Hartenstein for joining our visit to the Fire Department, and to Chief Morrison and the entire team for having us out! 

While I was at the West Stafford Fire Department, I also visited a memorial for two victims from of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack on our nation – 21 years ago this Sunday. Stafford Springs residents Michael Tarrou and Amy Kind were flight attendants on United Airlines Flight 175 – which was hijacked and flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center. The memorial includes a section of a beam from one of the World Trade Center towers.

The West Stafford Fire Department hosts a memorial to two Stafford residents who were killed in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center while working as flight attendants on United Airlines Flight 175

We will never forget the lives lost on that September morning, the sacrifices made by the brave first responders who rushed toward the towers, or the lives lost in the years following to exposure to toxins, and on the battlefield. On Sunday, I will be in Enfield to attend the 9/11 Tribute Memorial.

Thanks as always for taking the time to ready my update. If we can be of any assistance, don’t hesitate to give my Norwich office a call at (860) 886-0139. Have a great weekend! 

Sincerely,

Joe Courtney
Member of Congress

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