Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen introduced legislation this week seeking temporary federal subsidies for the cost of fuel to the V.I. Water and Power Authority, according to the delegate’s office.
If passed, the V.I. Energy Crisis Relief Act (HR 6631) would also fund the conversion of WAPA’s existing facilities to run on liquefied natural or liquefied petroleum gas and increase the number of residents who qualify for relief through Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
“The bill is aimed at providing special appropriations to certain federal programs specifically for the Virgin Islands to provide relief to WAPA and in turn the consumer in the short term as the utility and the government implement longer term solutions,” Christensen said in a statement Wednesday.
“Our current situation of ever increasing energy costs is unsustainable and after discussions with federal and local officials on how to best get emergency help for the territory, I have offered this bill to illustrate and emphasize what I believe short term help should look like,” she said.
The bill would provide $100 million to WAPA through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities High Energy Cost Grant program to subsidize the cost of fuel to the utility. “Those costs are passed on directly to the consumer, and it is my hope that this could provide some relief on the average bill while WAPA pursues more affordable energy solutions,” Christensen said.
It would also provide $15 million to WAPA through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Adjustment Assistance program to fund the conversion of existing plants from fuel oil to liquefied natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas. “WAPA has said that this is one of their goals, so this would facilitate the process," she said.
It would also lower the threshold for residents to receive federal help on their utility bills through LIHEAP. “Currently only those whose income is up to 150 percent above the poverty level qualify, it would increase the percentage to 300 percent for Virgin Islands households,” Christensen said.
Because the current 112th Congress is nearing its end, Christensen said she will have to reintroduce the bill again next year.
“However, it is important to underscore what we have been saying to the relevant federal agencies and to illustrate to federal officials that in these times, we are in dire need of unusual and uncommon remedies to bring assistance to the Virgin Islands people," Christensen said.
