The Farmer's Almanac has predicted a harsh winter, which adds to the worries of low-income Mainers watching heating oil prices rise while their earnings remain stagnant. Congress partially solved the problem by appropriating more money for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). However, the $600 million boost in funding is still not enough to help the 30 million households that qualify for the program.

Currently about 15 percent of those who qualify for help get it. The $1.9 billion that was distributed to state and local agencies last winter was roughly the same amount available

in 1981. At least $3 billion is needed today to equal the purchasing power

of federal assistance in 1981. Since 2002, energy prices have risen 50 percent while federal funding for LIHEAP has risen 7 percent. Efforts to boost LIHEAP funding to $3.4 billion, supported by Maine's senators, failed in the final days of the congressional session.

That is bad news for residents of Maine and other cold states. Heating oil prices are expected to average 29 percent higher compared with last winter, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Last year, 45,700 got LIHEAP assistance. These families typically spend about 17 percent of their income on home energy costs. The Maine State Housing Authority expects an additional 1,000 families to apply for help this winter. Because of the increased demand, the average benefit is expected to decline from $440 to $410 despite higher heating costs.

State officials and lawmakers must now focus their efforts on securing a release of emergency funds in January. Such additional monies have been approved by Congress before. Of course, it would have been better to secure the money now, knowing that demand for it will be high once winter sets in.

As a further hedge against rising fuel prices, Sen. Snowe has secured $5 million to fund the Northeast Heating Oil Reserve, which will allow the reserve to remain stocked should the need to tap it arise. The last time a request was made to the president to tap the reserves it was denied.