© 2024 WSHU
NPR News & Classical Music
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We received reports that some iPhone users with the latest version of iOS (v17.4) cannot play audio via the Grove Persistent Player.
While we work to fix the issue, we recommend downloading the WSHU app.

Lawmakers raise concerns about heating prices as Connecticut prepares for an arctic blast

cold weather snow
Stanley Zimny
/
Flickr

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has activated the state’s first severe cold weather protocol of the season, bringing more warming shelters and transportation online as the region braces for a blast of cold air.

Anyone in need of warm shelter can call 211 to find the nearest location and arrange transportation. The services will be active until at least Wednesday.

“Being outdoors in these arctic conditions for extended periods is not safe, and we must spread the word that shelters and warming centers are open all across Connecticut,” Lamont said in a statement.

As temperatures dip, a group of bipartisan lawmakers urged the federal government on Monday to protect consumers from high heating costs this winter.

In a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the lawmakers urged the agency to prevent market manipulation of natural gas and electricity costs. They said utility debt is about 67% higher than usual this year.

“For too long, the federal government has allowed too many utility companies to put profit above the public,” wrote the lawmakers, including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. “We have a responsibility to ensure that everyone has access to safe living conditions, and we cannot let corporate greed or a quest for profit get in the way of fundamental human rights.”

On Long Island, Suffolk County emergency heating shelters are open.

Desiree reports on the lives of military service members, veterans, and their families for WSHU as part of the American Homefront project. Born and raised in Connecticut, she now calls Long Island home.