Energy assistance program to continue in Wyoming for now as federal staff purged in sweeping cuts

CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Family Services says it’s business as usual for the foreseeable future in regards to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIEAP, in the state after staff in the federal department that runs the program were suddenly eliminated this week.

“At this time, LIHEAP (LIEAP in Wyoming) has been funded through September 30, 2025. We do not anticipate any changes to Wyoming LIEAP at this time, so we will be conducting business as usual unless we hear otherwise,” they said in an email to Oil City News.

“The application period for the 2024-2025 heating season ended on March 31, 2025. We will continue to pay utility bills for eligible clients through May 30, 2025,” they continued.

According to the New York Times, some 25 employees who oversee the program were eliminated along with around 10,000 employees from the Department of Health and Human Services as part of the Trump administration’s drastic reduction of federal staff and agencies. While the funding was approved by Congress, the staff elimination raises concerns that work dispersing the funds could grind to a halt.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program was created by Congress in 1981 to help offset home heating and cooling costs. It also offers assistance in weatherizing, and assistance for repairing and maintaining HVAC systems.

Some 6.2 million people across the country use the program. According to the Wyoming Department of Family Services, around 8,000 people applied for LIEAP in Wyoming this season.

The deadline to apply for assistance passed this year, but weatherization applications are accepted year round.