Dayton expands eligibility for heating assistance

With propane prices still extremely high, Gov. Mark Dayton has expanded eligibility for Minnesota's heating assistance program.

Dayton's executive order means households of four earning less than $52,370 are now eligible for help. The expanded heating assistance is available to any qualifying household — not just propane users, the state Commerce Department said.

The assistance program is vital to many Minnesotans, said Joe Stariha, co-president of Como Oil & Propane in Duluth.

"We have 22,000 customers so, of course, we hit pretty much every demographic," he said. "We have a lot of customers on fuel assistance, and it's helping them a lot." Propane prices appear to be stabilizing around $3 a gallon after an extremely volatile period, he added.

Last week, residential propane prices averaged $4.66 a gallon in Minnesota. That was a 91 percent increase over the previous week.

The latest prices will be posted Wednesday morning, Stariha said.