Governor George E. Pataki today announced that the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has established a special $100,000 fund to help the families of victims of the September 11^th World Trade Center attack in paying their electric bills, should such assistance be necessary. The fund will also provide assistance to organizations within LIPA’s service area who are providing help to victims and families of the tragedy

The Governor estimated that some 600 families within LIPA’s service area, which includes Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway peninsula in Queens, lost a family member in the WTC attack. The LIPA Board of Trustees approved the creation of the World Trade Center Relief Fund at its October 17th meeting.

"LIPA is making a special effort to be sensitive to the needs of the survivors of the World Trade Center attack," said Governor Pataki. "The attack was an extraordinary event that severely disrupted the personal finances of many families and individuals. By creating the World Trade Center Relief Fund, LIPA will help ease the burden of recovering from the attack."

According to LIPA Chairman Richard M. Kessel, the relief fund "will help customers in need as a result of the World Trade Center tragedy and will further the well-being of the Long Island community."

LIPA’s World Trade Center Relief Fund will:

• provide assistance to families that lost a household member in the WTC tragedy that have fallen behind in paying their LIPA electric bills, and

• provide additional funds to organizations that play an active role within LIPA’s service area in matters of health and welfare in regard to families affected by the tragedy.

Families applying for relief through the fund will be required to submit forms provided by LIPA setting forth the name and address on the account and the account number, a document that sets forth the household member lost in the World Trade Center tragedy, the amount of relief requested, and a description of the specific bills outstanding and the timetable for the relief being requested.

Applications will be reviewed by a World Trade Center Relief (WTCR) Committee to be comprised of senior LIPA employees appointed by the Chairman. The WTCR Committee may grant relief for the cost of electric service for up to 12 months.

In making decisions, the WTCR Committee will consider eligibility based upon the tragedy’s impact on the household, the amount of funds available in the relief fund, and the nature and extent of the need being addressed.

Persons interested in applying for relief from the fund should contact LIPA by calling the LIPA Help Line at 1-877-ASK-LIPA.