LAKE PLACID — On page 27 of his America First Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again, Donald Trump and his executive office cover the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump’s office writes that its 2018 budget proposal supports the core mission of HHS through “the most efficient and effective health and human service programs,” while also eliminating programs that are “duplicative or have limited impact on public health and well being.”

In all, Trump’s 2018 budget outlines $69 billion for HHS, a $15.1 billion or 17.9 percent decrease from 2017. And one of the programs on the chopping block helps thousands of locals in Essex and Franklin counties get through costly and frigid Adirondack winters: the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Trump’s budget proposes to eliminate discretionary programs within the Office of Community Services, which includes LIHEAP and the Community Services Block Grant. It’d provide a savings of $4.2 billion compared to 2017, Trump’s executive office writes.

“Compared to other income support programs that serve similar populations, LIHEAP is a lower-impact program and is unable to demonstrate strong performance outcomes,” reads page 22 of the “America First” proposal. “CSBG funds services that are duplicative of other Federal programs, such as emergency food assistance and employment services, and is also a limited-impact program.”

If LIHEAP were slashed, a substantial number of people here in Essex and Franklin counties would lose out on hundreds of dollars they receive each year to help pay for heat during the winter.

Speaking Tuesday, Stephanie Snow, head social services worker for Essex County, said 1,131 households were classified as HEAP-only cases last month, while there were a further 1,980 cases of households on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Snow said that many of the households who receive benefits through SNAP also qualify for HEAP, though she was unsure of the exact number.

“I’m not sure how many of them are also HEAP,” she said. “But it’s a large amount.”

Those numbers for the county were slightly down from this time last year, when 1,209 households were classified as HEAP-only cases and 1,997 households received SNAP benefits.

There were 15,268 households in Essex County, according to the most recent United States Census.

In Franklin County, Director of Financial Assistance Jannelle Reome said to date this season the county has allocated just under $1.6 million in HEAP benefits to 2,097 active HEAP households and 4,122 active SNAP households. Reome said there was a slight increase in the number of households that applied for assistance this year in comparison to last season, when there were 1,671 active HEAP households and 3,894 SNAP households. Reome said the increase could be due to the increase in the SNAP and HEAP income guidelines.

There were 19,148 households in Franklin County as of the most recent U.S. Census.

Qualifying for the HEAP-benefit is based on gross monthly income. The maximum monthly income for a one-person household is $2,300, $3,007 for a two-person household, $3,715 for a three-person household, $4,423 for a four-person household and $5,130 for a five-person household. HEAP income level maximums are outlined for up to an 11-person household ($6,671), $520 for each additional person beyond 11.

Households receive HEAP funding through their heat provider.

In Lake Placid, those who receive HEAP this year to offset costs of heat through the village’s municipal electric agreement will receive a base benefit of $350 for the season for a one-person household. Households in other county locales who receive heat through oil or lumber companies receive more financial assistance from the state.

In Essex County, Snow said the number of households that receive HEAP each year varies slightly depending on how cold each winter is. She added, though, that she’s noticed more households headed by working family members have applied for HEAP assistance in recent years

“It’s pretty much stayed consistent, the numbers for our county,” she said. “For those households that close accounts, there are more that open. And a lot more working households. They have income, but they can’t seem to make ends meet and they need help with the heating. This winter has been kind of mild, but in the past when we’ve had really cold winters, we saw increases. Two years ago we were really, really busy.”

In an email Wednesday afternoon, Tom Flanagin, the spokesman for the North Country’s representative in U.S. Congress, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Willsboro), said Stefanik is against cutting the heating program.

“(She) is a strong supporter of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and does not support the President’s proposed cuts,” Flanagin wrote. “While Congresswoman Stefanik believes there are savings to be found in every federal agency, she does not support the President’s initial budget proposal, especially the proposed cuts to the State Department, the Department of Education, and the EPA. Furthermore, the President’s budget would cut many important individual programs to our district that Congresswoman Stefanik supports.

Flanagin continued to stress that Trump’s budget proposal is the first step in budget approval process, and that it is Congress that will ultimately write the final federal spending plan.

“During the budgeting process, Congresswoman Stefanik will work hard to ensure the needs and priorities of our district are met,” Flanagin wrote.