Mid-Columbia Community Action’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program is underway.  Senior and disabled residents should have already received their applications, while Community Action will begin to make appointments to take applications from the general public on December 1.  The LIEAP program is federally funded and provides one-time payments to help pay winter heating bills.  Community Action’s Jim Slusher says funding for the program is down slightly this year.  Slusher says the funding is down 20 percent over the last five years.  Community Action will start taking appointments with people from the general public looking to apply for assistance at 8 a.m. on December 1 at both of its offices in The Dalles and Hood River.