On July 15, 2021, the moratorium on gas, electric, and basic telephone disconnections will be lifted. The moratorium on water disconnections, established pursuant to Act 92 of 2020, was lifted on June 15, 2021, concurrent with the end of the state of emergency. The economic consequences of the pandemic nonetheless persist. This emergency rule provides additional consumer notification requirements in order to encourage greater participation in the Vermont COVID-19 Arrearage Assistance Program II ("VCAAP II") and the Vermont Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance Program ("VERAP") that distribute federal funds. A significant purpose of this emergency rule is that it implores utilities to continue to provide meaningful assistance to customers to connect them with these much-needed available funds. This rule also provides enhanced consumer protections to customers who may be experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.