The lasting impact of the arctic air that slammed the Midwest and Texas are astronomical utility bills for some Illinois villages and towns. 

The Governor is offering up a small fix to make paying those bills a little easier - a low-interest loan program that municipalities can access to pay off a sharp increase in energy costs. Due to a dramatic increase in natural gas consumption and never-before-seen increases in the price for natural gas, JB Pritzker says some small towns found utility bills approaching hard-to-believe figures.

Right now, a loan program of $15 million is under consideration. The state is expecting federal help to come for those facing extreme increases in heating costs. If that happens those funds will be used to pay back the loans that a village or town may take out.