Midwestern families spent $561 million more on propane during the winter of 2013-14 when compared to a five-year average of the previous five winters, a report released this month by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee has found.

Propane costs doubled to more than $4 per gallon last winter as severely cold weather, transportation issues and a wet fall pressured supplies in the Midwest.

Related: Lawmakers Request Hearing on Propane Shortage Issues

Rural areas and homes were particularly affected, the report notes, as 91.7% of houses heated with propane are in the rural Midwest and unlikely to have access to a secondary heating source. Nearly half of households using propane for heating earn less than $50,000 as of 2012, it said. Joint Economic Committee report quantifies costs of last winter's propane supply issues.

Farmers also felt the pinch as animal buildings and grain drying equipment often operate on propane.

To minimize future price spikes, the report outlined objectives that have been planned or implemented. These include publishing more information on propane supplies and encouraging weekly price reporting, as well as putting the governors of affected states on notice if fuel supplies (including propane) have fallen below five-year averages for several weeks. 

The Energy Information Administration has agreed to move forward with both objectives.Related: State Governments, Suppliers Convene on Plans to Avoid Future Propane Shortages

Further, the report outlines for plans on a national energy efficiency strategy that will help businesses and consumers cut energy costs. This includes updating building codes and providing funding for construction workers to learn more about energy efficient building technologies.

The objectives also include considering an increase in energy assistance funds to families when price spikes occur, and allowing customers to purchase propane with assistance funds in the summer when prices are lower.

Related: Farmers May Avoid Replay of Last Year's Propane Issues

Lawmakers this summer passed a bill to allow state governors more freedom when extending a state of emergency due to low home heating fuel levels. This allows motor carriers to operate beyond federal regulations and deliver more heating oil where it is needed. The bill also signed off on the EIA requirement to notify governors of short supplies.

Propane Concerns For Winter

The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet and Kentuckys propane industry are taking proactive steps to ensure that adequate propane supplies are available to meet the needs of Kentuckians this coming winter. Officials say the most effective short term actions that suppliers and customers can take are to participate in fall fill programs. They add that current weather forecasts indicate that well experience another strong winter for the region and they are wanting to make sure customers are prepared. Tod Griffin, executive director of the Kentucky Propane Gas Association, pointed out that the issue is not supply but getting the propane to where it is needed. Griffin said the propane industry strongly urges consumers to:

1. Fill storage tanks now, before the cold weather hits. Many dealers have pre-buy or summer fill programs that encourage customers to top-off before the high-demand season starts.

2. Sign up for automatic delivery rather than being a will call customer. This allows dealers to better schedule delivery trucks and helps ensure that the customer won't run out of propane.

3. Sign up for budget payment plans. This helps the customer spread the payments for propane over several months.

4. Monitor your tank. Know how much you have left in the tank. Unless your dealer requests otherwise, call when the level hits 25 percent. This will allow your dealer to schedule you for a refill in a timely manner.

5. Have a professional perform tune-ups/maintenance on equipment and appliances to increase fuel efficiency.

With the forecasts for a potentially bad winter, officials say they have become increasingly concerned with the likelihood of propane delivery disruptions during the coming winter. They add that a wetter than normal fall and increased grain production have the potential to increase demand for propane used in grain drying, particularly in the Midwestern corn belt. This was a key factor in the propane shortages Kentucky experienced last year.

The unprecedented demand for propane for grain drying and home heating during the 2013-14 winter season led to temporary price surges and strained both Kentucky's and the nation's transportation infrastructure, even as U.S. propane production reached all-time highs.