Taking to the streets with a Yuletide theme, about 60 protesters organized by PUSH Buffalo rallied Thursday in Lafayette Square, demanding help to lower the heating bills of low-income residents.

The rally was the kickoff to a campaign seeking to enlist National Fuel in an effort to weatherize 1,000 houses over the next year in low-income neighborhoods. It’s part of a larger effort to “green” the city and promote green-collar employment among low-income city residents.

PUSH Buffalo also sent a letter to David Smith, National Fuel’s chief executive officer, asking for a meeting within 30 days.

“We want to open a dialogue,” said Eric Walker, PUSH Buffalo’s organizing director.

In its letter, PUSH Buffalo noted that Forbes magazine has reported the city has the fourth-highest heating bills in the nation.

“We feel that it is time for National Fuel to use its resources to help us with the issue of high heating bills,” the organization said in its letter to Smith. “We are counting on National Fuel to make a commitment to help weatherize 1,000 units in 2010.”

Houses and apartments occupied by low-income residents are often especially expensive to heat because they are not insulated and otherwise weatherized. In winter months, the heating bills can sometimes exceed rent or mortgage payments.

Walker said weatherizing typically costs about $6,500 per unit and cuts heating bills by 30 to 40 percent.

The federally funded Home Energy Assistance Program provided about $50 million to National Fuel last year to help underwrite the heating bills of low-income residents in Erie County, according to PUSH Buffalo. The organization, based on the West Side, maintains that it makes economic sense to weatherize to reduce heating expenses.

The protesters braved 17-degree temperatures to attend what was dubbed the “Anti- Freeze Rally.” Several participants sported red Santa hats, and many more carried signs that read “Turn up the Heat on National Fuel” and “We want to green our homes, not National Fuel’s wallet.”