HHS Releases $50 Million to States for Emergency Energy Assistance

HHS announced March 1 the release of an additional $50 million in emergency contingency funds to all states under the FY 2005 LIHEAP program. The additional funds are being allocated to assist states and low-income households coping with much higher heating bills this winter. The formula for allocating funds under this third release is the same as the first two releases in December and January, with:

• 50 percent of the funds ($25 million) based on each state's share of the regular block grant allocation formula and
  
  
• 50 percent of the funds ($25 million) based on the regular block grant allocation formula weighted by the relative percentage of low-income households in each state that uses heating oil and propane for heat.

Grant awards will be issued shortly. With this announcement, a total of $250 million of the $297.6 million in available contingency funds has been released to states. The remaining $47.6 million may be used for other potential winter emergencies or cooling crises this summer. The contingency funds are available until expended.

A press release from ACF announcing the $50 million in LIHEAP emergency funds and listing the state allocations is available at:
http://www.dhhs.gov/news/press/2005pres/20050301.html

Page Last Updated: December 7, 2005