HHS Releases $121 Million for Energy Assistance

On September 17, HHS announced the release of $121 million in FY 2008 LIHEAP emergency contingency funds. These funds are being allocated to ALL states to help low-income households cope with the anticipated high costs for fuel this winter, particularly for those states that are hugely dependent on heating oil.

The $121 million includes $101 million in FY 2008 contingency funds as well as $20 million remaining from the FY 2005 appropriation, which were designated as no-year funds that do not expire until released. With the $121 million release, all available LIHEAP emergency contingency funds have been allocated to states.

Of the $121 million:

• $96 million is being distributed to all states based on their regular ("old") block grant allocation formula percentage.
  
  
• An additional $25 million is being directed to 7 states that had 30 percent or more of its low-income households using heating oil for heat. The $25 million will be allocated to the 7 states based on their regular ("old") block grant allocation formula percentage weighted by the relative percentage of households in each state that uses heating oil for heat. The 7 states are Alaska, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Note that the $121 million is not subject to the normal LIHEAP obligation rules (i.e., 90% of funds to be obligated by the end of the fiscal year and carryover not to exceed 10%). States, tribes and territories receiving a share of the $121 million must obligate 100% of these funds before September 30, 2009 (the end of FY 2009).

View a spreadsheet of state and tribal allocations of the funds.

Source: HHS press release

Page Last Updated: September 24, 2009