[Federal Register: August 6, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 151)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42049]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au98-61]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

 
Reallotment of FY 1997 Funds for Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of determination concerning funds available for 
reallotment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a preliminary determination has 
been made that fiscal year (FY) 1997 Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program (LIHEAP) funds are available for reallotment to States, 
territories, and tribes and tribal organizations receiving FY 1998 
direct LIHEAP funding Section 2607(b)(1) of Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act (the Act), Title XXVI of Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 
Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), as amended, requires that if the 
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services determines 
that, as of September 1 of any fiscal year, an amount in excess of 
certain levels allotted to a grantee for any fiscal year will not be 
used by the grantee during the fiscal year, the Secretary must notify 
the grantee and publish a notice in the Federal Register that such 
funds may be reallotted to LIHEAP grantees during the following fiscal 
year. (No funds may be alloted to entities that are not direct LIHEAP 
grantees during FY 1998.) It has been determined that $82,025 may be 
available for reallotment during FY 1997. This determination is based 
on a revised report from the State of Alabama, which was submitted to 
the Office of Community Services as required by 45 CFR 96.82.
    The statute allows grantees who have funds unobligated at the end 
of the fiscal year for which they are awarded to request that they be 
allowed to carry over up to 10 percent of their allotments to the next 
fiscal year. Funds in excess of this amount must be returned to DHHS 
and are subject to reallotment under section 2607(b)(1) if the Act, The 
amount described in this notice was reported as unobligated FY 1997 
funds in excess of the amount that the State of Alabama could carry 
over to FY 1998.
    The State of Alabama was notified by certified mail that $82,025 of 
its FY 1997 funds may be reallotted. In accordance with section 
2607(b)(3), the Chief Executive Officer of the State of Alabama has 30 
days from the date of the letter to submit comments to: Donald Sykes, 
Director, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, 
Washington, DC 20047. The comment period expires August 31, 1998.
    After considering any comments submitted, the Chief Executive 
Officer will be notified of the decision, and the decision also will be 
published in the Federal Register. If funds are reallocated, they will 
be allocated in accordance with section 2604 of the Act and must be 
treated by LIHEAP grantees receiving them as an amount appropriated for 
FY 1998. As FY 1998 funds, they will be subject to all requirements of 
the Act, including section 2607(b)(2), which requires that a grantee 
obligate at least 90% of its total block grant allocation for a fiscal 
year by the end of the fiscal year for which the funds are 
appropriated, that is, by September 30, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Fox, Director, Divison of Energy 
Assistance, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, 
Washington, DC 20447; telephone (202) 401-9351.

    Dated: July 29, 1998.
Donald Sykes,
Director, Office of Community Services.
[FR Doc. 98-21078 Filed 8-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M