FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
December 23, 2004
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
HHS Provides $100 Million to States for Energy Aid
Contingency funds will help low-income families with heating bills
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today that $100 million in emergency funds will be immediately provided to states, territories and tribes from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help low-income families pay their heating bills.
The funds will provide states with extra assistance, over and above $1.2 billion sent to states last October, to help with winter heating costs.
“President Bush is making sure we provide needed assistance to millions of Americans who otherwise might not be able to pay their heating bills this winter,” Secretary Thompson said. “This assistance will help millions of Americans stay warm in the new year.”
Today's $100 million uses one-third of the contingency funds made available by the FY 2005 omnibus appropriations bill. The remaining $198 million in contingency funds will be reserved for future heating or cooling emergencies.
In addition to the contingency funds, the remaining $65 million in first-quarter grants also made available by the omnibus bill will be released to states, territories and tribes.
“In much of the country, winter did not make a modest arrival,” said Dr. Wade F. Horn, HHS assistant secretary for children and families. “By releasing these federal funds, President Bush is helping children, seniors and families stay safe and warm.”
LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating their homes in the winter and cooling their homes in the summer. More than 4.5 million low-income households across the country receive assistance each year.
Individuals interested in applying for LIHEAP assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency or by clicking on the agency directory at www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/liheap/directry.htm. The directory can help people locate the state or tribal office that administers LIHEAP in communities across the country.
The total amount of emergency funding provided to each state follows:
State |
LIHEAP
Emergency Contingency Award |
|---|---|
Alabama |
$817,631 |
Alaska |
$685,991 |
Arizona |
$267,439 |
Arkansas |
$537,450 |
California |
$2,720,908 |
Colorado |
$1,023,601 |
Connecticut |
$3,164,657 |
Delaware |
$432,491 |
D.C. |
$246,070 |
Florida |
$1,143,032 |
Georgia |
$1,019,286 |
Hawaii |
$60,990 |
Idaho |
$482,188 |
Illinois |
$3,795,847 |
Indiana |
$2,040,244 |
Iowa |
$1,723,123 |
Kansas |
$605,875 |
Kentucky |
$1,097,906 |
Louisiana |
$600,587 |
Maine |
$2,628,208 |
Maryland |
$1,772,334 |
Massachusetts |
$5,637,425 |
Michigan |
$4,376,482 |
Minnesota |
$4,133,824 |
Mississippi |
$762,233 |
Missouri |
$2,013,067 |
Montana |
$564,496 |
Nebraska |
$772,690 |
Nevada |
$139,335 |
New Hampshire |
$1,410,030 |
New Jersey |
$4,747,127 |
New Mexico |
$424,918 |
New York |
$16,946,627 |
North Carolina |
$2,470,673 |
North Dakota |
$949,951 |
Ohio |
$3,758,925 |
Oklahoma |
$600,847 |
Oregon |
$930,104 |
Pennsylvania |
$7,475,715 |
Rhode Island |
$946,648 |
South Carolina |
$777,299 |
South Dakota |
$847,389 |
Tennessee |
$1,027,828 |
Texas |
$1,667,995 |
Utah |
$457,952 |
Vermont |
$1,081,976 |
Virginia |
$2,165,878 |
Washington |
$1,422,355 |
West Virginia |
$672,807 |
Wisconsin |
$3,591,267 |
Wyoming |
$224,850 |
Total to States |
$99,864,571 |
Territories |
$135,428 |
Total |
$99,999,999 |
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.