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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004

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 $200 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:

Allocation of $100m in FY 2005 LIHEAP
Emergency Contingency Funds
22-Dec-2004
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.

Last Revised: December 23, 2004