News Release

States To Receive $50 Million In Emergency Energy Assistance

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt today announced that 12 states will be given $50 million in emergency energy assistance.  The funds from the federal government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are targeted to states that have experienced much hotter than normal conditions in recent weeks.

LIHEAP funding is administered to states through HHS’ Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services to help eligible low-income homeowners and renters meet their heating or cooling needs.

“Severe heat can be devastating, especially for our children, older Americans and people with disabilities,” Secretary Leavitt said. “This emergency aid will help states that have recently experienced unusually high temperatures and need additional resources to support low-income families through the rest of the summer.”

The $50 million is allocated to states most affected by the heat, based on the number of low-income households in the state.

Including the funds released today, a total of approximately $2 billion in LIHEAP funds, has beenmade available to states and tribes in fiscal year 2007.

“The money being released today by the Bush Administration will help those most in need --  including children, the elderly and the disabled,” said, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families Daniel Schneider. “Providing aid to these vulnerable citizens creates an environment where health and safety risks can be reduced.”

States receiving today’s emergency energy assistance funding are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Those who are eligible and interested in applying for energy assistance should contact their local/state LIHEAP agency. For more information, go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/ or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/liheap/brochure.html.

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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: January 12, 2009