FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 25, 2000
Contact: Michael Kharfen, (202) 401-9215
HHS
RELEASES $41.75 MILLION IN EMERGENCY ENERGY ASSISTANCE
President Clinton
today directed HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala to release $41.75 million
in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) emergency funds
for eight states in the south who are suffering from extremely hot weather
and Alaska for the disastrously low salmon run.
The nine states
are: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South
Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
"This devastating
heat has taken a tragic toll in the deaths of 24 people. Senior citizens,
children and persons with disabilities are at risk in this extreme hot
weather," said Secretary Shalala. "We are rushing this critical
aid to provide relief and support for these vulnerable households."
Shalala added, "Without
fuel oil for the severe Alaskan winter, many lives will be in danger.
Vulnerable and frail children and senior citizens are most at risk from
extreme cold. These crucial funds will supply essential heating oil now
before the waterways freeze and the cost of flying in provisions becomes
prohibitive."
States can use the
funds to pay cooling bills, buy air conditioners, or provide other means
of assistance to help low-income families and individuals. Of the $41.75
million, $35 million is allocated to the eight states most affected by
the extreme heat, based on the severity of the heat wave and the number
of low-income households in the state, as well as consideration of other
resources available to assist in dealing with the situation. Of the $35
million, $36,307 will go directly to four tribes in two states.
That state of Alaska
will receive $6.75 million which will be shared with several Alaskan Native
organizations to help about 4,000 to 5,000 households to buy heating oil
for the coming winter. Alaskan native villages are largely dependent on
salmon fishing for their livelihood. This is the fourth year in a row
of a poor salmon run meaning there is virtually no cash to buy heating
oil for the coming winter. Also, with a limited road system serving many
of the villages, transportation of bulk fuels and other commodities is
dependent upon the system of rivers and other waterways. Once the waterways
freeze, emergency oil supplies would have to be flown in, at many times
the current cost.
LIHEAP supports
approximately 4 to 5 million households annually. Nearly half are families
with children under 18, with senior citizens, person with disabilities
and working poor individuals as the remaining beneficiaries. Seventy percent
of the households had incomes below $8,000 per year. LIHEAP emergency
funds go to aid families in times of extreme heat or cold, other natural
disasters, or to offset abnormally high fuel prices.
The following is
the amount of funds for each state:
| State |
Amount
|
| Alabama |
$5,852,502
|
| Alaska |
$6,750,000
|
| Arkansas |
$994,885
|
| Georgia |
$4,679,843
|
| Louisiana |
$4,215,913
|
| Mississippi |
$2,812,167
|
| South
Carolina |
$1,250,024
|
| Tennessee |
$826,224
|
| Texas |
$14,368,442
|
###
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are
available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
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