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Administration for Children and Families US Department of Health and Human Services

 HHS News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Contact: Chris Downing
ACF Press Office (202) 401-9215

 

HHS Provides $844 Million to States
to Help Low-Income Households with Energy Costs

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced the release of $844 million to states to help low-income citizens with their heating bills during October, November and December of this year. These funds represent grants to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

“By releasing this money now, we are helping to provide needed assistance to millions of Americans who otherwise might not be able to afford heat this winter,” Secretary Thompson said. “This program helps to offset seasonal energy costs for low-income families, leaving more of their income to use for other necessities.”

LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter, and cooling their homes in the summer. More than 4 million low-income households receive assistance each year.

HHS is releasing such a large allocation of LIHEAP funds now in order to ensure that states have resources available to support their energy assistance programs as the weather turns colder. Special consideration has been given to the coldest states.

“Each year LIHEAP helps more than 4 million low-income households deal with energy costs,” said Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., assistant secretary for children and families. “We will continue to work with states to assure that their heating assistance programs work effectively.”

A list of first-quarter allocations under LIHEAP follows:

State Amount
   
   
Alabama
$5,692,937
Alaska
$3,290,884
Arizona
$1,668,897
Arkansas
$4,354,646
California
$19,080,662
Colorado
$13,335,031
Connecticut
$6,962,843
Delaware
$1,848,367
Dist. of Col.
$2,162,682
Florida
$9,029,119
Georgia
$7,139,635
Hawaii
$449,376
Idaho
$4,113,650
Illinois
$65,524,617
Indiana
$29,664,624
Iowa
$21,025,901
Kansas
$709,657
Kentucky
$9,081,750
Louisiana
$5,834,445
Maine
$14,955,581
Maryland
$10,662,721
Massachusetts
$34,810,507
Michigan
$62,061,545
Minnesota
$44,818,699
Mississippi
$4,889,524
Missouri
$15,395,936
Montana
$7,447,942
Nebraska
$7,644,449
Nevada
$810,161
New Hampshire
$8,963,368
New Jersey
$25,834,086
New Mexico
$3,351,678
New York
$143,490,303
North Carolina
$7,814,200
North Dakota
$5,777,272
Ohio
$38,360,063
Oklahoma
$5,061,380
Oregon
$8,245,701
Pennsylvania
$68,032,399
Rhode Island
$4,580,057
South Carolina
$4,532,454
South Dakota
$6,439,614
Tennessee
$9,199,618
Texas
$15,022,982
Utah
$7,352,446
Vermont
$6,718,363
Virginia
$6,818,903
Washington
$13,387,812
West Virginia
$6,010,083
Wisconsin
$22,544,766
Wyoming
$2,170,127
   
State Total
$834,174,463
Tribes
$8,577,785
Territories
$899,865
   
TOTAL
$843,652,113

 

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news

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The page was last updated: October 22, 2003