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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998						   
Contact:  Michael Kharfen  (202) 401-9215

HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today announced the release of $10 million in emergency contingency funds under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to allow five organizations that serve about 90 Alaskan Native villages to buy heating oil for the coming winter. The villages are largely dependent on salmon fishing for their livelihood, and a disastrously low salmon run for the second year in a row means there is virtually no cash to buy heating oil for the coming winter.

"Inability to buy fuel oil for winter is a life-threatening situation for anyone living in the harsh Alaskan climate," Secretary Shalala said. "LIHEAP emergency funds go to aid families in times of extreme heat or cold, or to offset abnormally high fuel prices. We are making these funds available to the five Alaskan organizations because of the urgency and extraordinary circumstances involved, and to forestall significant price increases that will result if the oil is not purchased in the next few weeks before the waterways freeze."

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.

Four of the grants are being made to Alaskan Native organizations that receive LIHEAP funds directly from HHS; the fifth is being made to the State of Alaska, which will provide assistance to the members of the Bristol Bay Native Association, and any other affected Alaskan Natives. The amount of the grants is based on the estimated needs in each of the areas affected.

LIHEAP supports between 4 and 5 million households each year. Nearly half are families with children under 18, with many of the remaining households containing senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Seventy percent of the households that receive LIHEAP funds have incomes below $8,000 a year.

The five organizations receiving grants and the amounts are:

• State of Alaska, Department of Health and Social Services $ 1,700,000
• Association of Village Council Presidents $ 4,400,000
• Kuskokwim Native Association $ 500,000
• Orutsararmuit Native Council $ 700,000
• Tanana Chiefs Conference $ 2,700,000

TOTAL: $10,000,000

Note: HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at: www.hhs.gov.