[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 98 (Wednesday, May 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 27768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-13409]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Potential Reallotment of Funds for FY 1996 Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Preliminary determination concerning funds available for 
reallotment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a preliminary determination has 
been made that fiscal year (FY) 1996 Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program (LIHEAP) funds are available for reallotment. Section 
2607(b)(1) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act (the Act) Title 
XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 
et seq.), as amended, requires that if the Secretary of the Department 
of Health and Human Services determines that, as of September 1 of any 
fiscal year, an amount in excess of certain levels allotted to a 
grantee for any fiscal year will not be used by that grantee during the 
fiscal year, the Secretary must notify the grantee and publish a notice 
in the Federal Register that such funds may be reallotted to other 
grantees during the following fiscal year. It has been determined that 
a total of $457,022 of FY 1996 funds may be available for reallotment 
during FY 1997. This determination is based on reports from the 
District of Columbia, and from the Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc. 
(Alaska) and the Association of Village Council Presidents (Alaska), 
which are Tribal grantees, which were submitted to the Office of 
Community Services as required by 45 CFR 96.81.
    The statute allows grantees who have funds unobligated at the end 
of the fiscal year for which they are awarded to request that they be 
allowed to carry over up to 10 percent of their allotments to the next 
fiscal year. Funds in excess of this amount must be returned to HHS and 
are subject to reallotment under section 2607(b)(1) of the Act. All of 
the amounts described in this notice were reported as unobligated FY 
1996 funds in excess of the amount that the District and the two Alaska 
Native Associations [tribes] named above could carry over to FY 1997.
    The District of Columbia was notified by certified mail that 
$140,762 of its FY 1996 funds may be reallotted. The Association of 
Village Council Presidents of Alaska was notified by certified mail 
that $295,076 of its FY 1996 funds may be reallotted. The Tanana Chiefs 
Conference, Inc. was notified by certified mail that $21,184 of its FY 
1996 funds may be reallotted. In accordance with section 2607(b)(3), 
the Chief Executive Officers of the District of Columbia, the 
Association of Village Council Presidents and the Tanana Chiefs 
Conference, Inc. have 30 days from the date of the letters to submit 
comments to: Donald Sykes, Director, Office of Community Services, 370 
L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447.
    That 30-day comment period will expire on June 20, 1997. After 
considering any comments submitted, the Chief Executive Officers will 
be notified of the decision, and the decision will also be published in 
the Federal Register. If funds are reallotted, they will be allocated 
in accordance with section 2604 of the Act and must be treated by 
LIHEAP grantees receiving them as an amount appropriated for FY 1997. 
As FY 1997 funds, they will be subject to all of the requirements of 
the Act, including section 2607(b)(2), which requires that a grantee 
must obligate at least 90% of its total block grant allocation for a 
fiscal year by the end of the fiscal year for which the funds are 
appropriated, that is, by September 30, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Fox, Director, Division of 
Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447; telephone (202) 401-9351.

    Dated: May 15, 1997.
Donald Sykes,
Director, Office of Community Services.
[FR Doc. 97-13409 Filed 5-20-97; 8:45 am]
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