[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 162 (Thursday, August 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 44476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22177]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


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

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of determination concerning funds available for 
reallotment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 2607(b) 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, a 
notice was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 1997 (62 FR 
27768) announcing the Secretary's preliminary determination that 
$457,022 in Fiscal Year 1996 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program 
(LIHEAP) funds may be available for reallotment to other LIHEAP 
grantees.
    We received comments from the Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc., and 
the Association of Village Council Presidents (Alaska) requesting that 
they be permitted to retain the funds that were in excess of the 10 per 
cent carryover, and thus, subject to reallotment.
    Also under section 2607(b) of the Act, grantees are required to 
obligate funds available by the end of the fiscal year in which they 
are appropriated and may carry over no more than 10 per cent of funds 
available for obligation in the following fiscal year. We are not able 
to allow grantees to retain funds that were not obligated in a timely 
fashion and that exceed the 10 per cent carryover limit. HHS does not 
have the authority to waive the requirements of the Act regarding the 
reallotment of LIHEAP funds.
    The Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc., also informed HHS that it had 
$98,572 in funds for reallotment instead of $21,184 as originally 
reported.
    In accordance with the requirements of section 2607(2)(C), a 
revised total of $534,410 will be reallotted to most current LIHEAP 
grantees based upon the allocation formula contained in section 2604 of 
the Act and under the terms of applicable State/Tribe agreements, 
except that HHS will not issue grants under $25 because the cost of 
issuing the grant for that amount is greater than the amount of the 
grant. These reallotted funds are being distributed by statutory 
formula to States, Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, and insular 
areas that are currently grantees under the LIHEAP program for FY 1997. 
No other entities may apply for or receive the funds from HHS.
    The reallotted funds 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 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 Fox, Director, Division of 
Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, Administration for 
Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20447; telephone (202) 401-9351.

    Dated: August 15, 1997.
Donald Sykes,
Director, Office of Community Services.
[FR Doc. 97-22177 Filed 8-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-U