[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15376-15378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6220]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


State Median Income Estimates for a Four-Person Household: Notice 
of the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013 State Median Income Estimates for 
Use Under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community 
Services, Division of Energy Assistance, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of State median income estimates for FFY 2013.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces to grantees of the Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) the estimated median income of four-
person households in each State and the District of Columbia for FFY 
2013 (October 1, 2012, to September 30, 2013). LIHEAP grantees that 
choose to base their income eligibility criteria on these State Median 
Income (SMI) estimates may adopt these estimates (up to 60 percent) on 
their date of publication in the Federal Register or on a later date as 
discussed below. This enables grantees to implement this notice during 
the period between the heating and cooling seasons. However, by October 
1, 2012, or the beginning of the grantees' fiscal year, whichever is 
later, such grantees must adjust their income eligibility criteria so 
that such criteria are in accord with the FFY 2013 SMI.
    The 60 percent of SMI criterion provides one of the maximum income 
criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a household's 
income eligibility for LIHEAP.
    The LIHEAP appropriations for FFY 2009 through April 15, 2011 
raised this criterion from 60 percent of SMI to 75 percent of SMI for 
that period. However, no change was made to the LIHEAP authorizing 
statute. Furthermore, the LIHEAP appropriation for FFY 2012 did not 
alter this criterion; thus it returned to 60 percent of SMI for FFY 
2012.

DATES: Effective Date: These estimates become effective at any time 
between the date of this publication and the later of (1) October 1, 
2012; or (2) the beginning of a grantees' fiscal year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Edelman, Office of Community 
Services, Division of Energy Assistance, 5th Floor West, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade SW., Washington, DC 20447. Telephone: (202) 401-5292, E-Mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the provisions of section 2603(11) of 
Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, Public Law 
(Pub. L.) 97-35, as amended, HHS announces the estimated median income 
of four-person families for each State, the District of Columbia, and 
the United States for FFY 2013 (October 1, 2012, through September 30, 
2013).
    Section 2605(b)(2)(B)(ii) of this Act provides that 60 percent of 
the median income of four-person families for each State and the 
District of Columbia (State median income, or SMI), as annually 
established by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, is one of 
the income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a 
household's eligibility for LIHEAP.
    LIHEAP was last authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public 
Law 109-58, which was enacted on August 8, 2005. This authorization 
expired on September 30, 2007, and reauthorization remains pending.
    The SMI estimates that HHS publishes in this notice are 3-year 
estimates derived from the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by 
the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce (Census Bureau). 
HHS obtained these estimates directly from the Census Bureau. For 
additional information about the ACS State median income estimates, 
including the definition of income and the derivation of medians see 
http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/data_documentation/SubjectDefinitions/2010_ACSSubjectDefinitions.pdf under ``Income in 
the Past 12 Months.'' For additional information about the ACS in 
general, see http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ or contact the Census 
Bureau's Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division at (301) 763-
3243.
    Under the advice of the Census Bureau, HHS switched to 3-year 
estimates from single-year estimates to reduce the large year-to-year 
fluctuations that the single-year estimates tend to generate for 
certain States and the District of Columbia. HHS plans to use the 
Census Bureau's ACS-derived SMI three-year estimates for all fiscal 
years after 2010. For further information about ACS one-year and 3-year 
estimates, see http://www.census.gov/acs/www/guidance_for_data_users/estimates/.
    The SMI estimates, like those derived from any survey, are subject 
to two types of errors: (1) Nonsampling Error, which consists of random 
errors that increase the variability of the data and non-random errors 
that consistently shift the data into a specific direction; and (2) 
Sampling Error, which consists of the error that arises from the use of 
probability sampling to create the sample. For additional information 
about the accuracy of the ACS SMI estimates, see http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/data_documentation/Accuracy/MultiyearACSAccuracyofData2010.pdf.
    A State-by-State listing of SMI and 60 percent of SMI for a four-
person family for FFY 2013 follows. In using this listing, LIHEAP 
grantees must regard ``family'' to be the equivalent of ``household'' 
with regards to setting their income eligibility criteria. This listing 
describes the method for adjusting SMI for households of different 
sizes as specified in regulations applicable to LIHEAP, at 45 CFR 
96.85(b), which were published in the Federal Register on March 3, 
1988, at 53 FR 6824 and amended on October 15, 1999, at 64 FR 55858.

    Dated: March 7, 2012.
Jeannie L. Chaffin,
Director, Office of Community Services.

[[Page 15377]]



  Estimated State Median Income for a Four-Person Family, by State, for
  Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013, for Use in the Low Income Home Energy
                       Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
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                                                         60 percent of
                                     Estimated State    esti-mated State
              States                median income for    me-dian income
                                       four-person      for four-person
                                       families \1\     families \2\,\3\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama...........................            $64,079            $38,447
Alaska............................             86,658             51,995
Arizona...........................             66,350             39,810
Arkansas..........................             56,975             34,185
California........................             77,896             46,738
Colorado..........................             81,477             48,886
Connecticut.......................            101,973             61,184
Delaware..........................             85,490             51,294
District of Columbia..............             76,652             45,991
Florida...........................             65,728             39,437
Georgia...........................             67,276             40,366
Hawaii............................             87,456             52,474
Idaho.............................             61,631             36,979
Illinois..........................             80,858             48,515
Indiana...........................             69,929             41,957
Iowa..............................             73,972             44,383
Kansas............................             71,899             43,139
Kentucky..........................             64,119             38,471
Louisiana.........................             66,896             40,138
Maine.............................             71,237             42,742
Maryland..........................            102,002             61,201
Massachusetts.....................            100,228             60,137
Michigan..........................             72,937             43,762
Minnesota.........................             85,577             51,346
Mississippi.......................             57,132             34,279
Missouri..........................             69,727             41,836
Montana...........................             67,097             40,258
Nebraska..........................             71,864             43,118
Nevada............................             69,197             41,518
New Hampshire.....................             92,216             55,330
New Jersey........................            102,552             61,531
New Mexico........................             55,446             33,268
New York..........................             82,222             49,333
North Carolina....................             66,978             40,187
North Dakota......................             78,295             46,977
Ohio..............................             72,732             43,639
Oklahoma..........................             61,941             37,165
Oregon............................             70,957             42,574
Pennsylvania......................             78,576             47,146
Rhode Island......................             88,083             52,850
South Carolina....................             64,303             38,582
South Dakota......................             69,221             41,533
Tennessee.........................             62,902             37,741
Texas.............................             66,093             39,656
Utah..............................             68,068             40,841
Vermont...........................             76,418             45,851
Virginia..........................             87,209             52,325
Washington........................             81,797             49,078
West Virginia.....................             60,825             36,495
Wisconsin.........................             77,829             46,697
Wyoming...........................             74,281             44,569
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note:  FFY 2013 covers the period of October 1, 2012, through 
September 30, 2013. The estimated median income for four-person 
families living in the United States for this period is $74,964. 
Grantees that use SMI for LIHEAP may, at their option, employ such 
estimates at any time between the date

[[Page 15378]]

of this publication and the later of October 1, 2012 or the 
beginning of their fiscal years.

    \1\ Prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of 
Commerce (Census Bureau), from three-year estimates from the 2008, 
2009 and 2010 American Community Surveys (ACSs). These estimates, 
like those derived from any survey, are subject to two types of 
errors: (1) Nonsampling Error, which consists of random errors that 
increase the variability of the data and non-random errors that 
consistently direct the data into a specific direction; and (2) 
Sampling Error, which consists of the error that arises from the use 
of probability sampling to create the sample.
    \2\ These figures were calculated by the U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance by 
multiplying the estimated State median income for a four-person 
family for each State by 60 percent.
    \3\ To adjust for different sizes of household for LIHEAP 
purposes, 45 CFR 96.85 calls for multiplying 60 percent of a State's 
estimated median income for a four-person family by the following 
percentages: 52 percent for one person, 68 percent for two persons, 
84 percent for three persons, 100 percent for four persons, 116 
percent for five persons, and 132 percent for six persons. For each 
additional family member above six persons, 45 CFR 96.85 calls for 
adding 3 percentage points to the percentage for a six-person family 
(132 percent) and multiply the new percentage by 60 percent of a 
State's estimated median income for a four-person family.
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[FR Doc. 2012-6220 Filed 3-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-24-P