[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]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
