[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
