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HHS RELEASES $200 MILLION IN EMERGENCY ENERGY ASSISTANCE

President Bush today directed HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson to release an additional $200 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) emergency funds for states, territories and tribes due to increases in home heating fuel prices this winter.

"Higher fuel prices pose a real hardship for many Americans," Secretary Thompson said. "This emergency aid will give states the opportunity to help more of their citizens stay warm this winter."

The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration predicts that home heating oil prices this winter will be more than 20 percent higher than the average of the last five years. The funds released today come from the fiscal year 2001 LIHEAP contingency fund, which allows HHS and states to respond to energy emergencies such as extreme weather conditions, supply disruptions or price spikes. The remaining $100 million in the contingency fund will be reserved for future energy emergencies.

LIHEAP assists more than 4.6 million low-income households each year with energy costs related to extreme heat and cold. States determine which low-income families receive LIHEAP support. Among those who benefit from the program are small children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

View a spreadsheet of state, tribe and territory emergency fund allocations.

Page Last Updated: January 27, 2010