83 FR 25463 - Reallotment of Fiscal Year 2017 Funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 106 (June 1, 2018)

Notice is hereby given of a preliminary determination that funds from the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are available for reallotment to States, Territories, Tribes, and Tribal Organizations that received FY 2018 direct LIHEAP grants. No subgrantees or other entities may apply for these funds. Section 2607(b)(1) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act (the Act), (42 U.S.C. 8626(b)(1)) requires that, if the Secretary of HHS determines that, as of September 1 of any fiscal year, an amount in excess of 10 percent of the amount awarded to a grantee for that fiscal year (excluding Leveraging and REACH funds) will not be used by the grantee during that fiscal year, then the Secretary must notify the grantee and publish a notice in the Federal Register that such funds may be reallotted to LIHEAP grantees during the following fiscal year. If reallotted, the LIHEAP block grant allocation formula will be used to distribute the funds. No funds may be allotted to entities that are not direct LIHEAP grantees during FY 2018.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 106 (Friday, June 1, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25463-25464]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11820]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[CFDA Number: 93.568]


Reallotment of Fiscal Year 2017 Funds for the Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

AGENCY: Division of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services 
(OCS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice of public comment on the determination concerning funds 
available for reallotment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of a preliminary determination that 
funds from the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program (LIHEAP) are available for reallotment to States, Territories, 
Tribes, and Tribal Organizations that received FY 2018 direct LIHEAP 
grants. No subgrantees or other entities may apply for these funds.
    Section 2607(b)(1) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act 
(the Act), (42 U.S.C. 8626(b)(1)) requires that, if the Secretary of 
HHS determines that, as of September 1 of any fiscal year, an amount in 
excess of 10 percent of the amount awarded to a grantee for that fiscal 
year (excluding Leveraging and REACH funds) will not be used by the 
grantee during that fiscal year, then the Secretary must notify the 
grantee and publish a notice in the Federal Register that such funds 
may be reallotted to LIHEAP grantees during the following fiscal year. 
If reallotted, the LIHEAP block grant allocation formula will be used 
to distribute the funds. No funds may be allotted to entities that are 
not direct LIHEAP grantees during FY 2018.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to: J. Janelle George, Acting 
Director, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and

[[Page 25464]]

Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 330 C Street 
SW, 5th Floor, Mail Room 5425, Washington, DC 20201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Christopher, Director, Division 
of Energy Assistance, Office of Community Services, Administration for 
Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
330 C Street SW, 5th Floor, Mail Room 5425, Washington, DC 20201. 
Telephone: (202) 401-4870. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  It has been determined that $536,595 in 
LIHEAP funds may be available for reallotment during FY 2018. This 
determination is based on FY 2017 Carryover and Reallotment Reports 
which showed that fifteen grantees reported reallotment funds. These 
grantees were State of Alaska, Aniak Traditional Council, Association 
of Village Council Presidents, Bristol Bay Native Association, Colorado 
River Indian Tribes, Hoh Indian Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation, 
Kalispel Tribe of Indians, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Miami 
Tribe of Oklahoma, Navajo Nation, Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma, 
Samish Indian Nation, Three Affiliated Tribes, and Tyme Maidu Tribe 
Berry Creek Rancheria. Grantees submitted the FY 2017 Carryover and 
Reallotment Reports to the OCS, as required by regulations applicable 
to LIHEAP at 45 CFR 96.81(b).
    The LIHEAP statute allows grantees who have funds unobligated at 
the end of the federal fiscal year for which they are awarded to 
request that they be allowed to carry over up to 10 percent of their 
full-year allotments to the next federal 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 (42 U.S.C. 8626(b)(1)). The amount 
described in this notice was reported by grantees as unobligated FY 
2017 funds in excess of the amount that these grantees could carry over 
to FY 2018.
    In accordance with section 2607(b)(3) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 
8626(b)(3)), comments will be accepted for a period of 30 days from the 
date of publication of this notice.
    After considering any comments submitted, all current LIHEAP 
grantees will be notified of the final reallotment amount redistributed 
to them for obligation in FY 2018. This decision will be published in a 
Dear Colleague Letter that gets posted to ACF's website.
    If funds are reallotted, they will be allocated in accordance with 
section 2604 of the Act (42 U.S.C. 8623) and must be treated by LIHEAP 
grantees receiving them as an amount appropriated for FY 2018. As FY 
2018 funds, they will be subject to all requirements of the Act, 
including section 2607(b)(2) (42 U.S.C. 8626(b)(2)), which requires 
that a grantee obligate at least 90 percent 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, 2018.

          Estimated Reallotment Amounts of FY 2017 LIHEAP Funds
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                                                             Reallotment
                       Grantee name                            amount
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State of Alaska...........................................       $10,552
Aniak Traditional Council.................................           840
Association of Village Council Presidents.................       164,654
Bristol Bay Native Association............................        13,605
Colorado River Indian Tribes..............................         3,878
Navajo Nation.............................................        28,901
Tyme Maidu Tribe Berry Creek Rancheria....................             3
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.......................        62,871
Jicarilla Apache Nation...................................         9,317
Three Affiliated Tribes...................................       194,213
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma...................................            77
Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma............................        35,967
Hoh Indian Tribe..........................................         4,034
Kalispel Tribe of Indians.................................         1,211
Samish Indian Nation......................................         6,472
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    Statutory Authority:  42 U.S.C. 8626.

Elizabeth Leo,
Grants Policy Specialist, Division of Grants Policy, Office of 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-11820 Filed 5-31-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P