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 Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families
 AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Division of Energy Assistance, HHS.
 ACTION: Notice of State median income estimates for FFY 2012.
 SUMMARY: This notice announces to LIHEAP grantees the estimated median income of four-person families in each State and the District of Columbia for FFY 2012 (October 1, 2011, to September 30, 2012). 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 the estimates' date of publication in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                         or on a later date as discussed below. This enables these grantees to implement this notice during the period between the heating and cooling seasons. However, by October 1, 2011, or the beginning of the grantees' fiscal years, whichever is later, these grantees must adjust their income eligibility criteria so that such criteria are in accord with the FFY 2012 SMI. This listing of 60 percent of SMI provides one of the maximum income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a household's income eligibility for LIHEAP. LIHEAP appropriations for FFY 2009 through FFY 2010 raised this criterion from 60 percent of SMI to 75 percent of SMI for those years. The Continuing Resolutions covering FFY 2011 through the date of this publication have maintained this criterion at 75 percent of SMI. This criterion will remain at 75 percent SMI for FFY 2011 unless Congress acts otherwise after the date of this publication. This criterion will return to 60 percent of SMI for FFY 2012 unless Congress acts otherwise in providing FFY 2012 appropriations after the publication of this notice. This is because no change to the LIHEAP authorizing statute has been made.
 DATES: *Effective Date:*
                         For each LIHEAP grantee, these estimates become effective at any time between their date of publication in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                         and the later of October 1, 2011, or the beginning of that grantee's 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: peter.edelman@acf.hhs.gov.*


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 2012 (October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012). 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 
                    ( print page 21751)
                    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 three-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, see 
                    *http://www.census.gov/​hhes/​www/​income/​data/​statemedian/​index.html.*
                     For additional information about the ACS in general, 
                    *see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​*
                     or contact the Census Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division at (301) 763-3243. Under the advice of the Census Bureau, HHS switched to three-year estimates rather than 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 three-year estimates, 
                    *see http://factfinder.census.gov/​jsp/​saff/​SAFFInfo.jsp?​_​content=​acs_​guidance.html.* 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 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. For additional information about the accuracy of the ACS SMI estimates, 
                    *see http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​Downloads/​data_​documentation/​Accuracy/​MultiyearACSAccuracyofData2009.pdf.* A State-by-State listing of SMI and 60 percent of SMI for a four-person family for FFY 2012 follows. The listing describes the method for adjusting SMI for families 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 22, 2011. Yolanda J. Butler, Acting Director, Office of Community Services.
 Estimated State Median Income for a Four-Person Family, by State, for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2012, for Use in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
States
Estimated State median income for four-person 
                             
                                families1
60 percent of estimated State median income for four-person 
                             
                                families 2 3Alabama
$63,888
$38,333Alaska
86,515
51,909Arizona
69,119
41,471Arkansas
56,219
33,731California
78,666
47,200Colorado
80,717
48,430Connecticut
102,127
61,276Delaware
83,602
50,161District of Columbia
69,558
41,735Florida
67,705
40,623Georgia
68,908
41,345Hawaii
87,463
52,478Idaho
62,079
37,247Illinois
80,607
48,364Indiana
69,434
41,660Iowa
73,413
44,048Kansas
71,842
43,105Kentucky
63,825
38,295Louisiana
66,109
39,665Maine
68,237
40,942Maryland
101,997
61,198Massachusetts
100,058
60,035Michigan
73,433
44,060Minnesota
86,099
51,659Mississippi
55,809
33,485Missouri
70,232
42,139Montana
66,079
39,647Nebraska
70,665
42,399Nevada
71,230
42,738New Hampshire
91,832
55,099New Jersey
101,841
61,105New Mexico
54,500
32,700New York
82,531
49,519North Carolina
67,966
40,780North Dakota
74,177
44,506Ohio
72,817
43,690Oklahoma
61,881
37,129Oregon
72,093
43,256( print page 21752)Pennsylvania
78,287
46,972Rhode Island
87,669
52,601South Carolina
64,228
38,537South Dakota
68,064
40,838Tennessee
63,480
38,088Texas
65,508
39,305Utah
70,322
42,193Vermont
74,877
44,926Virginia
85,546
51,328Washington
81,788
49,073West Virginia
58,739
35,243Wisconsin
77,946
46,768Wyoming
75,998
45,599**Note:**
                         FFY 2012 covers the period of October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2012. The estimated median income for four-person families living in the United States for this period is $74,985. These estimates become effective for LIHEAP at any time between the date of this publication and October 1, 2011, or the beginning of a LIHEAP grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later.1
                         Prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce (Census Bureau), from three-year estimates from the 2007, 2008 and 2009 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 (DEA) 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 family, 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.


[FR Doc. 2011-8993 Filed 4-15-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-24-P