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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 2010.
 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 2010 (October 1, 2009, to September 30, 2010). LIHEAP grantees that choose to base their income eligibility criteria on these State median income 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, 2009, 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 
                        ( print page 10923)
                        FFY 2010 State median income estimates. This listing of 60 percent of estimated State median incomes provides one of the maximum income criteria that LIHEAP grantees may use in determining a household's income eligibility for LIHEAP.
 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, 2009, 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 2010 (October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010). Section 2605(b)(2)(B)(ii) of this Act provides that 60 percent of the median income for each State and the District of Columbia (State median income, or SMI), as annually 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/​medincsizeandstate.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. The change from the single-year to three-year estimates caused the FFY 2010 estimates to drop by about two percent on average. 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 State median income 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 State median income estimates, see 
                    *http://www.census.gov/​acs/​www/​Downloads/​ACS/​accuracy2005-2007.pdf.* A State-by-State listing of SMI and 60 percent of SMI for a four-person family for FFY 2010 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 5, 2009. Yolanda J. Butler, PhD, Acting Director, Office of Community Services.
 Estimated State Median Income for a Four-Person Family, by State, for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2010, for Use in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) States
Estimated state median income for a four-person
                             
                                family1
60 Percent of estimated state median income for a four-person
                             
                                family 2
                                 3Alabama
$60,382
$36,229Alaska
79,770
47,862Arizona
66,839
40,103Arkansas
54,662
32,797California
76,388
45,833Colorado
76,200
45,720Connecticut
97,708
58,625Delaware
79,709
47,825District of Columbia
64,678
38,807Florida
67,014
40,208Georgia
68,776
41,266Hawaii
84,438
50,663Idaho
60,560
36,336Illinois
77,813
46,688Indiana
68,410
41,046Iowa
70,967
42,580Kansas
69,863
41,918Kentucky
61,207
36,724Louisiana
61,438
36,863Maine
66,948
40,169Maryland
96,952
58,171Massachusetts
93,351
56,011Michigan
75,149
45,089Minnesota
83,444
50,066Mississippi
52,870
31,722( print page 10924)Missouri
66,939
40,163Montana
62,353
37,412Nebraska
69,854
41,912Nevada
68,646
41,188New Hampshire
88,625
53,175New Jersey
97,326
58,396New Mexico
53,041
31,825New York
78,061
46,837North Carolina
64,591
38,755North Dakota
67,183
40,310Ohio
71,063
42,638Oklahoma
57,247
34,348Oregon
67,605
40,563Pennsylvania
75,161
45,097Rhode Island
83,241
49,945South Carolina
61,494
36,896South Dakota
64,930
38,958Tennessee
61,581
36,949Texas
62,358
37,415Utah
65,460
39,276Vermont
73,550
44,130Virginia
81,919
49,151Washington
77,676
46,606West Virginia
56,430
33,858Wisconsin
75,111
45,067Wyoming
72,788
43,673Note: FFY 2010 covers the period of October 1, 2009, through September 30, 2010. The estimated median income for a four-person family living in the United States for this period is $72,336. These estimates become effective for LIHEAP at any time between the date of this publication and October 1, 2009, 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 an average of data from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 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. E9-5412 Filed 3-12-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-01-P