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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 2011.
 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 2011 (October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2011). 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, 2010, 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 2011 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, 2010, 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 2011 (October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011). 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/​
                        ( print page 26781)
                        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 2011 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: April 27, 2010. 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) 2011, for Use in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
States
Estimated state median income for a four-person family 1
60 percent of estimated state median income for a four-person family 2 3Alabama
$64,613
$38,768Alaska
84,350
50,610Arizona
70,110
42,066Arkansas
56,595
33,957California
79,704
47,822Colorado
80,519
48,311Connecticut
101,643
60,986Delaware
84,223
50,534District of Columbia
68,304
40,982Florida
69,801
41,881Georgia
70,322
42,193Hawaii
90,199
54,119Idaho
63,634
38,180Illinois
81,187
48,712Indiana
71,006
42,604Iowa
73,401
44,041Kansas
73,321
43,993Kentucky
64,597
38,758Louisiana
65,700
39,420Maine
68,992
41,395Maryland
101,413
60,848Massachusetts
98,561
59,137Michigan
76,385
45,831Minnesota
87,000
52,200Mississippi
56,628
33,977Missouri
69,565
41,739Montana
65,585
39,351Nebraska
72,817
43,690Nevada
71,963
43,178New Hampshire
93,433
56,060New Jersey
102,472
61,483New Mexico
55,279
33,167New York
81,884
49,130North Carolina
67,798
40,679North Dakota
73,101
43,861Ohio
73,794
44,276Oklahoma
60,830
36,498Oregon
71,541
42,925Pennsylvania
78,665
47,199Rhode Island
85,963
51,578South Carolina
64,825
38,895South Dakota
68,631
41,179Tennessee
64,203
38,522Texas
65,348
39,209Utah
69,814
41,888Vermont
74,354
44,612Virginia
84,911
50,947Washington
81,684
49,010West Virginia
58,622
35,173Wisconsin
78,742
47,245Wyoming
78,905
47,343**Note:**
                         FFY 2011 covers the period of October 1, 2010, through September 30, 2011. The estimated median income for a four-person family living in the United States for this period is $75,648. These estimates become effective for LIHEAP at any time between the date of this publication and October 1, 2010, or the beginning of a LIHEAP grantee's fiscal year, whichever is later.
                        ( print page 26782)1
                         Prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce (Census Bureau), from three-year estimates from the 2006, 2007 and 2008 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. 2010-11287 Filed 5-11-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-24-P