Sep 14 - McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Timothy C. Barmann The Providence Journal, R.I.

The Bush administration has released $79.9 million in emergency aid to the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, better known as LIHEAP.

The money will go to 14 states, including Rhode Island, to help low-income households pay for heating costs. It will supplement earlier LIHEAP grants.

This was the second release of "contingency" or emergency aid for the program this year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the program on the federal level, released $600 million in emergency money to states over the past winter. The additional assistance released this week brings the total available amount of money for LIHEAP grants to about $3.1 billion.

Rhode Island's share of the latest release of money is $1,550,154, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Jack Reed.

Reed, along with Sen. Lincoln Chafee and Governor Carcieri, all issued statements praising the release of the money.

"This money will be a real help for many families and seniors who continue to struggle with record-high energy prices," said Reed.

Last winter, the LIHEAP program provided heating assistance grants to about 29,000 low-income Rhode Island families.