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TITLE 476 - LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION 001. SCOPE AND AUTHORITY. The Nebraska Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, 42 United States Code §§ 8621-8630 and 45 Code of Federal Regulations § 96. The program is funded through annual federal appropriations. 002. PURPOSE. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps low- income households by providing financial assistance to offset the costs of heating and cooling. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program particularly helps households that pay a high portion of household income for home energy to meet immediate home energy needs. 003. ADMINISTERING AGENCY. The administering agency is the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. 004. DEFINITIONS. The following definitions apply: 004.01 AGENCY CAUSED OVERPAYMENT. An overpayment caused by the Department’s error or failure to take action. 004.02 APPLICATION DATE. The date the Department receives a signed application or request to add Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to a household’s current economic assistance case. 004.03 AVAILABLE FUNDS. The amount of funding appropriated to the Department for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program for each federal fiscal year. 004.04 COOLING SEASON. June 1 through August 31 of each federal fiscal year. 004.05 CRISIS SITUATION. A household that is under immediate threat of loss of home energy because it has received a shut off notice, had utilities discontinued, lacks energy service delivery, or anticipates removal from a provider’s budget plan. 004.06 ECONOMICALLY-VULNERABLE HOUSEHOLD. A household that is unprotected from increases in energy costs, and, therefore, must use its own resources to meet energy cost increases. 004.07 HEATING SEASON. October 1 through March 31 of each federal fiscal year. 004.08 HOME ENERGY. A source of residential heating or cooling. 004.09 HOUSEHOLD. A person or group of people living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is customarily purchased in common or paid through rent. Effective Date: 12/26/2020