80 FR 45504 - Rural Broadband Access Loans and Loan Guarantees Program

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 146 (July 30, 2015)

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces that it is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2015 for the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee program (the Broadband Program). RUS has published on its Web site http://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices- solicitation-applications-nosas the amount of funding received through the final appropriations act. In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the minimum and maximum amounts for broadband loans for FY 2015. Moreover, the Agency is concurrently publishing a proposed interim final rule that will revise the current Broadband Program regulations at 7 CFR part 1738, as necessitated by Pubic Law 113-79, the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill).

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 146 (Thursday, July 30, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45504-45505]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18623]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Rural Broadband Access Loans and Loan Guarantees Program

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications (NOSA).

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces that it is accepting 
applications for fiscal year (FY) 2015 for the Rural Broadband Access 
Loan and Loan Guarantee program (the Broadband Program). RUS has 
published on its Web site http://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas the amount of funding received through 
the final appropriations act.
    In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the 
minimum and maximum amounts for broadband loans for FY 2015. Moreover, 
the Agency is concurrently publishing a proposed interim final rule 
that will revise the current Broadband Program regulations at 7 CFR 
part 1738, as necessitated by Pubic Law 113-79, the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (2014 Farm Bill).

DATES: Applications under this NOSA will be accepted immediately, July 
30, 2015 through September 30, 2015, subject to the requirements of the 
interim regulation published concurrently with this NOSA.

ADDRESSES: Applications should be submitted to the RUS General Field 
Representative or to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities 
Service, Loan Originations and Approval Division, ATTN: Shawn Arner, 
STOP 1597, Room 2808-S, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 
20250-1597, as provided in the application guide found online at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact Shawn 
Arner, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Loan Originations and Approval 
Division, Rural Utilities Service, STOP 1597, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1597, Telephone (202) 720-0800.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

General Information

    The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (the 
Broadband Program) is authorized by the Rural Electrification Act (7 
U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as amended by the 2014 Farm Bill.
    During FY 2015, loans will be made available for the construction, 
improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment to provide 
service at the broadband lending speed for eligible rural areas. 
Applications must be submitted in accordance with the interim final 
rule published concurrently with this NOSA.
    To assist in the preparation of applications, the application guide 
is available online at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees. Application guides may also be 
requested from RUS by contacting the agency contact.
    Application requirements and Addresses: All requirements and 
addresses for submission of an application under the Broadband Program 
will be set forth in the interim regulation published concurrently with 
this NOSA.
    Application Materials: Applications for the Broadband Program will 
be available at http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/farm-bill-broadband-loans-loan-guarantees.

Minimum and Maximum Loan Amounts

    Loans under this authority will not be made for less than $100,000. 
The maximum loan amount that will be considered for FY 2015 is 
$20,000,000.

Required Definitions for Broadband Program Regulation

    The interim regulation for the Broadband Program requires that 
certain definitions affecting eligibility be revised and published from 
time to time by the agency in the Federal Register. For the purposes of 
this interim regulation, the agency shall use the following 
definitions: Broadband Service and Broadband Lending Speed. Until 
otherwise revised in the Federal Register, for applications in FY 2015, 
to qualify as broadband service, the minimum rate-of-data transmission 
shall be four megabits downstream and one megabit upstream for both 
fixed and mobile broadband service and the broadband lending speed will 
be a minimum bandwidth of ten megabits downstream and one megabit 
upstream for both fixed and mobile service to the customer.

Priority for Approving Loan Applications

    Applications for FY 2015 will be accepted from July 30, 2015 
through September 30, 2015. Although review of applications will start 
when they are submitted, all applications submitted by September 30, 
2015 will be evaluated and ranked on the basis of the number of 
unserved households in the proposed funded service area. Subject to 
available funding, eligible applications that propose to serve the most 
unserved households will receive funding offers before other eligible 
applications that have been submitted.
    Applications will not be accepted after September 30, 2015, until a 
new funding window has been opened with

[[Page 45505]]

the publication of an additional NOSA in the Federal Register.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirements associated with Broadband loans, as 
covered in this NOSA, have been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0572-0130.

    Dated: July 8, 2015.
Brandon McBride,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-18623 Filed 7-29-15; 8:45 am]
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