83_FR_47090 83 FR 46910 - Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Rural Energy for America Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2019; Correction

83 FR 46910 - Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Rural Energy for America Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2019; Correction

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 180 (September 17, 2018)

Page Range46910-46911
FR Document2018-20119

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (the Agency) published a notice in the Federal Register of August 14, 2018, announcing the acceptance of applications for funds available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. The 2014 Farm Bill provides funding for the program for FY 2017. This notice provides corrections to: Section V. Application Review Information, subsection B. Review and Selection Process, subparagraphs (1)(c), (1)(d), and (3) to indicate applications received by April 1, 2019.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 180 (Monday, September 17, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 180 (Monday, September 17, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46910-46911]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20119]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Rural Energy for 
America Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2019; Correction

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; correction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (the Agency) published 
a notice in the Federal Register of August 14, 2018, announcing the 
acceptance of applications for funds available under the Rural Energy 
for America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. The 2014 Farm 
Bill provides funding for the program for FY 2017. This notice provides 
corrections to: Section V. Application Review Information, subsection 
B. Review and Selection Process, subparagraphs (1)(c), (1)(d), and (3) 
to indicate applications received by April 1, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this Notice, 
please contact Anthony Crooks, Rural Energy Policy Specialist, USDA 
Rural Development, Energy Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 
3225, Room 6870, Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 205-9322. 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Federal Register on August 14, 2018 
(83 FR 40216), make the following corrections:

Summary of Changes

    1. In the second column on page 40221, under Section V. Application 
Review Information, subsection B. Review and Selection Process, 
subparagraphs (1)(c) the first sentence is being revised to read as 
follows:
    a. Eligible applications for renewable energy system and energy 
efficiency improvements, regardless of the amount of the funding 
request, received by April 1, 2019, can compete for unrestricted grant 
funds.

[[Page 46911]]

    2. In the second column on page 40221, under Section V. Application 
Review Information, subsection B. Review and Selection Process, 
subparagraphs (1)(d) is being revised to read as follows:
    a. National unrestricted grant funds for all eligible renewable 
energy system and energy efficiency improvements grant applications 
received by April 1, 2019, which include grants of $20,000 or less, 
that are not funded by State allocations can be submitted to the 
National Office to compete against grant applications from other States 
at a final national competition.
    3. In the third column on page 40221, under Section V. Application 
Review Information, subsection B. Review and Selection Process, 
subparagraphs (3), the third sentence of the second paragraph, that 
continues on page 40222 is being revised to read as follows:
    a. All unfunded eligible applications for combined grant and 
guaranteed loan applications that are received by April 1, 2019, and 
that are not funded by State allocations can be submitted to the 
National Office to compete against other grant and combined grant and 
guaranteed loan applications from other States at a final national 
competition.

    Dated: September 11, 2018.
David Foster,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-20119 Filed 9-14-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P

46910 Notices Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 180 Monday, September 17, 2018 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER potential persons who are to respond to Total Burden Hours: 215. contains documents other than rules or the collection of information that such proposed rules that are applicable to the Ruth Brown, persons are not required to respond to public. Notices of hearings and investigations, Departmental Information Collection the collection of information unless it committee meetings, agency decisions and Clearance Officer. displays a currently valid OMB control rulings, delegations of authority, filing of [FR Doc. 2018–20070 Filed 9–14–18; 8:45 am] petitions and applications and agency number. BILLING CODE 3411–15–P statements of organization and functions are Forest Service examples of documents appearing in this section. Title: Environmental Justice and the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Urban Forest in Atlanta, GA. OMB Control Number: 0596–0237. Rural Business-Cooperative Service DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Summary of Collection: Environmental justice is defined by the Notice of Solicitation of Applications Submission for OMB Review; for the Rural Energy for America Comment Request Environmental Protection Agency as the ‘‘fair treatment and meaningful Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2019; September 11, 2018. involvement of all people . . . with Correction The Department of Agriculture has respect to the development, AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative submitted the following information implementation, and enforcement of Service, USDA. collection requirement(s) to OMB for environmental laws, regulations and ACTION: Notice; correction. review and clearance under the policies.’’ This information collection Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, addresses environmental justice in SUMMARY: The Rural Business- Public Law 104–13. Comments are urban settings. Cities are often (though Cooperative Service (the Agency) requested regarding (1) whether the not always) places of particular concern published a notice in the Federal collection of information is necessary for environmental justice inquires due Register of August 14, 2018, announcing for the proper performance of the to the greater concentration of the acceptance of applications for funds functions of the agency, including environmental pollutants and human available under the Rural Energy for whether the information will have populations. The following statutes and America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the regulations are relevant to this request (FY) 2019. The 2014 Farm Bill provides agency’s estimate of burden including for information collection: Executive funding for the program for FY 2017. the validity of the methodology and Order 12898, Memorandum of This notice provides corrections to: assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance Understanding on Environmental Section V. Application Review the quality, utility and clarity of the Justice and Executive Order 12898, Information, subsection B. Review and information to be collected; and (4) National Environmental Policy Act of Selection Process, subparagraphs (1)(c), ways to minimize the burden of the 1969 (Pub. L. 91–190), the Civil Rights (1)(d), and (3) to indicate applications collection of information on those who Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88–352). received by April 1, 2019. are to respond, including through the Need and Use of the Information: The FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For use of appropriate automated, study provides an integrated approach information about this Notice, please electronic, mechanical, or other to assessing residents’ relationship to contact Anthony Crooks, Rural Energy technological collection techniques and the urban forest. The collection Policy Specialist, USDA Rural other forms of information technology. addresses environmental justice from Development, Energy Division, 1400 Comments regarding this information Independence Avenue SW, Stop 3225, the perspective of urban trees; and how collection received by October 17, 2018 Room 6870, Washington, DC 20250. this resource may contribute to will be considered. Written comments Telephone: (202) 205–9322. Email: environmental justice in a given should be addressed to: Desk Officer for anthony.crooks@wdc.usda.gov. community or neighborhood. The Agriculture, Office of Information and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the agency will use this information to Regulatory Affairs, Office of Federal Register on August 14, 2018 (83 determine whether their programs, Management and Budget (OMB), New FR 40216), make the following policies, and activities have Executive Office Building, 725 17th corrections: disproportionately high and adverse Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. human health or environmental effects Summary of Changes Commentors are encouraged to submit on minority populations and low- their comments to OMB via email to: 1. In the second column on page income populations. If the information OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax 40221, under Section V. Application is not collected, efforts at the federal (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Review Information, subsection B. level to evaluate environmental justice Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Review and Selection Process, will remain limited to methodologies Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– subparagraphs (1)(c) the first sentence is daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES that reproduce incomplete assessments 7602. Copies of the submission(s) may being revised to read as follows: of environmental justice. be obtained by calling (202) 720–8681. a. Eligible applications for renewable An agency may not conduct or Description of Respondents: energy system and energy efficiency sponsor a collection of information Individuals or households. improvements, regardless of the amount unless the collection of information Number of Respondents: 1,900. of the funding request, received by April displays a currently valid OMB control Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 1, 2019, can compete for unrestricted number and the agency informs Other (one time). grant funds. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:47 Sep 14, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 180 / Monday, September 17, 2018 / Notices 46911 2. In the second column on page project level that would be completed Telecommunications programs varies 40221, under Section V. Application before Agency dispersal of funds and/or slightly from a competitive grant Review Information, subsection B. applicant construction. program, individual project proposals, Review and Selection Process, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To or multi-year ‘‘loan design’’ subparagraphs (1)(d) is being revised to obtain copies of the FONSI or PEA, or applications. The Agency seeks to read as follows: for further information, please contact: synchronize and create environmental a. National unrestricted grant funds Ms. Lauren Rayburn, Environmental review efficiencies for future project- for all eligible renewable energy system Scientist, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 level environmental review compliance and energy efficiency improvements Independence Ave. SW, Mail Stop 1571, for the various programs, commensurate grant applications received by April 1, Room 2240, Washington, DC 20250, with the potential environmental 2019, which include grants of $20,000 phone: (202) 695–2540, or email: impacts. The Agency also seeks to or less, that are not funded by State lauren.rayburn@wdc.usda.gov. establish proper sequencing of certain allocations can be submitted to the Additional information about the agency preliminary decisions (i.e., National Office to compete against grant Agency and its programs is available on obligation of funds and/or approval of applications from other States at a final the internet at http://www.rd.usda.gov/. interim financing requests) with national competition. subsequent tiered, site-specific project SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS 3. In the third column on page 40221, environmental reviews. issued a Programmatic Environmental The PEA is intended to expedite the under Section V. Application Review Assessment (PEA) for the development Information, subsection B. Review and funding, deployment, and expansion of of a more efficient and effective broadband infrastructure in rural Selection Process, subparagraphs (3), environmental review process for its the third sentence of the second America. The PEA includes detailed Telecommunications Program on March descriptions and analyses of the direct, paragraph, that continues on page 40222 1, 2016. The PEA provides a broad is being revised to read as follows: indirect, and cumulative impacts environmental analysis of the Agency’s associated with broadband a. All unfunded eligible applications preliminary decisions and includes a infrastructure technologies and for combined grant and guaranteed loan tiered, site-specific analysis at the construction methods, such as impacts applications that are received by April project level that would be completed to water resources, terrestrial resources, 1, 2019, and that are not funded by State before Agency dispersal of funds and/or historic and cultural resources, air and allocations can be submitted to the applicant construction. Since climate resources, noise, threatened and National Office to compete against other publication of the Agency’s endangered species, electromagnetic grant and combined grant and Environmental Policies and Procedures radiation, and Environmental Justice guaranteed loan applications from other (7 CFR part 1970) on March 2, 2016, issues. Use of the PEA analyses thereby States at a final national competition. RUS has updated the PEA with citations saves project-level processing time, Dated: September 11, 2018. to the Agency’s new environmental rule. ensuring consistent and accurate David Foster, These changes were administrative and environmental evaluations while Acting Administrator, Rural Business- not substantive, therefore avoiding unnecessary duplication and Cooperative Service. supplementation of the PEA is not repetition in project-level planning and [FR Doc. 2018–20119 Filed 9–14–18; 8:45 am] required. evaluation. Use of the PEA and its BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P The RUS Telecommunications FONSI enables project-level compliance Program provides a variety of loans and with NEPA, ESA, NHPA, and other grants to build and expand broadband requirements to focus on the remaining DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE networks in rural America. Loans to relevant site-specific issues, expediting build broadband networks and deliver planning, analysis, compliance, Rural Utilities Service service to households and businesses in documentation, and ultimately project- rural communities provide a necessary level decisions. Telecommunications Program: Notice source of capital for rural of availability of a Finding of No Any final action by RUS related to the telecommunications companies. Grant broadband portion of the RUS Significant Impact funding is awarded based on a number Telecommunications Program will be AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. of factors relating to the benefits to be subject to, and contingent upon, ACTION: Notice of Availability of a derived from the proposed broadband compliance with all relevant Finding of No Significant Impact for a network project, as specified in presidential executive orders and Programmatic Environmental applicable program regulations. federal, state, and local environmental Assessment of USDA Rural Utilities Eligible applicants for RUS loans and laws and regulations in addition to the Service’s Financial Support for grants include for-profit and non-profit completion of the environmental review Deployment of the Telecommunications entities, tribes, municipalities, and requirements as prescribed in the Programs to Rural America. cooperatives. The Agency particularly Agency’s Environmental Policies and encourages investment in tribal and Procedures. SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service economically disadvantaged areas. Based on its EA, RUS has determined (RUS), an agency of the United States Through low-cost funding for that the issued FONSI fulfills its Department of Agriculture, has issued a telecommunications infrastructure, rural obligations under NEPA for Agency Finding of No Significant Impact residents can have access to services actions associated with financing (FONSI) in association with the that will close the digital divide through the following programs: daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES ‘‘Broadband Deployment to Rural between rural and urban communities. Telecommunications Infrastructure America’’ Programmatic Environmental Once funds are awarded, RUS monitors Loan Program; Rural Broadband Access Assessment (PEA) published on March the projects to make sure they are Loan and Loan Guarantee Program; 1, 2016. The PEA provides a broad completed in accordance with program Community Connect Grant Program; environmental analysis of the Agency’s conditions and requirements. and Distance Learning and preliminary decisions and includes a The application process for requesting Telemedicine Grant Program. RUS is tiered, site-specific analysis at the financial assistance for the various satisfied that the environmental VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:47 Sep 14, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17SEN1.SGM 17SEN1


Document Created: 2018-09-15 01:37:04
Document Modified: 2018-09-15 01:37:04
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice; correction.
ContactFor information about this Notice, please contact Anthony Crooks, Rural Energy Policy Specialist, USDA Rural Development, Energy Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 3225, Room 6870, Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 205-9322. Email: [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 46910 
2024 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR