83_FR_59544 83 FR 59318 - Rural Development Environmental Regulation for Rural Infrastructure Projects

83 FR 59318 - Rural Development Environmental Regulation for Rural Infrastructure Projects

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Housing Service
Rural Utilities Service
Farm Service Agency

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 226 (November 23, 2018)

Page Range59318-59318
FR Document2018-25522

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD), comprised of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, proposes amending the Agency's Environmental Policies and Procedures regulation to allow the Agency Administrators limited flexibility to obligate federal funds for infrastructure projects prior to completion of the environmental review while ensuring full compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures prior to project construction and disbursement of funding. The proposed change will allow RD to more fully meet the Administration's goals to speed the initiation of infrastructure projects and encourage planned community economic development without additional cost to taxpayers or change to environmental review requirements.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 226 (Friday, November 23, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 226 (Friday, November 23, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 59318]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25522]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 226 / Friday, November 23, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 59318]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Rural Housing Service

Rural Utilities Service

Farm Service Agency

7 CFR Part 1970

RIN 0572-AC44


Rural Development Environmental Regulation for Rural 
Infrastructure Projects

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, 
Rural Utilities Service, Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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

SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 
Development (RD), comprised of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service 
(RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), 
hereafter referred to as the Agency, proposes amending the Agency's 
Environmental Policies and Procedures regulation to allow the Agency 
Administrators limited flexibility to obligate federal funds for 
infrastructure projects prior to completion of the environmental review 
while ensuring full compliance with National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) procedures prior to project construction and disbursement of 
funding. The proposed change will allow RD to more fully meet the 
Administration's goals to speed the initiation of infrastructure 
projects and encourage planned community economic development without 
additional cost to taxpayers or change to environmental review 
requirements.

DATE: Electronic and written comments must be received on or before 
December 24, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments on this rule by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and Federal 
Actions'' box, select ``Rural Utilities Service'' from the agency drop-
down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select 
RUS-18-AGENCY-0005 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. Information 
on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing 
documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close 
of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User Tips'' 
link.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send your comment 
addressed to Michele Brooks, Rural Development Innovation Center, 
Regulations Team Lead, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW, Stop 1522, Room 1562, Washington, DC 20250. 
Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. RUS-18-AGENCY-0005.
    Other Information: Additional information about Rural Development 
and its programs is available on the internet at https://www.usda.gov/topics/rural.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kellie McGinness Kubena, Director, 
Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, USDA 
Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Mail Stop 1571, Room 
2242, Washington, DC 20250-1571, Phone: 202-720-1649.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the rules section of this issue of the 
Federal Register, Rural Development is concurrently publishing this 
action as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency 
views this as a non-controversial action and anticipates no adverse 
comments. The language in the direct final rule will also serve as the 
language for this proposed rule. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
provided in the direct final rule for the applicable SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION on this action. If no adverse comments are received in 
response to the direct final rule, no further action will be taken on 
this proposed rule and the action will become effective at the time 
specified in the direct final rule. If the Agency receives adverse 
comments, a timely document will be published withdrawing the direct 
final rule and all public comments received will be addressed in a 
subsequent final rule based on this action.

    Dated: November 9, 2018.
Anne C. Hazlett,
Assistant to the Secretary, Rural Development.
Bill Northey,
Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation.
[FR Doc. 2018-25522 Filed 11-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P

59318 Proposed Rules Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 226 Friday, November 23, 2018 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER ADDRESSES: Submit your comments on receives adverse comments, a timely contains notices to the public of the proposed this rule by any of the following document will be published issuance of rules and regulations. The methods: withdrawing the direct final rule and all purpose of these notices is to give interested • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to public comments received will be persons an opportunity to participate in the http://www.regulations.gov and, in the addressed in a subsequent final rule rule making prior to the adoption of the final lower ‘‘Search Regulations and Federal based on this action. rules. Actions’’ box, select ‘‘Rural Utilities Dated: November 9, 2018. Service’’ from the agency drop-down Anne C. Hazlett, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE menu, then click on ‘‘Submit.’’ In the Assistant to the Secretary, Rural Docket ID column, select RUS–18– Development. Rural Business-Cooperative Service AGENCY–0005 to submit or view public Bill Northey, comments and to view supporting and Rural Housing Service related materials available Under Secretary, Farm Production and Conservation. electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions [FR Doc. 2018–25522 Filed 11–21–18; 8:45 am] Rural Utilities Service for accessing documents, submitting BILLING CODE P Farm Service Agency comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is 7 CFR Part 1970 available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’ NATIONAL CREDIT UNION link. ADMINISTRATION RIN 0572–AC44 • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send your comment addressed to 12 CFR Parts 704 and 713 Rural Development Environmental Michele Brooks, Rural Development RIN 3133–AE87 Regulation for Rural Infrastructure Innovation Center, Regulations Team Projects Lead, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fidelity Bonds 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 1522, Room 1562, Washington, DC AGENCY: National Credit Union Service, Rural Housing Service, Rural 20250. Please state that your comment Administration (NCUA). Utilities Service, Farm Service Agency, refers to Docket No. RUS–18–AGENCY– ACTION: Proposed rule. USDA. 0005. Other Information: Additional SUMMARY: The NCUA Board (Board) is ACTION: Proposed rule. information about Rural Development seeking comment on a proposed rule and its programs is available on the that would amend its regulations SUMMARY: The United States Department internet at https://www.usda.gov/topics/ regarding fidelity bonds under Part 704 of Agriculture (USDA) Rural rural. for corporate credit unions and under Development (RD), comprised of the Part 713 for natural person credit FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rural Business-Cooperative Service unions. The proposed rule would Kellie McGinness Kubena, Director, (RBS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), accomplish four objectives. First, it Engineering and Environmental Staff, and Rural Utilities Service (RUS), would strengthen a board of directors’ Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural hereafter referred to as the Agency, oversight of a credit union’s fidelity Development, 1400 Independence Ave. proposes amending the Agency’s bond coverage. Second, it would ensure SW, Mail Stop 1571, Room 2242, Environmental Policies and Procedures that there is an adequate period to Washington, DC 20250–1571, Phone: regulation to allow the Agency discover and file fidelity bond claims 202–720–1649. Administrators limited flexibility to following a credit union’s liquidation. obligate federal funds for infrastructure SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the rules section of this issue of the Federal Third, it would codify a 2017 NCUA projects prior to completion of the Office of General Counsel legal opinion environmental review while ensuring Register, Rural Development is concurrently publishing this action as a that permits a natural person credit full compliance with National union’s fidelity bond to include Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a non- coverage for certain credit union service procedures prior to project construction organizations (CUSOs). Fourth, it would and disbursement of funding. The controversial action and anticipates no adverse comments. The language in the clarify the documents subject to Board proposed change will allow RD to more approval and require that all bond forms fully meet the Administration’s goals to direct final rule will also serve as the language for this proposed rule. See the receive Board approval every ten years. speed the initiation of infrastructure SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION provided DATES: Comments must be received on projects and encourage planned amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with PROPOSALS1 in the direct final rule for the applicable or before January 22, 2019. community economic development without additional cost to taxpayers or SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION on this ADDRESSES: You may submit comments change to environmental review action. If no adverse comments are by any of the following methods (Please requirements. received in response to the direct final send comments by one method only): rule, no further action will be taken on • NCUA website: http:// DATE: Electronic and written comments this proposed rule and the action will www.ncua.gov/news/proposed_regs/ must be received on or before December become effective at the time specified in proposed_regs.html. Follow the 24, 2018. the direct final rule. If the Agency instructions for submitting comments. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:25 Nov 21, 2018 Jkt 247001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\23NOP1.SGM 23NOP1


Document Created: 2018-11-27 12:59:52
Document Modified: 2018-11-27 12:59:52
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionProposed rule.
DatesElectronic and written comments must be received on or before December 24, 2018.
ContactKellie McGinness Kubena, Director, Engineering and Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Mail Stop 1571, Room 2242, Washington, DC 20250-1571, Phone: 202-720-1649.
FR Citation83 FR 59318 
RIN Number0572-AC44
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