Notice of a Public Meeting on Implementation of Title VI, Rural Development Authorities of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008-Section 6022, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program and Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for Individuals With Disabilities in Rural Areas, 3550-3551 [E9-1014]
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3550
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 21, 2009 / Notices
The
meeting is open to the public. Council
Discussion is limited to Forest Service/
BLM staff and Council Members. Lunch
will be on your own. A public input
session will be at 3 p.m. for fifteen
minutes. The meeting is expected to
adjourn around 3:15 p.m.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: January 13, 2009.
Barnie T. Gyant,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9–1045 Filed 1–16–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business—Cooperative Service
Notice of a Public Meeting on
Implementation of Title VI, Rural
Development Authorities of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008—Section 6022, Rural
Microentrepreneur Assistance
Program and Section 6023, Grants for
Expansion of Employment
Opportunities for Individuals With
Disabilities in Rural Areas
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AGENCY: Rural Business—Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
SUMMARY: The Rural Business—
Cooperative Service, an Agency in the
Rural Development Mission Area of the
United States Department of
Agriculture, will hold a public meeting
January 26, 2009, entitled ‘‘Rural
Microentrepreneur Assistance
Opportunities—Inviting comments with
the Public on new authorities of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (Pub. L. 110–246)
(‘‘the Act’’).’’ The purpose of this event
is to gather public comments and
suggestions on how to implement
certain new authorities authorized
under Title VI of the Act.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Monday, January 26, 2009. Registration
will start at 12:30 p.m.; the program will
begin at 1 p.m. and conclude by 4 p.m.
Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in
the Whitten Building, Room 107–A,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12th
and Jefferson Drive SW., Washington,
DC. Participants should enter the
building through the main visitor’s
entrance on Jefferson Drive which is
closest to the conference room. Valid
photo identification is required for
clearance by building security
personnel.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori
Washington, Loan Specialist, Business
VerDate Nov<24>2008
18:54 Jan 16, 2009
Jkt 217001
Programs, Specialty Lenders Division,
USDA, Rural Development, Rural
Business and Cooperative Service,
Room 6866, South Agriculture Building,
STOP 3225, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250–
3225, Telephone: (202) 720–9815, Email: lori.washington@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Specifically, USDA has an interest in
initiating a dialogue on the following
sections of Title VI of the Act:
Section numbers below refer to
sections of the Food, Conservation and
Energy Act of 2008.
Section 6022, Rural
Microentrepreneur Assistance
Program—Provides rural
microentrepreneurs with the skills
necessary to establish new rural
microenterprises, training, and to
provide continuing technical and
financial assistance related to the
successful operation of rural
microenterprises. Loans and grants will
be made to eligible and qualified
Microenterprise Development
Organizations for the purposes of (1)
providing microloans to rural
microentrepreneurs, and (2) providing
training and technical assistance to
microentrepreneurs and/or potential
microentrepreneurs to establish new, or
sustain existing microbusinesses in
rural areas. The Act provides mandatory
funding in the amount of $4 million in
fiscal years (FYs) 2009 thru 2011, $3
million in fiscal year 2012 and the
authorization for funding in the amount
of $40 million in FYs 2009 thru 2012 for
direct loan and grant assistance to rural
microenterprises.
Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of
Employment Opportunities for
Individuals with Disabilities in Rural
Areas—While funding has yet to be
made available for this section, USDA
seeks comments in anticipation of
program implementation. This program
is expected to provide for grants to
nonprofit organizations to expand and
enhance employment opportunities for
individuals with disabilities in rural
areas. Eligible organizations will
include nonprofit organizations that
have:
(1) A significant focus on serving the
needs of individuals with disabilities;
(2) Demonstrated knowledge and
expertise in employment of people with
disabilities and advising private entities
regarding accessibility issues;
(3) Expertise in removing employment
barriers including access to
transportation, assistive technology, and
other such accommodations; and
(4) Existing relationships with
national organizations focused primarily
on the needs of rural areas.
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Grants under this program will be
used to expand or enhance employment
opportunities for individuals with
disabilities in rural areas via the
development of national technical
assistance and education resources to
assist rural small businesses in the
recruitment, hiring, accommodation,
and employment of individuals with
disabilities. Grants will also be used to
expand or enhance self employment and
entrepreneurship opportunities for
individuals with disabilities in rural
areas.
Instructions for Participation
Although registration is encouraged,
walk-ins will be accommodated to the
extent that space permits. Registered
participants will be given priority for
making presentations prior to walk-ins.
Anyone interested in the Act programs
that support assistance to rural
microenterprises or assistance with the
expansion of employment for persons
with disabilities in rural areas is
encouraged to attend the public
meeting. Presentations will be limited to
no more than 10 minutes in duration.
To register and request time for an oral
statement, contact Lori Washington,
Business Programs, Specialty Lenders
Division, USDA, Rural Development,
Business and Cooperative Programs,
Room 6866 South Agriculture Building,
STOP 3225, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20250–
3201; Telephone: 202–720–9815, Email: lori.washington@wdc.usda.gov.
Comments by e-mail should be in an
ASCII file. Written comments should
clearly identify which of the abovereferenced sections the comments are
addressing. Anyone may attend without
pre-registering.
Anyone intending in making an
electronic presentation must provide
such presentation via e-mail to Lori
Washington no later than Friday,
January 16th and bring a copy of the
presentation with them on a portable
electronic media to the meeting. You
will be notified if USDA does not have
the equipment available to permit you
to make the presentation. Due to
technical problems that can arise, you
are advised to have a backup plan for
making the presentation.
Depending on the level of interest
expressed by the registered participants,
certain blocks of time will be allotted for
oral presentations by referenced
sections mentioned in this notice.
In addition, the Department will
allow written comments to be provided
on the referenced Sections of Title VI of
the Act up to 15 days following the date
of the public meeting. These written
comments should be submitted to Lori
E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM
21JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 12 / Wednesday, January 21, 2009 / Notices
Washington, Room 6866 South
Agriculture Building, STOP 3225, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–3225.
Copies of the presentations and any
additional written comments that are
received within the 15 days following
the public meeting will be available for
review at https://www.usda.gov/wps/
portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_2KD?navid=
FARMBILL2008.
Participants who require a sign
language interpreter or other special
accommodations should contact Lori
Washington as directed above.
The oral and written information
obtained from interested parties will be
considered in implementing provisions
of Sections 6022 and 6023. In order to
assure that the Act is implemented to
meet constituent needs, USDA, Rural
Development is sponsoring a listening
forum and soliciting written comments
to encourage public input and
comments and in making
recommendations on program
implementation. All comments are
welcome, and no attempt will be made
to establish a consensus.
Non-Discrimination Statement
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
‘‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all
its programs and activities on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs,
reprisal, or because all or part of an
individual’s income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all
prohibited bases apply to all programs).
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–
2600 (voice and TDD). To file a
complaint of discrimination, write to
USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication
and Compliance, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250–
9410, or call (800) 795–3272 (voice), or
(202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider, employer,
and lender.’’
Dated: January 9, 2009.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural Business—Cooperative
Service.
[FR Doc. E9–1014 Filed 1–16–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
VerDate Nov<24>2008
18:54 Jan 16, 2009
Jkt 217001
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Notice for Request for Proposals for
Loan Guarantees under the Section
538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing
Program (GRRHP) for Fiscal Year 2009
Rural Housing Service, USDA.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: This is a request for proposals
for loan guarantees under the section
538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing
Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR
3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 subject
to the availability of funding. FY 2008
funding for the section 538 program was
$129,090,000.
For FY 2009, there are approximately
$2 million in additional funds for
GRRHP properties that are located in a
presidentially declared disaster area.
Disaster funds may be used for new
construction or repair and
rehabilitation. To be eligible for these
disaster funds, a property must be
located in a county affected by
hurricanes, floods, and other natural
disasters occurring during 2008 for
which the President declared a major
disaster under Title IV of the Robert T.
Stafford and Disaster and Emergency
Assistance of 1974. Applicants must
notify the Rural Development contact
person for the respective state, as
indicated in the ‘‘Submission Address’’
section of this notice, that their project
is located in an eligible disaster zone
and that they want the project
considered for these funds.
Applicants for both general program
funding or disaster funds will submit
proposals in the form of ‘‘RESPONSES.’’
The commitment of program dollars
will be made to applicants of selected
responses that have fulfilled the
necessary requirements for obligation.
Expenses incurred in developing
applications will be at the applicant’s
risk. The following paragraphs outline
the timeframes, eligibility requirements,
lender responsibilities, and the overall
response and application processes.
The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR
part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and
Servicing Handbook (HB–1–3565) is
available to provide lenders and the
general public with guidance on
program administration. HB–1–3565,
which contains a copy of 7 CFR part
3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the
Agency’s Instructions Web site address
https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/
hblist.html#hbw6.
Eligible lenders are invited to submit
responses for the new construction and
the acquisition with rehabilitation of
affordable rural rental housing.
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
3551
Also eligible is the revitalization,
repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7
CFR 3560.406) of existing direct section
515 housing (transfer costs are subject to
Agency approval and must be an
eligible use of loan proceeds as listed in
7 CFR 3565.205), and properties
involved in the Agency’s multi-family
preservation and revitalization program
(MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated
in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with
the transfer of existing direct section
515 housing, are an eligible use of
guaranteed loan proceeds. In order to be
considered, the transfer of direct section
515 housing and MPR projects must
need repairs and undergo revitalization
of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. A
Section 538 guaranteed loan used in
conjunction with a section 515 transfer
that includes an equity payment and
that qualifies for an interest credit
award, will receive interest credit
according to the following schedule:
Guaranteed loan amount
Maximum interest
credit basis points
award
Over $1,000,000 .............
$1,000,000 or less ..........
$750,000 or less .............
$600,000 or less .............
$450,000 or less .............
$300,000 or less .............
0
50
100
150
200
250
The ‘‘Maximum Interest Credit Basis
Points Award’’ is applied to the whole
loan amount, therefore a qualifying
$600,000 loan guarantee for example,
would be awarded 150 interest credit
basis points for the whole $600,000 (not,
250 interest credit basis points for the
first $300,000, 200 interest credit basis
points for the next $150,000 up to
$450,000, and 150 interest credit basis
points for the next $150,000 up to
$600,000).
The Agency will review responses
submitted by eligible lenders, on the
lender’s letterhead, and signed by both
the prospective borrower and lender.
Although a complete application is not
required in response to this Notice of
request for proposals, eligible lenders
may submit a complete application
concurrently with the response.
Submitting a complete application will
not have any effect on the respondent’s
NOFA response score.
DATES: As long as funds remain
available, eligible responses to this
notice will be accepted and eligible
requests will be obligated per this
guidance until September 28, 2009,
12:00 P.M. Eastern Time. Selected
responses that develop into complete
applications and meet all Federal
environmental requirements will
receive commitments to the extent an
E:\FR\FM\21JAN1.SGM
21JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3550-3551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1014]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business--Cooperative Service
Notice of a Public Meeting on Implementation of Title VI, Rural
Development Authorities of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of
2008--Section 6022, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program and
Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for
Individuals With Disabilities in Rural Areas
AGENCY: Rural Business--Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Business--Cooperative Service, an Agency in the
Rural Development Mission Area of the United States Department of
Agriculture, will hold a public meeting January 26, 2009, entitled
``Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Opportunities--Inviting comments
with the Public on new authorities of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (Pub. L. 110-246) (``the Act'').'' The purpose of this
event is to gather public comments and suggestions on how to implement
certain new authorities authorized under Title VI of the Act.
DATES: The meeting will be held on Monday, January 26, 2009.
Registration will start at 12:30 p.m.; the program will begin at 1 p.m.
and conclude by 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Whitten Building, Room 107-
A, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 12th and Jefferson Drive SW.,
Washington, DC. Participants should enter the building through the main
visitor's entrance on Jefferson Drive which is closest to the
conference room. Valid photo identification is required for clearance
by building security personnel.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Washington, Loan Specialist,
Business Programs, Specialty Lenders Division, USDA, Rural Development,
Rural Business and Cooperative Service, Room 6866, South Agriculture
Building, STOP 3225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20250-3225, Telephone: (202) 720-9815, E-mail:
lori.washington@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Specifically, USDA has an interest in
initiating a dialogue on the following sections of Title VI of the Act:
Section numbers below refer to sections of the Food, Conservation
and Energy Act of 2008.
Section 6022, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program--Provides
rural microentrepreneurs with the skills necessary to establish new
rural microenterprises, training, and to provide continuing technical
and financial assistance related to the successful operation of rural
microenterprises. Loans and grants will be made to eligible and
qualified Microenterprise Development Organizations for the purposes of
(1) providing microloans to rural microentrepreneurs, and (2) providing
training and technical assistance to microentrepreneurs and/or
potential microentrepreneurs to establish new, or sustain existing
microbusinesses in rural areas. The Act provides mandatory funding in
the amount of $4 million in fiscal years (FYs) 2009 thru 2011, $3
million in fiscal year 2012 and the authorization for funding in the
amount of $40 million in FYs 2009 thru 2012 for direct loan and grant
assistance to rural microenterprises.
Section 6023, Grants for Expansion of Employment Opportunities for
Individuals with Disabilities in Rural Areas--While funding has yet to
be made available for this section, USDA seeks comments in anticipation
of program implementation. This program is expected to provide for
grants to nonprofit organizations to expand and enhance employment
opportunities for individuals with disabilities in rural areas.
Eligible organizations will include nonprofit organizations that have:
(1) A significant focus on serving the needs of individuals with
disabilities;
(2) Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in employment of people
with disabilities and advising private entities regarding accessibility
issues;
(3) Expertise in removing employment barriers including access to
transportation, assistive technology, and other such accommodations;
and
(4) Existing relationships with national organizations focused
primarily on the needs of rural areas.
Grants under this program will be used to expand or enhance
employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in rural
areas via the development of national technical assistance and
education resources to assist rural small businesses in the
recruitment, hiring, accommodation, and employment of individuals with
disabilities. Grants will also be used to expand or enhance self
employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals with
disabilities in rural areas.
Instructions for Participation
Although registration is encouraged, walk-ins will be accommodated
to the extent that space permits. Registered participants will be given
priority for making presentations prior to walk-ins. Anyone interested
in the Act programs that support assistance to rural microenterprises
or assistance with the expansion of employment for persons with
disabilities in rural areas is encouraged to attend the public meeting.
Presentations will be limited to no more than 10 minutes in duration.
To register and request time for an oral statement, contact Lori
Washington, Business Programs, Specialty Lenders Division, USDA, Rural
Development, Business and Cooperative Programs, Room 6866 South
Agriculture Building, STOP 3225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-3201; Telephone: 202-720-9815, E-mail:
lori.washington@wdc.usda.gov. Comments by e-mail should be in an ASCII
file. Written comments should clearly identify which of the above-
referenced sections the comments are addressing. Anyone may attend
without pre-registering.
Anyone intending in making an electronic presentation must provide
such presentation via e-mail to Lori Washington no later than Friday,
January 16th and bring a copy of the presentation with them on a
portable electronic media to the meeting. You will be notified if USDA
does not have the equipment available to permit you to make the
presentation. Due to technical problems that can arise, you are advised
to have a backup plan for making the presentation.
Depending on the level of interest expressed by the registered
participants, certain blocks of time will be allotted for oral
presentations by referenced sections mentioned in this notice.
In addition, the Department will allow written comments to be
provided on the referenced Sections of Title VI of the Act up to 15
days following the date of the public meeting. These written comments
should be submitted to Lori
[[Page 3551]]
Washington, Room 6866 South Agriculture Building, STOP 3225, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3225.
Copies of the presentations and any additional written comments
that are received within the 15 days following the public meeting will
be available for review at https://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/--s.7--
0--A/7--0--2KD?navid=FARMBILL2008.
Participants who require a sign language interpreter or other
special accommodations should contact Lori Washington as directed
above.
The oral and written information obtained from interested parties
will be considered in implementing provisions of Sections 6022 and
6023. In order to assure that the Act is implemented to meet
constituent needs, USDA, Rural Development is sponsoring a listening
forum and soliciting written comments to encourage public input and
comments and in making recommendations on program implementation. All
comments are welcome, and no attempt will be made to establish a
consensus.
Non-Discrimination Statement
``The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and
TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director,
Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202)
720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and
lender.''
Dated: January 9, 2009.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural Business--Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E9-1014 Filed 1-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
