Rural Broadband Access Loans and Loan Guarantees Program, 13797 [2011-5611]
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13797
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 49
Monday, March 14, 2011
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Rural Broadband Access Loans and
Loan Guarantees Program
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Solicitation of
Applications (NOSA).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This NOSA announces that
the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is
accepting applications for fiscal year
(FY) 2011 for the Rural Broadband
Access Loan and Loan Guarantee
program (the Broadband Program),
subject to the availability of funding.
This notice is being issued prior to
passage of a final appropriations act to
allow potential applicants time to
submit proposals and give the Agency
time to process applications within the
current fiscal year. RUS will publish a
subsequent notice identifying the
amount received in the final
appropriations act, if any. At this time,
the agency estimates that approximately
$700 million may be available for loans
from prior appropriations; however,
Congress is presently reviewing budget
authority across the Federal government
in an attempt to reduce government
debt. As a result, expenses incurred in
developing applications will be at the
applicant’s own risk.
In addition to announcing the
application window, RUS announces
the minimum and maximum amounts
for broadband loans for the fiscal year.
Moreover, the agency is concurrently
publishing a interim rule that will revise
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with RULES3
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:44 Mar 11, 2011
Jkt 223001
the current Broadband Program
regulations at 7 CFR part 1738, as
necessitated by the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm
Bill).
DATES: Applications under this NOSA
will be accepted immediately, subject to
the requirements of the interim
regulation published concurrently with
this NOSA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Kenneth
Kuchno, Director, Broadband Division,
Rural Development, STOP 1599, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–1599,
Telephone (202) 690–4673, Facsimile
(202) 690–4389.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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 https://www.
rurdev.usda.gov/utp_farmbill.html.
General Information
The Rural Broadband Access Loan
and Loan Guarantee Program is
authorized by the Rural Electrification
Act (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as amended
by the 2008 Farm Bill.
Applications must be submitted in
accordance with the interim regulation
published concurrently with this NOSA.
This application guide to assist in the
preparation of applications is available
at: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/utp_
farmbill.html. Application guides may
also be requested from RUS by
contacting the agency contact.
Minimum and Maximum Loan
Amounts
Loans under this authority will not be
made for less than $100,000. The
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
maximum loan amount that will be
considered for FY 2011 is $100 million.
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 2011, to qualify as broadband
service, the minimum rate-of-data
transmission shall be three megabits per
second (download plus upload speeds)
for both fixed and mobile broadband
service and the broadband lending
speed will be a minimum bandwidth of
5 megabits per second for both fixed and
mobile service to the customer
(download plus upload speeds).
Incumbent Service Provider. For a
service provider to be considered an
incumbent service provider they must
demonstrate that five percent of the
households in a proposed funded
service area are buying broadband
service from them.
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: March 8, 2011.
Jessica Zufolo,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–5611 Filed 3–11–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P
E:\FR\FM\14MRN2.SGM
14MRN2
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 49 (Monday, March 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 13797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5611]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2011 /
Notices
[[Page 13797]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This NOSA announces that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is
accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2011 for the Rural
Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee program (the Broadband
Program), subject to the availability of funding. This notice is being
issued prior to passage of a final appropriations act to allow
potential applicants time to submit proposals and give the Agency time
to process applications within the current fiscal year. RUS will
publish a subsequent notice identifying the amount received in the
final appropriations act, if any. At this time, the agency estimates
that approximately $700 million may be available for loans from prior
appropriations; however, Congress is presently reviewing budget
authority across the Federal government in an attempt to reduce
government debt. As a result, expenses incurred in developing
applications will be at the applicant's own risk.
In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the
minimum and maximum amounts for broadband loans for the fiscal year.
Moreover, the agency is concurrently publishing a interim rule that
will revise the current Broadband Program regulations at 7 CFR part
1738, as necessitated by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008
(the 2008 Farm Bill).
DATES: Applications under this NOSA will be accepted immediately,
subject to the requirements of the interim regulation published
concurrently with this NOSA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact
Kenneth Kuchno, Director, Broadband Division, Rural Development, STOP
1599, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1599,
Telephone (202) 690-4673, Facsimile (202) 690-4389.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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 https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/utp_farmbill.html.
General Information
The Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program is
authorized by the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as
amended by the 2008 Farm Bill.
Applications must be submitted in accordance with the interim
regulation published concurrently with this NOSA. This application
guide to assist in the preparation of applications is available at:
https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/utp_farmbill.html. Application guides may
also be requested from RUS by contacting the agency contact.
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 2011 is $100
million.
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 2011, to
qualify as broadband service, the minimum rate-of-data transmission
shall be three megabits per second (download plus upload speeds) for
both fixed and mobile broadband service and the broadband lending speed
will be a minimum bandwidth of 5 megabits per second for both fixed and
mobile service to the customer (download plus upload speeds).
Incumbent Service Provider. For a service provider to be considered
an incumbent service provider they must demonstrate that five percent
of the households in a proposed funded service area are buying
broadband service from them.
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: March 8, 2011.
Jessica Zufolo,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5611 Filed 3-11-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P