Telecommunications Program: Notice of Availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment, 13317-13318 [2016-05584]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2016 / Notices
call (866) 632–9992, submit your
completed form or letter to USDA by:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–
9410; Fax: (202) 690–7442; or, email:
program.intake@usda.gov., USDA is an
equal opportunity provider, employer,
and lender.
Dated: March 3, 2016.
Tony Hernandez,
Administrator, Housing and Community
Facilities Programs.
[FR Doc. 2016–05610 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XV–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Telecommunications Program: Notice
of Availability of a Programmatic
Environmental Assessment
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Availability of a
Programmatic Environmental
Assessment of USDA Rural Utilities
Service’s Financial Support for
Deployment of the Telecommunications
Programs to Rural America.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS, Agency), an agency of the United
States Department of Agriculture, issued
a Programmatic Environmental
Assessment (PEA) for the development
of a more efficient and effective
environmental review process for the
RUS Telecommunications Program on
March 1, 2016. The Notice of
Availability of a Programmatic
Environmental Assessment was
published on March 2, 2016, in the
Federal Register at 81 FR 10575. The
PEA provides a broad environmental
analysis of the Agency’s preliminary
decisions and includes a tiered, sitespecific analysis at the project level that
would be completed before Agency
dispersal of funds and/or applicant
construction. Since publication of the
Agency’s Environmental Policies and
Procedures (7 CFR part 1970) in the
Federal Register (81 FR 11000) on
March 2, 2016, RUS has updated the
PEA with citations to the Agency’s new
environmental rule. These changes are
administrative and not substantive,
therefore supplementation of the PEA is
not required.
DATES: Written comments on the PEA
must be received on or before March 31,
2016.
ADDRESSES: Please submit written
comments by physical mail or electronic
mail to: Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:27 Mar 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
Environmental Protection Specialist,
Water and Environmental Programs/
Engineering and Environmental Staff,
Rural Utilities Service, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Mail Stop
1571, Room 2240, Washington, DC
20250, fax: (202) 690–0649, or email:
Richard.Fristik@wdc.usda.gov.
To obtain copies of the PEA or for
further information, contact: Mr.
Richard Fristik at the contact
information provided in this Notice. A
copy of the PEA is available for
downloading through the Rural
Development homepage at: https://
www.rd.usda.gov/publications/
environmental-studies/assessments/
programmatic-environmentalassessment. Additional information
about the Agency and its programs is
available on the Internet at https://
www.rd.usda.gov/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information on the PEA, please contact
Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior
Environmental Protection Specialist,
Water and Environmental Programs/
Engineering and Environmental Staff,
Rural Utilities Service, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Mail Stop
1571, Room 2240, Washington, DC
20250, telephone: (202) 720–5093, fax:
(202) 690–0649, or email:
Richard.Fristik@wdc.usda.gov. Parties
wishing to be placed on the PEA’s
mailing list for future information and
to receive copies of the PEA should also
contact Mr. Fristik.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS
issued a PEA for the development of a
more efficient and effective
environmental review process for its
Telecommunications Program on March
1, 2016. The PEA provides a broad
environmental analysis of the Agency’s
preliminary decisions and includes a
tiered, site-specific analysis at the
project level that would be completed
before Agency dispersal of funds and/or
applicant construction. Since
publication of the Agency’s
Environmental Policies and Procedures
(7 CFR part 1970) on March 2, 2016,
RUS has updated the PEA with citations
to the Agency’s new environmental rule.
These changes are administrative and
not substantive, therefore
supplementation of the PEA is not
required.
The RUS Telecommunications
Program provides a variety of loans and
grants to build and expand broadband
networks in rural America. Loans to
build broadband networks and deliver
service to households and businesses in
rural communities provide a necessary
source of capital for rural
telecommunications companies. Grant
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
13317
funding is awarded based on a number
of factors relating to the benefits to be
derived from the proposed broadband
network project, as specified in
applicable program regulations.
Eligible applicants for RUS loans and
grants include for-profit and non-profit
entities, tribes, municipalities, and
cooperatives. The Agency particularly
encourages investment in tribal and
economically disadvantaged areas.
Through low-cost funding for
telecommunications infrastructure, rural
residents can have access to services
that will close the digital divide
between rural and urban communities.
Once funds are awarded, RUS monitors
the projects to make sure they are
completed in accordance with program
conditions and requirements.
The application process for requesting
financial assistance for the various
Telecommunications programs varies
slightly from a competitive grant
program, individual project proposals,
or multi-year ‘‘loan design’’
applications. The Agency seeks to
synchronize and create environmental
review efficiencies for future projectlevel environmental review compliance
for the various programs, commensurate
with the potential environmental
impacts. The Agency also seeks to
establish proper sequencing of certain
agency preliminary decisions (i.e.,
obligation of funds and/or approval of
interim financing requests) with
subsequent tiered, site-specific project
environmental reviews.
The PEA is intended to expedite the
funding, deployment, and expansion of
broadband infrastructure in rural
America. The PEA includes detailed
descriptions and analyses of the direct,
indirect, and cumulative impacts
associated with broadband
infrastructure technologies and
construction methods, such as impacts
to water resources, terrestrial resources,
historic and cultural resources, air and
climate resources, noise, threatened and
endangered species, electromagnetic
radiation, and Environmental Justice
issues. Use of the PEA analyses thereby
saves project-level processing time,
ensuring consistent and accurate
environmental evaluations while
avoiding unnecessary duplication and
repetition in project-level planning and
evaluation. Use of the PEA enables
project-level compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA), the Endangered Species Act
(ESA), the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA), and other
requirements to focus on the remaining
relevant site-specific issues, expediting
planning, analysis, compliance,
E:\FR\FM\14MRN1.SGM
14MRN1
13318
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 49 / Monday, March 14, 2016 / Notices
documentation, and ultimately projectlevel decisions.
The PEA is available for public review
at the digital and physical addresses
provided in this Notice. Questions and
comments should be sent to RUS at the
mailing or email addresses provided in
this Notice. RUS should receive written
comments on the PEA on or before
March 31, 2016 to ensure that they are
considered in its environmental impact
determination.
Any final action by RUS related to the
broadband portion of the RUS
Telecommunications Program will be
subject to, and contingent upon,
compliance with all relevant
presidential executive orders and
federal, state, and local environmental
laws and regulations in addition to the
completion of the environmental review
requirements as prescribed in the
Agency’s Environmental Policies and
Procedures.
Dated: March 7, 2016.
Keith B. Adams,
Assistant Administrator—
Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–05584 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Information Collection Activity;
Comment Request
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites
comments on this information
collection for which RUS intends to
request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by May 13, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas P. Dickson, Acting Director,
Program Development and Regulatory
Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522,
Room 5164—South Building,
Washington, DC 20250–1522.
Telephone: (202) 690–4492. FAX: (202)
720–8435. Email: thomas.dickson@
wdc.usda.gov.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
The Office
of Management and Budget’s (OMB)
regulation (5 CFR part 1320)
implementing provisions of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:27 Mar 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104–13) requires that interested
members of the public and affected
agencies have an opportunity to
comment on information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an
information collection that RUS is
submitting to OMB for extension.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of
the Agency’s estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology. Comments may be sent to:
Thomas P. Dickson, Acting Director,
Program Development and Regulatory
Analysis, USDA Rural Utilities Service,
STOP 1522, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Washington, DC 20250–1522. FAX:
(202) 720–8435. Email:
Thomas.dickson@wdc.usda.gov.
Title: 7 CFR 1779, Water and Waste
Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans.
OMB Number: 0572–0122.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service
is authorized by Section 306 of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926) to
make loans to public agencies, nonprofit
corporations, and Indian tribes for the
development of water and waste
disposal facilities primarily servicing
rural residents. The guaranteed loan
program encourages lender participation
and provides specific guidance in the
processing and servicing of guaranteed
loans. The regulations governing the
Water and Waste Disposal Guaranteed
Loan program are codified at 7 CFR
1779. The required information, in the
form of written documentation and
Agency approved forms, is collected
from applicants/borrowers, their
lenders, and consultants. The collected
information will be used to determine
applicant/borrower eligibility, project
feasibility, and to ensure borrowers
operate on a sound basis and use loan
funds for authorized purposes. Failure
to collect proper information could
result in improper determinations of
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
eligibility, improper use of funds, and/
or unsound loans.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 7.8 hours per
response.
Respondents: Business or other for
profit; Not-for-profit institutions; State,
Local or Tribal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
15.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 7.3.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 858 hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from MaryPat Daskal,
Program Development and Regulatory
Analysis, at (202) 720–0992. FAX: (202)
720–8435. Email: marypat.daskal@
wdc.usda.gov. All responses to this
notice will be summarized and included
in the request for OMB approval. All
comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Dated: March 4, 2016.
Brandon McBride,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–05585 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
ARCTIC RESEARCH COMMISSION
Notice of 105th Commission Meeting
Notice is hereby given that the U.S.
Arctic Research Commission will hold
its 105th meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska,
on March 16, 2016. The business
session, open to the public, will
convene at 8:30 a.m.
The agenda items include:
(1) Call to order and approval of the
agenda
(2) Approval of the minutes from the
104th meeting
(3) Commissioners and staff reports
The focus of the meeting will be a
discussion of Arctic research activities
and events.
If you plan to attend this meeting,
please notify us via the contact
information below. Any person
planning to attend who requires special
accessibility features and/or auxiliary
aids, such as sign language interpreters,
must inform the Commission of those
needs in advance of the meeting.
Contact person for further
information: John Farrell, Executive
Director, U.S. Arctic Research
Commission, 703–525–0111 or TDD
703–306–0090.
Kathy Farrow,
Communications Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2016–04559 Filed 3–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555–01–P
E:\FR\FM\14MRN1.SGM
14MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 49 (Monday, March 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13317-13318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05584]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Telecommunications Program: Notice of Availability of a
Programmatic Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Programmatic Environmental
Assessment of USDA Rural Utilities Service's Financial Support for
Deployment of the Telecommunications Programs to Rural America.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS, Agency), an agency of the
United States Department of Agriculture, issued a Programmatic
Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the development of a more efficient
and effective environmental review process for the RUS
Telecommunications Program on March 1, 2016. The Notice of Availability
of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment was published on March 2,
2016, in the Federal Register at 81 FR 10575. The PEA provides a broad
environmental analysis of the Agency's preliminary decisions and
includes a tiered, site-specific analysis at the project level that
would be completed before Agency dispersal of funds and/or applicant
construction. Since publication of the Agency's Environmental Policies
and Procedures (7 CFR part 1970) in the Federal Register (81 FR 11000)
on March 2, 2016, RUS has updated the PEA with citations to the
Agency's new environmental rule. These changes are administrative and
not substantive, therefore supplementation of the PEA is not required.
DATES: Written comments on the PEA must be received on or before March
31, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Please submit written comments by physical mail or
electronic mail to: Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior Environmental
Protection Specialist, Water and Environmental Programs/Engineering and
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Mail Stop 1571, Room 2240, Washington, DC 20250, fax: (202) 690-
0649, or email: Richard.Fristik@wdc.usda.gov.
To obtain copies of the PEA or for further information, contact:
Mr. Richard Fristik at the contact information provided in this Notice.
A copy of the PEA is available for downloading through the Rural
Development homepage at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/publications/environmental-studies/assessments/programmatic-environmental-assessment. Additional information about the Agency and its programs is
available on the Internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the PEA, please
contact Mr. Richard Fristik, Senior Environmental Protection
Specialist, Water and Environmental Programs/Engineering and
Environmental Staff, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Mail Stop 1571, Room 2240, Washington, DC 20250, telephone: (202)
720-5093, fax: (202) 690-0649, or email: Richard.Fristik@wdc.usda.gov.
Parties wishing to be placed on the PEA's mailing list for future
information and to receive copies of the PEA should also contact Mr.
Fristik.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: RUS issued a PEA for the development of a
more efficient and effective environmental review process for its
Telecommunications Program on March 1, 2016. The PEA provides a broad
environmental analysis of the Agency's preliminary decisions and
includes a tiered, site-specific analysis at the project level that
would be completed before Agency dispersal of funds and/or applicant
construction. Since publication of the Agency's Environmental Policies
and Procedures (7 CFR part 1970) on March 2, 2016, RUS has updated the
PEA with citations to the Agency's new environmental rule. These
changes are administrative and not substantive, therefore
supplementation of the PEA is not required.
The RUS Telecommunications Program provides a variety of loans and
grants to build and expand broadband networks in rural America. Loans
to build broadband networks and deliver service to households and
businesses in rural communities provide a necessary source of capital
for rural telecommunications companies. Grant funding is awarded based
on a number of factors relating to the benefits to be derived from the
proposed broadband network project, as specified in applicable program
regulations.
Eligible applicants for RUS loans and grants include for-profit and
non-profit entities, tribes, municipalities, and cooperatives. The
Agency particularly encourages investment in tribal and economically
disadvantaged areas. Through low-cost funding for telecommunications
infrastructure, rural residents can have access to services that will
close the digital divide between rural and urban communities. Once
funds are awarded, RUS monitors the projects to make sure they are
completed in accordance with program conditions and requirements.
The application process for requesting financial assistance for the
various Telecommunications programs varies slightly from a competitive
grant program, individual project proposals, or multi-year ``loan
design'' applications. The Agency seeks to synchronize and create
environmental review efficiencies for future project-level
environmental review compliance for the various programs, commensurate
with the potential environmental impacts. The Agency also seeks to
establish proper sequencing of certain agency preliminary decisions
(i.e., obligation of funds and/or approval of interim financing
requests) with subsequent tiered, site-specific project environmental
reviews.
The PEA is intended to expedite the funding, deployment, and
expansion of broadband infrastructure in rural America. The PEA
includes detailed descriptions and analyses of the direct, indirect,
and cumulative impacts associated with broadband infrastructure
technologies and construction methods, such as impacts to water
resources, terrestrial resources, historic and cultural resources, air
and climate resources, noise, threatened and endangered species,
electromagnetic radiation, and Environmental Justice issues. Use of the
PEA analyses thereby saves project-level processing time, ensuring
consistent and accurate environmental evaluations while avoiding
unnecessary duplication and repetition in project-level planning and
evaluation. Use of the PEA enables project-level compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Endangered Species Act
(ESA), the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other
requirements to focus on the remaining relevant site-specific issues,
expediting planning, analysis, compliance,
[[Page 13318]]
documentation, and ultimately project-level decisions.
The PEA is available for public review at the digital and physical
addresses provided in this Notice. Questions and comments should be
sent to RUS at the mailing or email addresses provided in this Notice.
RUS should receive written comments on the PEA on or before March 31,
2016 to ensure that they are considered in its environmental impact
determination.
Any final action by RUS related to the broadband portion of the RUS
Telecommunications Program will be subject to, and contingent upon,
compliance with all relevant presidential executive orders and federal,
state, and local environmental laws and regulations in addition to the
completion of the environmental review requirements as prescribed in
the Agency's Environmental Policies and Procedures.
Dated: March 7, 2016.
Keith B. Adams,
Assistant Administrator--Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-05584 Filed 3-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
