Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Repowering Assistance Program, 48381-48384 [2016-17485]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 142 / Monday, July 25, 2016 / Notices mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES (k) If the Project uses a particular technology, system, or process that is not currently operating at commercial scale as of October 1 of the fiscal year for which the funding is available; October 1, 2016, 5 points will be awarded. (l) The Administrator can award up to a maximum of 10 bonus points: (1) To ensure, to the extent practical, there is diversity in the types of Projects approved for loan guarantees to ensure as wide a range as possible technologies, products, and approaches are assisted in the program portfolio; and (2) To applications that promote partnerships and other activities that assist in the development of new and emerging technologies for the development of Renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries, so as to, as applicable, promote resource conservation, public health, and the environment; diversify markets for agricultural and forestry products and agriculture waste material; and create jobs and enhance the economic development of the rural economy. No additional information regarding partnerships is detailed in this Notice. IX. General Program Information A. Loan Origination. Lenders seeking a loan guarantee under this Notice must comply with all of the provisions found in 7 CFR 4279, subpart C. B. Loan Processing. The Agency will process loans guaranteed under this Notice in accordance with the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4279.260 through 4279.290. C. Evaluation of Applications and Awards. Awards under this Notice will be made on a competitive basis; submission of an application neither reserves funding nor ensures funding. The Agency will evaluate each application received in the USDA Rural Business–Cooperative Service, Energy Division, select Phase 1 applications in accordance with 7 CFR 4279.267 to invite submittal of Phase 2 applications and will make awards using the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4279.278. D. Guaranteed Loan Servicing. The Agency will service loans guaranteed under this Notice in accordance with the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4287.301 through 4287.399. E. System for Award Management (SAM) and Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Registration. Unless exempt under 2 CFR 25.110, the Applicant must be registered in the SAM prior to submitting an application and maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:27 Jul 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by the Agency. Applicants must provide a DUNS number for each application submitted to the Agency. X. Administration Information A. Notifications. The Agency will notify, in writing, Lenders whose Phase 1 applications have scored highest and will invite them to submit Phase 2 applications. If the Agency determines it is unable to guarantee any particular loan, the Lender will be informed in writing. Such notification will include the reason(s) for denial of the guarantee. B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. 1. Review or Appeal Rights. A person may seek a review of an Agency decision or appeal to the National Appeals Division in accordance with 7 CFR 4279.204. 2. Exception Authority. The provisions specified in 7 CFR 4279.203 and 7 CFR 4287.303 apply to this Notice. C. Environmental Review. The Agency will review all applicant proposals that may qualify for assistance under this section in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970, Environmental Policies and Procedures. The environmental review for projects that score high enough will be submitted during the Phase 2 application process and must be conducted in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970, Environmental Policies and Procedures. XI. Agency Contacts For general questions about this Notice, please contact Todd Hubbell, Rural Business–Cooperative Service, Energy Division, Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Mail Stop 3225, Washington, DC 20250–3225. Telephone: 202–690–2516. Email: Todd.Hubbell@wdc.usda.gov. Nondiscrimination Statement The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 48381 bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at https:// www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_ cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632–9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250– 9410, by fax (202) 690–7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339 or (800) 845– 6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). Dated: July 18, 2016. Samuel H. Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. [FR Doc. 2016–17486 Filed 7–22–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Business-Cooperative Service Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Repowering Assistance Program Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Rural Utilities Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This Notice announces the solicitation of applications for funds available under the Repowering Assistance Program to encourage the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels used to provide process heat or power in the operation of eligible biorefineries. To be eligible for payments, biorefineries must have been in existence on or before June 18, 2008. DATES: Applications will be accepted from July 25, 2016 through October 24, SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1 48382 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 142 / Monday, July 25, 2016 / Notices 2016. Applications received after October 24, 2016, regardless of their postmark, will not receive consideration. If the actual deadline falls on a weekend or a federallyobserved holiday, the deadline is the next Federal business day. ADDRESSES: Applications and forms may be obtained from: • USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Energy Division, Attention: Repowering Assistance Program, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6901–S, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250–3225. • Agency Web site: https:// forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eForms. Follow instructions for obtaining the application and forms. Application materials can also be obtained from the Agency’s Web site. https:// www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/ repowering-assistance-program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this payment program, please contact Fred Petok, USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Energy Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6901–S, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250–3225. Telephone: 202–690–0784. Email: frederick.petok@wdc.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the information collection requirements associated with the Section 9004 Repowering Assistance Program, as covered in this Notice, have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570–0066. Overview Federal Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Rural Development mission area). Solicitation Opportunity Title: Repowering Assistance Program. Announcement Type: Notification of Solicitation of Applications. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number. The CFDA number for this Notice is 10.866. Dates: To receive funding consideration, applications must be received in the USDA Rural BusinessCooperative Service, Energy Division no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 24, 2016. Any application received after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 24, 2016, will not compete for funds announced in this Notice. Availability of Notice and Rule. This Notice and the interim rule for the VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:27 Jul 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 Repowering Assistance Program are available on the USDA Rural Development Web site at https:// www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/ repowering-assistance-program and at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom. I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of this program is to provide financial incentives to biorefineries in existence on or before June 18, 2008 (the date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) to replace the use of fossil fuels used to produce heat or power at their facilities by installing new systems that use renewable biomass, or to produce new energy from renewable biomass. B. Statutory Authority. This Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 8104. Regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A and are incorporated by reference. C. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this Notice are published at 7 CFR 4288.2. D. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and award applications received in response to this Notice based on the provisions found in 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A. II. Award Information A. Available Funds. This Notice is a solicitation for applications that will be funded using budget authority provided by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113–79) and available under current law. B. Number of Payments. The number of payments will depend on the number of participating biorefineries. C. Amount of Payments. The Agency will determine the amount of payments to be made to a biorefinery in accordance with its regulations at 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A, which take into consideration the percentage reduction in fossil fuel used by the biorefinery (including the quantity of fossil fuels a renewable biomass system is replacing) and the cost and cost-effectiveness of the renewable biomass system. D. Payment Limitations. There is no minimum payment amount that an individual biorefinery can receive. The maximum amount an individual biorefinery can receive under this Notice is 50 percent of total eligible project costs up to a maximum of $1 million. E. Project Costs. Eligible project costs, in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.11, will be only for project related construction costs for repowering improvements associated with the equipment, installation, engineering, design, site plans, associated professional fees, PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 permits and financing fees. Any project costs incurred by the applicant prior to application for payment assistance under this Notice will be ineligible for payment assistance. F. Type of Instrument. Payment agreement. III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants. Applicant eligibility requirements are found in 7 CFR 4288.10. Among other things, to be eligible for this program, an applicant must be a biorefinery that has been in existence on or before June 18, 2008, and will utilize renewable biomass to replace fossil fuel for repowering the biorefinery. B. Ineligible Projects. In accordance with 7 CFR 4288.10(b), a project is not eligible under this Notice if it is using feedstocks for repowering that are feed grain commodities that received benefits under Title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Projects that do not score at least 5 points under the 7 CFR 4288.21(b) process, the minimum number of points for cost-effectiveness and percentage of reduction of fossil fuel used, will be deemed ineligible. IV. Multiple Submissions In accordance with 7 CFR 4288.10(a)(2), corporations and entities with more than one biorefinery can submit an application for only one of their biorefineries. However, if a corporation or entity has multiple biorefineries located at the same location, the entity may submit an application that covers such biorefineries provided the heat and power used in the multiple biorefineries are centrally produced. V. Scoring Advice A. Cost Effectiveness. To be eligible and meet the minimum scoring criteria, the project must have a simple payback period of no more than 10 years (i.e., must be awarded at least five points for cost-effectiveness under 7 CFR 4288.21(b)(1)). B. Percentage of Reduction of Fossil Fuel Used. To be eligible and meet the minimum scoring criteria, the applicant must demonstrate that the repowering project has an anticipated annual reduction in fossil fuel use of at least 40 percent (i.e., the application must be awarded at least five points for percentage of reduction of fossil fuel used under 7 CFR 4288.21(b)(2)). VI. Project Financing The applicant must demonstrate that it has sufficient funds or has obtained commitments for sufficient funds to complete the repowering project, taking E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 142 / Monday, July 25, 2016 / Notices into account the amount of the payment request in the application. mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES VII. Application and Submission Information A. To Request Applications. Application forms are available from the USDA Rural Development State Office, State Energy Coordinator, and the Agency Web site found at https:// forms.sc.egov.usda.gov. Follow instructions on the Agency Web site for obtaining the application and forms. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/repowering-assistance-program. B. Content and Form of Submission. Applicants must submit a signed original and one copy of an application containing all the information specified in 7 CFR 4288.20(b) and (c). C. Submission Dates and Times. Applications to participate in this program must be submitted between July 25, 2016 and October 24, 2016. Applications received after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time October 24, 2016, regardless of their postmark, will not be considered by the Agency for funding consideration. D. Where to Submit. Applications shall be sent to the Repowering Assistance Program at 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6901–S, Washington DC, 20150. Please note that regular mail delivery, or courier delivery must be coordinated with the Agency in order for the proposal to be delivered by the date. VIII. Application Review and Selection Information The Agency will evaluate projects based on the cost, cost-effectiveness, and capacity of projects to reduce fossil fuels used. A. Review. The Agency will review applications submitted under this Notice in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.21(a). B. Scoring. The Agency will score applications submitted under this Notice in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.21(b). C. Ranking and Selecting Applications. The Agency will consider the score an application has received compared to the scores of other applications, with higher scoring applications receiving first consideration for payments. Using the application scoring criteria point values specified in 7 CFR 4288.21, the Agency will select applications for payments. D. Availability of Funds. As applications are funded, if insufficient funds remain to pay the next highest scoring application, the Agency may elect to pay a lower scoring application. Before this occurs, the Agency will VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:27 Jul 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 provide the applicant of the higher scoring application the opportunity to reduce the amount of its payment request to the amount of funds available. If the applicant agrees to lower its payment request, it must certify that the purposes of the project can be met, and the Agency must determine the project is feasible at the lower amount. IX. Administration Information A. Notice of Eligibility. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.23 apply to this Notice. These provisions include notifying an applicant determined to be eligible for participation and notifying an applicant determined to be ineligible, including their application score and ranking and the score necessary to qualify for payments. B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. (1) Review or Appeal Rights. A person may seek a review of an Agency adverse decision or appeal to the National Appeals Division as provided in 7 CFR 4288.3. (2) Compliance With Other Laws and Regulations. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.4 apply to this Notice, which includes requiring participating biorefineries to be in compliance with other applicable Federal, State, and local laws. (3) Oversight and Monitoring. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.5(a) and (b) apply to this Notice, which includes the right of the Agency to verify all payment applications and subsequent payments and the requirement that each biorefinery must make available, at one place at all reasonable times for examination by the Agency, all books, documents, papers, receipts, payroll records, and bills of sale adequate to identify the purposes for which, and the manner in which, funds were expended for all eligible project costs for a period of not less than 3 years from the final payment date. (4) Reporting. Upon completion of the repowering project funded under this Notice, the biorefinery must submit a report, in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.5(c), to the Agency annually for the first 3 years after completion of the project. The reports are to be submitted as of October 1 of each year. (5) Payment Provisions. Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 payments will be made according to the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4288.13(b) and (c) and in 7 CFR 4288.24. (6) Exception Authority. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.7 apply to this Notice. (7) Succession and Control of Facilities and Production. The PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 48383 provisions of 7 CFR 4288.25 apply to this Notice. C. Environmental Review. All recipients under this Notice are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970. X. Agency Contacts For further information about this Notice, please contact Fred Petok, USDA, Rural Business—Cooperative Service, Energy Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6868, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250– 3225. Telephone: 202–690–0784. Email: frederick.petok@wdc.usda.gov. XI. Nondiscrimination Statement The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at https:// www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_ cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632–9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250– 9410, by fax (202) 690–7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339 or (800) 845– 6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1 48384 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 142 / Monday, July 25, 2016 / Notices Dated: July 18, 2016. Samuel H. Rikkers, Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. International Trade Administration part, if the party that requested a review withdraws its request within 90 days of the date of publication of notice of initiation of the requested review. In this case, WTTC withdrew its request for review within the 90-day deadline, and no other party requested an administrative review of the CVD order. Therefore, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), we are rescinding this review in its entirety. [C–570–982] Assessment [FR Doc. 2016–17485 Filed 7–22–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Utility Scale Wind Towers from the People’s Republic of China: Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2015 Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding its administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on utility scale wind towers (wind towers) from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for the period January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. DATES: Effective July 25, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen Johnson, AD/CVD Operations, Office III, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482–4793. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AGENCY: Background The Department initiated an administrative review of the CVD order on wind towers from the PRC with respect to 50 companies for the period January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015, based on a request by the petitioner, the Wind Tower Trade Coalition (WTTC).1 On July 6, 2016, WTTC timely withdrew its request for an administrative review of all 50 companies.2 No other party requested a review. Rescission of Review Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(1), the Department will rescind an administrative review in whole or in mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES 1 See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews, 81 FR 20324 (April 7, 2016) (Initiation Notice). In the Initiation Notice, we inadvertently listed only 45 companies; however, WTTC requested a review of 50 companies. See Letter from WTTC regarding ‘‘Request for Administrative Review’’ (February 23, 2016). 2 See Letter from the WTTC regarding ‘‘Withdrawal of Request for Administrative Review’’ (July 6, 2016). VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:27 Jul 22, 2016 Jkt 238001 The Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess CVDs on all entries of wind towers from the PRC during the period January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015, at rates equal to the cash deposit of estimated CVDs required at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(c)(1)(i). The Department intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after the publication of this notice. Notifications This notice serves as a final reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305.(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction. This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4). Dated: July 18, 2016. Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. 2016–17562 Filed 7–22–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [C–570–037] Certain Biaxial Integral Geogrid Products From the People’s Republic of China: Amended Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Investigation Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. AGENCY: PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 On June 24, 2016, the Department of Commerce (‘‘Department’’) published in the Federal Register the Preliminary Determination of the countervailing duty (‘‘CVD’’) investigation on certain biaxial integral geogrid products (‘‘geogrids’’) from the People’s Republic of China (‘‘PRC’’). The Department is amending the Preliminary Determination of the investigation to correct three ministerial errors. DATES: Effective June 24, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Palmer or Ryan Mullen, AD/CVD Operations, Office V, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482–9068 or (202) 482– 5260, respectively. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 24, 2016, the Department published in the Federal Register the Preliminary Determination of the CVD investigation of geogrids from the PRC.1 On June 24, 2016, and June 27, 2016, respectively, Taian Modern Plastic Co., Ltd. (‘‘Taian Modern’’) and BOSTD Geosynthetics Qingdao Ltd. (‘‘BOSTD Qingdao’’) alleged that the Department made significant ministerial errors in the Preliminary Determination.2 SUMMARY: Significant Ministerial Error A ministerial error, as defined in section 751(h) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (‘‘the Act’’), includes ‘‘errors in addition, subtraction, or other arithmetic function, clerical errors resulting from inaccurate copying, duplication, or the like, and any other type of unintentional error which the administering authority considers ministerial.’’ 3 With respect to preliminary determinations, 19 CFR 351.224(e) provides that the Department ‘‘will analyze any comments received and, if appropriate, correct any significant ministerial error by amending the preliminary determination . . .’’ A significant 1 See Countervailing Duty Investigation of Certain Biaxial Integral Geogrid Products From the People’s Republic of China: Preliminary Determination and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Determination, 81 FR 41292 (June 24, 2016) (‘‘Preliminary Determination’’). 2 On June 30, 2016 the Department received comments submitted by Tensar Corporation in reply to the ministerial allegations of Taian Modern and BOSTD Qingdao. However, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(c)(3), these reply comments were rejected from the record. See Letter from Catherine Bertrand, Program Manager, Office V, ‘‘Certain Biaxial Integral Geogrids Products from the People’s Republic of China: Tensar Corporation’s Ministerial Reply Comments’’ (July 5, 2016). 3 See also 19 CFR 351.224(f). E:\FR\FM\25JYN1.SGM 25JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 142 (Monday, July 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48381-48384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17485]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Repowering 
Assistance Program

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Rural Utilities Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This Notice announces the solicitation of applications for 
funds available under the Repowering Assistance Program to encourage 
the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil 
fuels used to provide process heat or power in the operation of 
eligible biorefineries. To be eligible for payments, biorefineries must 
have been in existence on or before June 18, 2008.

DATES: Applications will be accepted from July 25, 2016 through October 
24,

[[Page 48382]]

2016. Applications received after October 24, 2016, regardless of their 
postmark, will not receive consideration. If the actual deadline falls 
on a weekend or a federally-observed holiday, the deadline is the next 
Federal business day.

ADDRESSES: Applications and forms may be obtained from:
     USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Energy Division, 
Attention: Repowering Assistance Program, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 6901-S, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250-3225.
     Agency Web site: https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/eForms. 
Follow instructions for obtaining the application and forms. 
Application materials can also be obtained from the Agency's Web site. 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/repowering-assistance-program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this 
payment program, please contact Fred Petok, USDA, Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, Energy Division, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 6901-S, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250-3225. Telephone: 202-690-
0784. Email: frederick.petok@wdc.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirements associated with the Section 9004 
Repowering Assistance Program, as covered in this Notice, have been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control 
Number 0570-0066.

Overview

    Federal Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (an agency 
of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the Rural 
Development mission area).
    Solicitation Opportunity Title: Repowering Assistance Program.
    Announcement Type: Notification of Solicitation of Applications.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number. The CFDA 
number for this Notice is 10.866.
    Dates: To receive funding consideration, applications must be 
received in the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Energy 
Division no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 24, 
2016. Any application received after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on 
October 24, 2016, will not compete for funds announced in this Notice.
    Availability of Notice and Rule. This Notice and the interim rule 
for the Repowering Assistance Program are available on the USDA Rural 
Development Web site at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/repowering-assistance-program and at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of this program is to 
provide financial incentives to biorefineries in existence on or before 
June 18, 2008 (the date of the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and 
Energy Act of 2008) to replace the use of fossil fuels used to produce 
heat or power at their facilities by installing new systems that use 
renewable biomass, or to produce new energy from renewable biomass.
    B. Statutory Authority. This Program is authorized under 7 U.S.C. 
8104. Regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A and are 
incorporated by reference.
    C. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this Notice 
are published at 7 CFR 4288.2.
    D. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and award 
applications received in response to this Notice based on the 
provisions found in 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A.

II. Award Information

    A. Available Funds. This Notice is a solicitation for applications 
that will be funded using budget authority provided by the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) and available under current law.
    B. Number of Payments. The number of payments will depend on the 
number of participating biorefineries.
    C. Amount of Payments. The Agency will determine the amount of 
payments to be made to a biorefinery in accordance with its regulations 
at 7 CFR part 4288, subpart A, which take into consideration the 
percentage reduction in fossil fuel used by the biorefinery (including 
the quantity of fossil fuels a renewable biomass system is replacing) 
and the cost and cost-effectiveness of the renewable biomass system.
    D. Payment Limitations. There is no minimum payment amount that an 
individual biorefinery can receive. The maximum amount an individual 
biorefinery can receive under this Notice is 50 percent of total 
eligible project costs up to a maximum of $1 million.
    E. Project Costs. Eligible project costs, in accordance with 7 CFR 
4288.11, will be only for project related construction costs for 
repowering improvements associated with the equipment, installation, 
engineering, design, site plans, associated professional fees, permits 
and financing fees. Any project costs incurred by the applicant prior 
to application for payment assistance under this Notice will be 
ineligible for payment assistance.
    F. Type of Instrument. Payment agreement.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible Applicants. Applicant eligibility requirements are 
found in 7 CFR 4288.10. Among other things, to be eligible for this 
program, an applicant must be a biorefinery that has been in existence 
on or before June 18, 2008, and will utilize renewable biomass to 
replace fossil fuel for repowering the biorefinery.
    B. Ineligible Projects. In accordance with 7 CFR 4288.10(b), a 
project is not eligible under this Notice if it is using feedstocks for 
repowering that are feed grain commodities that received benefits under 
Title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Projects 
that do not score at least 5 points under the 7 CFR 4288.21(b) process, 
the minimum number of points for cost-effectiveness and percentage of 
reduction of fossil fuel used, will be deemed ineligible.

IV. Multiple Submissions

    In accordance with 7 CFR 4288.10(a)(2), corporations and entities 
with more than one biorefinery can submit an application for only one 
of their biorefineries. However, if a corporation or entity has 
multiple biorefineries located at the same location, the entity may 
submit an application that covers such biorefineries provided the heat 
and power used in the multiple biorefineries are centrally produced.

V. Scoring Advice

    A. Cost Effectiveness. To be eligible and meet the minimum scoring 
criteria, the project must have a simple payback period of no more than 
10 years (i.e., must be awarded at least five points for cost-
effectiveness under 7 CFR 4288.21(b)(1)).
    B. Percentage of Reduction of Fossil Fuel Used. To be eligible and 
meet the minimum scoring criteria, the applicant must demonstrate that 
the repowering project has an anticipated annual reduction in fossil 
fuel use of at least 40 percent (i.e., the application must be awarded 
at least five points for percentage of reduction of fossil fuel used 
under 7 CFR 4288.21(b)(2)).

VI. Project Financing

    The applicant must demonstrate that it has sufficient funds or has 
obtained commitments for sufficient funds to complete the repowering 
project, taking

[[Page 48383]]

into account the amount of the payment request in the application.

VII. Application and Submission Information

    A. To Request Applications. Application forms are available from 
the USDA Rural Development State Office, State Energy Coordinator, and 
the Agency Web site found at https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov. Follow 
instructions on the Agency Web site for obtaining the application and 
forms. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/repowering-assistance-program.
    B. Content and Form of Submission. Applicants must submit a signed 
original and one copy of an application containing all the information 
specified in 7 CFR 4288.20(b) and (c).
    C. Submission Dates and Times. Applications to participate in this 
program must be submitted between July 25, 2016 and October 24, 2016. 
Applications received after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time October 24, 
2016, regardless of their postmark, will not be considered by the 
Agency for funding consideration.
    D. Where to Submit. Applications shall be sent to the Repowering 
Assistance Program at 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 6901-S, 
Washington DC, 20150. Please note that regular mail delivery, or 
courier delivery must be coordinated with the Agency in order for the 
proposal to be delivered by the date.

VIII. Application Review and Selection Information

    The Agency will evaluate projects based on the cost, cost-
effectiveness, and capacity of projects to reduce fossil fuels used.
    A. Review. The Agency will review applications submitted under this 
Notice in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.21(a).
    B. Scoring. The Agency will score applications submitted under this 
Notice in accordance with 7 CFR 4288.21(b).
    C. Ranking and Selecting Applications. The Agency will consider the 
score an application has received compared to the scores of other 
applications, with higher scoring applications receiving first 
consideration for payments. Using the application scoring criteria 
point values specified in 7 CFR 4288.21, the Agency will select 
applications for payments.
    D. Availability of Funds. As applications are funded, if 
insufficient funds remain to pay the next highest scoring application, 
the Agency may elect to pay a lower scoring application. Before this 
occurs, the Agency will provide the applicant of the higher scoring 
application the opportunity to reduce the amount of its payment request 
to the amount of funds available. If the applicant agrees to lower its 
payment request, it must certify that the purposes of the project can 
be met, and the Agency must determine the project is feasible at the 
lower amount.

IX. Administration Information

    A. Notice of Eligibility. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.23 apply to 
this Notice. These provisions include notifying an applicant determined 
to be eligible for participation and notifying an applicant determined 
to be ineligible, including their application score and ranking and the 
score necessary to qualify for payments.
    B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
    (1) Review or Appeal Rights. A person may seek a review of an 
Agency adverse decision or appeal to the National Appeals Division as 
provided in 7 CFR 4288.3.
    (2) Compliance With Other Laws and Regulations. The provisions of 7 
CFR 4288.4 apply to this Notice, which includes requiring participating 
biorefineries to be in compliance with other applicable Federal, State, 
and local laws.
    (3) Oversight and Monitoring. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.5(a) and 
(b) apply to this Notice, which includes the right of the Agency to 
verify all payment applications and subsequent payments and the 
requirement that each biorefinery must make available, at one place at 
all reasonable times for examination by the Agency, all books, 
documents, papers, receipts, payroll records, and bills of sale 
adequate to identify the purposes for which, and the manner in which, 
funds were expended for all eligible project costs for a period of not 
less than 3 years from the final payment date.
    (4) Reporting. Upon completion of the repowering project funded 
under this Notice, the biorefinery must submit a report, in accordance 
with 7 CFR 4288.5(c), to the Agency annually for the first 3 years 
after completion of the project. The reports are to be submitted as of 
October 1 of each year.
    (5) Payment Provisions. Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 payments will be made 
according to the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4288.13(b) and (c) and 
in 7 CFR 4288.24.
    (6) Exception Authority. The provisions of 7 CFR 4288.7 apply to 
this Notice.
    (7) Succession and Control of Facilities and Production. The 
provisions of 7 CFR 4288.25 apply to this Notice.
    C. Environmental Review. All recipients under this Notice are 
subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970.

X. Agency Contacts

    For further information about this Notice, please contact Fred 
Petok, USDA, Rural Business--Cooperative Service, Energy Division, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 6868, STOP 3225, Washington, DC 20250-
3225. Telephone: 202-690-0784. Email: frederick.petok@wdc.usda.gov.

XI. Nondiscrimination Statement

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 
against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the 
bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender 
identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, 
marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all 
or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance 
program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any 
program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all 
prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment 
activities.)
    If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of 
discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form 
(PDF), found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-
9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of 
the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint 
form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at 
program.intake@usda.gov.
    Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech 
disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint 
please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 
or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).
    Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, 
please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or 
by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program 
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please 
contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).


[[Page 48384]]


    Dated: July 18, 2016.
Samuel H. Rikkers,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-17485 Filed 7-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
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