Broadband Pilot Program-ReConnect Program, 5981-5983 [2019-03163]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 37 / Monday, February 25, 2019 / Notices
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the
USDA shall, on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, or political
beliefs, exclude from participation in,
deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United
States under any program or activity
conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of
Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which
may be accessed online at https://
www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_
12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
or your authorized representative. Send
your completed complaint form or letter
to USDA by mail, fax, or email.
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410.
Fax: (202) 690–7442, Email:
program.intake@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC, on February 5,
2019.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2019–03176 Filed 2–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Information Collection Activity;
Comment Request
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice for request and
comments.
AGENCY:
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 approval from the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) will be requested.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by April 26, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas P. Dickson, Regulatory Division
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SUMMARY:
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Jkt 247001
Team 2, Rural Development Innovation
Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop
1522, Washington, DC 20250. Phone:
202–690–4492. Cell: 202–689–9521.
Thomas.Dickson@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office
of Management and Budget’s (OMB)
regulation (5 CFR 1320) implementing
provisions of the 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: Comments
may be sent to Thomas P. Dickson,
Regulatory Division Team 2, Rural
Development Innovation Center, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Stop 1522,
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: 202–
690–4492. Cell: 202–689–9521.
Thomas.Dickson@usda.gov.
Title: Request for Release of Lien and/
or Approval of Sale, RUS Form 793.
OMB Control Number: 0572–0041.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS) makes mortgage loans and loan
guarantees to electric and
telecommunications systems to provide
and improve electric and
telecommunications service in rural
areas pursuant to the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, as amended
(7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) (RE Act). All
current and future capital assets of RUS
borrowers are ordinarily mortgaged or
pledged to the Federal Government as
security for RUS loans. Assets include
tangible and intangible utility plant,
non-utility property, construction in
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Fmt 4703
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5981
progress, and materials, supplies, and
equipment normally used in a
telecommunications system. The RE Act
and the various security instruments,
e.g., the RUS mortgage, limit the rights
of a RUS borrower to dispose of capital
assets.
The RUS Form 793, Request for
Release of Lien and/or Approval of Sale,
allows telecommunications program
borrowers to seek agency permission to
sell some of its assets. The form collects
detailed information regarding the
proposed sale of a portion of the
borrower’s system. RUS
telecommunications borrowers fill out
the form to request RUS approval in
order to sell capital assets.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 2.75 hours per
response.
Respondents: Business or other forprofit; not-for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
40.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 110.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from MaryPat Daskal,
Regulatory Team 2, Rural Development
Innovation Center, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW, Stop 1522, Washington, DC 20250.
Telephone: (202) 720–7853. Email:
MaryPat Daskal@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: February 14, 2019.
Bette B. Brand,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–03162 Filed 2–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Broadband Pilot Program—ReConnect
Program
Rural Utilities Service,
Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Establishment of application
deadlines, and clarification
AGENCY:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS) announced its general policy and
application procedures for funding
under the eConnectivity Pilot Program
(ReConnect Program) on December 14,
2018, in the Federal Register. The
Reconnect Program will provide loans,
grants, and loan/grant combinations to
SUMMARY:
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5982
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 37 / Monday, February 25, 2019 / Notices
facilitate broadband deployment in rural
areas. In facilitating the expansion of
broadband services and infrastructure,
ReConnect will fuel long-term rural
economic development and
opportunities in rural America. The
awards made under this program will
bring high speed broadband to the farms
which will allow them to increase
productivity. This Notice amends the
original application window closing
dates that were published in the
December 14, 2018, Federal Register
Notice and provides the anticipated date
that the opening application window
will be announced.
DATES: In March 2019, the Agency will
announce the date that applications will
start being accepted through https://
reconnect.usda.gov. Please note there
are three funding categories with each
category having different application
windows (as referenced in Section II of
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). Please
refer to the specific funding category for
the appropriate application deadline.
ADDRESSES: The application system for
electronic submissions will be available
at https://reconnect.usda.gov.
Electronic submissions: Electronic
submissions of applications will allow
for the expeditious review of an
Applicant’s proposal. As a result, all
Applicants must file their application
electronically.
For
general inquiries, contact Chad Parker,
Assistant Administrator
Telecommunications Program, Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), email:
chad.parker@wdc.usda.gov, telephone
(202) 720–9554. You may obtain
additional information regarding
applications at https://
reconnect.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This solicitation is issued
pursuant to the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018, Public Law
115–141, and the Rural Electrification
Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities
Service, USDA.
Funding Opportunity Title: Rural
eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect
Program).
Announcement Type: Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and
solicitation of applications.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: Rural
eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect
Program)—10.752.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:22 Feb 22, 2019
Jkt 247001
I. Background
On March 23, 2018, Congress passed
the Consolidated Appropriations Act
2018 (the FY2018 Appropriations),
which established a broadband loan and
grant pilot program, the Rural
eConnectivity Pilot Program (hereinafter
the ReConnect Program). One of the
essential goals of the ReConnect
Program is to expand broadband service
to rural areas without sufficient access
to broadband, defined as 10 megabits
per second (Mbps) downstream and 1
Mbps upstream. For this purpose,
Congress provided RUS with $600
million and expanded its existing
authority to make loans and grants.
On December 14, 2018, RUS
published a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) and solicitation
of applications in the Federal Register
at 83 FR 64315. The FOA provided the
policy and application procedures for
the ReConnect Program. As announced
in the FOA, the agency is publishing
this notice to provide the final
application windows for the ReConnect
Program.
II. Funding Categories and Application
Submission Dates
A. Funding Categories
1. 100 Percent Loan
Applications will be accepted on a
rolling basis through July 12, 2019. In
the event two loan applications are
received for the same proposed funded
service area, the application to arrive
first will be considered first.
B. Available Funds
1. General
Approximately $600,000,000 in
funding has been set aside for funding
opportunities under this FOA.
2. Funding Limits
Award amounts under this FOA will
be limited as follows:
a. 100 Percent Loan. Up to
$200,000,000 is available for loans. The
maximum amount that can be requested
in an application is $50,000,000.
b. 50 Percent Loan—50 Percent Grant.
Up to $200,000,000 is available for loan/
grant combinations. The maximum
amount that can be requested in an
application is $25,000,000 for the loan
and $25,000,000 for the grant. Loan and
grant amounts will always be equal.
c. 100 Percent Grant. Up to
$200,000,000 is available for grants. The
maximum amount that can be requested
in an application is $25,000,000.
d. Reserve. Additional budget
authority is available for a reserve,
which may be used for loans or grants
under this FOA, or may be included in
additional FOAs. The agency reserves
the right to increase funding utilizing
the application queue under this FOA
should additional appropriations
become available for the same purposes.
3. Repooling
RUS retains the discretion to divert
funds from one funding category to
another.
4. Award Period
2. 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant
Combination
Applications will be accepted through
June 21, 2019. Notwithstanding
overlapping applications, generally all
eligible applications will be scored and
the applications with the highest score
will receive an award offer until all
funds are expended for this category.
Scoring criteria was established in the
Federal Register Funding Opportunity
Announcement on December 14, 2018,
and can also be found on the website
https://reconnect.usda.gov.
Awards can be made until all funds
have been expended in any given
funding category. While the completion
time will vary depending on the
complexity of the project, award
recipients must complete construction
of their projects within 5 years from the
date funds are first made available.
3. 100 Percent Grant
Applications will be accepted through
May 31, 2019. Notwithstanding
overlapping applications, generally all
eligible applications will be scored and
the applications with the highest score
will receive an award offer until all
funds are expended for this category.
Scoring criteria was established in the
Federal Register Funding Opportunity
Announcement on December 14, 2018,
and can also be found on the website
https://reconnect.usda.gov.
To be eligible for an award,
applications must meet all the
requirements contained in FOA that
opened the ReConnect Program which
was published in the Federal Register
on December 14, 2018, at 83 FR 64315.
Information can also be found at https://
reconnect.usda.gov.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
5. Type of Funding Instrument
The funding instruments will be
grants, loans, and loan/grant
combinations.
III. Program Requirements
IV. Program Clarification
This Announcement clarifies that the
appropriate State official referenced in
Section VII(a)(9) of the FOA, included
E:\FR\FM\25FEN1.SGM
25FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 37 / Monday, February 25, 2019 / Notices
for reference below, is the Governor of
the State. Certifications from anyone
other than the Governor will not be
accepted and the associated points will
not be awarded.
Section VII(a)(9) State Broadband
Activity (20 points)
For projects that are in a State that has
a broadband plan that has been updated
within five years of the date of
publication the Federal Register
Funding Opportunity Announcement
published on December 14, 2018, 10
points will be awarded. An additional 5
points will be awarded for projects
located in states that do not restrict
utilities from delivering broadband
service, and 5 more points for projects
located in states that expedite right-ofway and environmental permitting
requirements.
In order to receive these points related
to State government actions, each
application will be required to submit
evidence from the appropriate State
official that a broadband plan is up-todate and available on a public website,
that there are no restrictions on utilities
participating in the provision of
broadband service, and that procedures
are in place for expediting
administrative activities for completing
right-of-way and environmental
permitting requirements that can be
executed for the project if necessary, in
order to meet the Agency’s project
build-out timelines. If service is
proposed in multiple states, then
evidence must be submitted from each
state to get the appropriate points.
Dated: February 19, 2019.
Bette B. Brand,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–03163 Filed 2–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meetings of the New
York Advisory Committee
Commission on Civil Rights.
Announcement of meetings.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that a meeting of the New York
Advisory Committee to the Commission
will convene by conference call at 12:00
p.m. (EST) on: Friday, March 8, 2019.
The purpose of the meeting is to
approve a proposal for a topic for
committee study.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:22 Feb 22, 2019
Jkt 247001
Friday, March 8, 2019 at 12:00
p.m. EST.
Public Call-In Information:
Conference call-in number: 1–877–260–
1479 and conference ID# 8798729.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Barreras, at dbarreras@usccr.gov
or by phone at 312–353–8311.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested
members of the public may listen to the
discussion by calling the following tollfree conference call-in number: 1–877–
260–1479 and conference ID# 8798729.
Please be advised that before placing
them into the conference call, the
conference call operator will ask callers
to provide their names, their
organizational affiliations (if any), and
email addresses (so that callers may be
notified of future meetings). Callers can
expect to incur charges for calls they
initiate over wireless lines, and the
Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
conference call-in number.
Persons with hearing impairments
may also follow the discussion by first
calling the Federal Relay Service at 1–
800–977–8339 and providing the
operator with the toll-free conference
call-in number: 1–877–260–1479 and
conference ID# 8798729.
Members of the public are invited to
make statements during the open
comment period of the meetings or
submit written comments. The
comments must be received in the
regional office approximately 30 days
after each scheduled meeting. Written
comments may be mailed to the
Midwest Regional Office, U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights, 230 S
Dearborn Street, Suite 2120, Chicago, IL
60604, faxed to (312) 353–8324, or
emailed to David Barreras at dbarreras@
usccr.gov. Persons who desire
additional information may contact the
Midwest Regional Office at (312) 353–
8311.
Records and documents discussed
during the meeting will be available for
public viewing as they become available
at https://database.faca.gov/committee/
meetings.aspx?cid=265; click the
‘‘Meeting Details’’ and ‘‘Documents’’
links. Records generated from this
meeting may also be inspected and
reproduced at the Eastern Regional
Office, as they become available, both
before and after the meetings. Persons
interested in the work of this advisory
committee are advised to go to the
Commission’s website, www.usccr.gov,
or to contact the Midwest Regional
Office at the above phone numbers,
email or street address.
DATES:
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5983
Agenda
Friday, March 8, 2019
• Open—Roll Call
• Discussion of Education Funding
Proposal & Committee Vote
• Open Comment
• Adjourn
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2019–03159 Filed 2–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the
Missouri Advisory Committee to
Discuss Civil Rights Topics in the
State
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission) and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act that
the Missouri Advisory Committee
(Committee) will hold a meeting on
Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 2:00
p.m. (Central) for the purpose
discussing civil rights topics in the
state.
SUMMARY:
The meeting will be held on
Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 2:00
p.m. (Central).
Public Call Information: Dial: 800–
667–5617, Conference ID: 5310270.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Barreras, DFO, at dbarreras@
usccr.gov or 312–353–8311.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members
of the public can listen to the
discussion. This meeting is available to
the public through the following tollfree call-in number: 800–667–5617,
conference ID: 5310270. Any interested
member of the public may call this
number and listen to the meeting. An
open comment period will be provided
to allow members of the public to make
a statement as time allows. The
conference call operator will ask callers
to identify themselves, the organization
they are affiliated with (if any), and an
email address prior to placing callers
into the conference room. Callers can
expect to incur regular charges for calls
they initiate over wireless lines,
according to their wireless plan. The
Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
telephone number. Persons with hearing
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\25FEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 37 (Monday, February 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5981-5983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03163]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Broadband Pilot Program--ReConnect Program
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Establishment of application deadlines, and clarification
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced its general policy
and application procedures for funding under the eConnectivity Pilot
Program (ReConnect Program) on December 14, 2018, in the Federal
Register. The Reconnect Program will provide loans, grants, and loan/
grant combinations to
[[Page 5982]]
facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the
expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, ReConnect will fuel
long-term rural economic development and opportunities in rural
America. The awards made under this program will bring high speed
broadband to the farms which will allow them to increase productivity.
This Notice amends the original application window closing dates that
were published in the December 14, 2018, Federal Register Notice and
provides the anticipated date that the opening application window will
be announced.
DATES: In March 2019, the Agency will announce the date that
applications will start being accepted through https://reconnect.usda.gov. Please note there are three funding categories with
each category having different application windows (as referenced in
Section II of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION). Please refer to the specific
funding category for the appropriate application deadline.
ADDRESSES: The application system for electronic submissions will be
available at https://reconnect.usda.gov.
Electronic submissions: Electronic submissions of applications will
allow for the expeditious review of an Applicant's proposal. As a
result, all Applicants must file their application electronically.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general inquiries, contact Chad
Parker, Assistant Administrator Telecommunications Program, Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), email:
chad.parker@wdc.usda.gov, telephone (202) 720-9554. You may obtain
additional information regarding applications at https://reconnect.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This solicitation is issued pursuant to the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018, Public Law 115-141, and the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Funding Opportunity Title: Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program
(ReConnect Program).
Announcement Type: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and
solicitation of applications.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: Rural
eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect Program)--10.752.
I. Background
On March 23, 2018, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations
Act 2018 (the FY2018 Appropriations), which established a broadband
loan and grant pilot program, the Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program
(hereinafter the ReConnect Program). One of the essential goals of the
ReConnect Program is to expand broadband service to rural areas without
sufficient access to broadband, defined as 10 megabits per second
(Mbps) downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. For this purpose, Congress
provided RUS with $600 million and expanded its existing authority to
make loans and grants.
On December 14, 2018, RUS published a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) and solicitation of applications in the Federal
Register at 83 FR 64315. The FOA provided the policy and application
procedures for the ReConnect Program. As announced in the FOA, the
agency is publishing this notice to provide the final application
windows for the ReConnect Program.
II. Funding Categories and Application Submission Dates
A. Funding Categories
1. 100 Percent Loan
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through July 12,
2019. In the event two loan applications are received for the same
proposed funded service area, the application to arrive first will be
considered first.
2. 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant Combination
Applications will be accepted through June 21, 2019.
Notwithstanding overlapping applications, generally all eligible
applications will be scored and the applications with the highest score
will receive an award offer until all funds are expended for this
category. Scoring criteria was established in the Federal Register
Funding Opportunity Announcement on December 14, 2018, and can also be
found on the website https://reconnect.usda.gov.
3. 100 Percent Grant
Applications will be accepted through May 31, 2019. Notwithstanding
overlapping applications, generally all eligible applications will be
scored and the applications with the highest score will receive an
award offer until all funds are expended for this category. Scoring
criteria was established in the Federal Register Funding Opportunity
Announcement on December 14, 2018, and can also be found on the website
https://reconnect.usda.gov.
B. Available Funds
1. General
Approximately $600,000,000 in funding has been set aside for
funding opportunities under this FOA.
2. Funding Limits
Award amounts under this FOA will be limited as follows:
a. 100 Percent Loan. Up to $200,000,000 is available for loans. The
maximum amount that can be requested in an application is $50,000,000.
b. 50 Percent Loan--50 Percent Grant. Up to $200,000,000 is
available for loan/grant combinations. The maximum amount that can be
requested in an application is $25,000,000 for the loan and $25,000,000
for the grant. Loan and grant amounts will always be equal.
c. 100 Percent Grant. Up to $200,000,000 is available for grants.
The maximum amount that can be requested in an application is
$25,000,000.
d. Reserve. Additional budget authority is available for a reserve,
which may be used for loans or grants under this FOA, or may be
included in additional FOAs. The agency reserves the right to increase
funding utilizing the application queue under this FOA should
additional appropriations become available for the same purposes.
3. Repooling
RUS retains the discretion to divert funds from one funding
category to another.
4. Award Period
Awards can be made until all funds have been expended in any given
funding category. While the completion time will vary depending on the
complexity of the project, award recipients must complete construction
of their projects within 5 years from the date funds are first made
available.
5. Type of Funding Instrument
The funding instruments will be grants, loans, and loan/grant
combinations.
III. Program Requirements
To be eligible for an award, applications must meet all the
requirements contained in FOA that opened the ReConnect Program which
was published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2018, at 83 FR
64315. Information can also be found at https://reconnect.usda.gov.
IV. Program Clarification
This Announcement clarifies that the appropriate State official
referenced in Section VII(a)(9) of the FOA, included
[[Page 5983]]
for reference below, is the Governor of the State. Certifications from
anyone other than the Governor will not be accepted and the associated
points will not be awarded.
Section VII(a)(9) State Broadband Activity (20 points)
For projects that are in a State that has a broadband plan that has
been updated within five years of the date of publication the Federal
Register Funding Opportunity Announcement published on December 14,
2018, 10 points will be awarded. An additional 5 points will be awarded
for projects located in states that do not restrict utilities from
delivering broadband service, and 5 more points for projects located in
states that expedite right-of-way and environmental permitting
requirements.
In order to receive these points related to State government
actions, each application will be required to submit evidence from the
appropriate State official that a broadband plan is up-to-date and
available on a public website, that there are no restrictions on
utilities participating in the provision of broadband service, and that
procedures are in place for expediting administrative activities for
completing right-of-way and environmental permitting requirements that
can be executed for the project if necessary, in order to meet the
Agency's project build-out timelines. If service is proposed in
multiple states, then evidence must be submitted from each state to get
the appropriate points.
Dated: February 19, 2019.
Bette B. Brand,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-03163 Filed 2-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P