Review of DOC Policy in Opportunity Zones, 45946-45949 [2019-18947]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
45946
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 3, 2019 / Notices
• Proposed Draft Standard for Berry
Fruits
• Discussion Paper on glossary terms
used in the layout for Codex
standards for fruits and vegetables
• Other business
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).
Public Meeting
At the September 12, 2019, public
meeting, draft U.S. positions on the
agenda items will be described and
discussed, and attendees will have the
opportunity to pose questions and offer
comments. Written comments may be
offered at the meeting or sent to Mr.
Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate for the
21st Session of the CCFFV (see
ADDRESSES). Written comments should
state that they relate to activities of the
21st Session of the CCFFV.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
important. Consequently, the U.S.
Codex Office will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the
USDA web page located at: https://
www.usda.gov/codex, a link that also
offers an email subscription service
providing access to information related
to Codex. Customers can add or delete
their subscription themselves and have
the option to password protect their
accounts.
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.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
How To File a Complaint of
Discrimination
16:24 Aug 30, 2019
[FR Doc. 2019–18875 Filed 8–30–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION
Sunshine Act Meeting
III. Adjourn Meeting
United States Commission on
Civil Rights.
ACTION: Notice of Commission public
business meeting.
AGENCY:
Friday, September 13, 2019,
12:00 p.m. EDT.
ADDRESSES: Place: National Place
Building, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
11th Floor, Washington, DC 20425.
(Entrance on F Street NW.)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian Walch: (202) 376–8371; TTY:
(202) 376–8116; publicaffairs@
usccr.gov.
DATES:
This
business meeting is open to the public.
There will also be a call-in line for
individuals who desire to listen to the
meeting and presentations: (800) 823–
1563, conference ID 5311767. The
meeting will also live-stream. (Subject
to change.) Persons with disabilities
who need accommodation should
contact Pamela Dunston at (202) 376–
8105 or at access@usccr.gov at least
seven business days before the date of
the meeting.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Meeting Agenda
I. Approval of Agenda
II. Business Meeting
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.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
Done at Washington, DC, on August 21,
2019.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
Jkt 247001
project on subminimum wages for
workers with disabilities
E. Discussion and vote on revised
timeline for Commission’s project
on Title IX, Freedom from Sexual
Harassment, the Department of
Education, and Free Speech on
Campus
F. Management and Operations
• Staff Director’s Report
G. [At 2:00 p.m. EDT] Speaker Series
presentation by Professors Eric
Foner and Thavolia Glymph,
Lessons of the Reconstruction
Period for Today’s Civil Rights
Debates.
A. Presentation by Nebraska Advisory
Committee Chair on the
Committee’s recent statement on
use of Native American Mascots in
Non-Native Public Schools
B. Presentation by Maine Advisory
Committee Chair on the
Committee’s recent report,
Criminalization of People with
Mental Illnesses in Maine
C. Presentation by South Dakota
Advisory Committee Chair on the
Committee’s recent Summary of
Briefings on Subtle Racism in South
Dakota
D. Discussion and vote on discovery
materials for the Commission’s
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Dated: August 29, 2019.
Brian Walch,
Director, Communications and Public
Engagement.
[FR Doc. 2019–19034 Filed 8–29–19; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE 6335–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
Review of DOC Policy in Opportunity
Zones
U.S. Department of Commerce.
Request for information.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Consistent with Executive
Order 13853, ‘‘Establishing the White
House Opportunity and Revitalization
Council,’’ (‘‘The Council’’) (‘‘Executive
Order 13853’’ or ‘‘the Order’’) this
document informs the public that the
U.S. Department of Commerce (‘‘DOC’’
or ‘‘the Department’’) intends to
maximize the beneficial impact of
investment in Opportunity Zones. In
accordance with the implementation
guidance issued by the Council, the
Department has been charged with
leading the Economic Development
subcommittee (‘‘work stream’’) on
Opportunity Zones. To inform that
work, DOC is reviewing economic
development programs policies,
practices, planned actions, regulations,
and guidance across the entire Federal
Government and within its own
programs. Through this notice, DOC
seeks input and recommendations from
the public to help spur economic
development in qualified Opportunity
Zones and other distressed areas across
the country.
DATES: Written comments on this
request for information (‘‘RFI’’) must be
submitted by October 18, 2019.
ADDRESSES: All submissions must refer
to the title above.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM
03SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 3, 2019 / Notices
Comments may be submitted through
any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be
posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential
business information, or otherwise
sensitive information submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be
publicly accessible. DOC will accept
anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in
the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
• Email: regulations@eda.gov.
Include ‘‘Comments on RFI’’ in the
subject line of the message.
• Mail: Office of the Chief Counsel,
Economic Development Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 72023,
Washington, DC 20230. Please indicate
‘‘Comments on DOC’s Request for
Information on Opportunity Zones’’ on
the envelope.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mara Quintero Campbell, Senior
Advisor, Office of Regional Affairs,
Economic Development Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 72023,
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202)
482–5479.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
I. Background on Opportunity Zones
and the White House Opportunity and
Revitalization Council
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Pub.
L. 115–97) created new tax incentives to
encourage the investment of private
capital in projects and activities
intended to catalyze economic
development and job creation in lowincome communities nationwide
designated by governors as
‘‘Opportunity Zones.’’ Opportunity
Zones are low income census tracts
nominated by governors and certified by
the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The Opportunity Zone designation
encourages investment in these certified
census tracts by granting investors
extensive Federal tax advantages for
using their capital gains to finance new
projects and enterprises (or substantially
improve existing projects and
enterprises) located within qualified
Opportunity Zones. For more
information on the Opportunity Zones
tax incentives, please see IRS guidance
found at: https://www.irs.gov/
newsroom/opportunity-zonesfrequently-asked-questions.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:24 Aug 30, 2019
Jkt 247001
There are more than 8,700 Census
tracts designated by a Governor or other
chief administrative official as
Opportunity Zones across all 50 States,
the District of Columbia, and five U.S.
territories. The following are relevant
data and characteristics of the
Opportunity Zones and those who
reside within Opportunity Zones:
• Nearly 35 million Americans live in
communities designated as Opportunity
Zones.
• More than one-in-five of all
Opportunity Zones have a poverty rate
over 40 percent, compared to just over
one-in-eight ‘‘low-income communities’’
(LICs) and one-in-20 Census tracts
nationwide.
• 71 percent of Opportunity Zones
meet the U.S. Treasury Department’s
definition of ‘‘severely distressed.’’ 1
• Life expectancy is on average three
years shorter for Opportunity Zone
residents than it is nationally.
• Approximately 22 percent of
Opportunity Zone adult residents have
not attained a high school diploma,
compared to 13 percent nationally.
The Opportunity and Revitalization
Council
Executive Order 13853 created the
Council with the U.S. Housing and
Urban Development (‘‘HUD’’) Secretary
(or the Secretary’s designee) as the
Chair. Other members of the Council
include: Assistant to the President for
Domestic Policy (Vice-Chair); Secretary
of the Treasury; Attorney General;
Secretary of the Interior; Secretary of
Agriculture; Secretary of Commerce;
Secretary of Labor; Secretary of Health
and Human Services; Secretary of
Transportation; Secretary of Energy;
Secretary of Education; Administrator of
the Environmental Protection Agency;
Director of the Office of Management
and Budget; Administrator of the Small
Business Administration; Assistant to
the President for Economic Policy;
Chairman of the Council of Economic
Advisers; Chairman of the Council on
Environmental Quality; and the heads of
such other agencies, offices, or
independent regulatory agencies as the
Chair may designate or invite.
Executive Order 13853 directs the
Council to:
(a) Assess the actions each Federal
agency can take under existing
authorities to prioritize or focus Federal
investments and programs on urban and
1 ‘‘Severely distressed’’ generally means a poverty
rate of 30 percent or a median family income no
greater than 60 percent of the area benchmark. See
The State of Socioeconomic Need and Community
Change in Opportunity Zones, Economic
Innovation Group (Dec. 2018). https://eig.org/
opportunityzones/communitychange.
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
45947
economically distressed communities,
including qualified Opportunity Zones;
(b) Assess the actions each agency can
take under existing authorities to
minimize all regulatory and
administrative costs and burdens that
discourage public and private
investment in urban and economically
distressed communities, including
qualified Opportunity Zones;
(c) Regularly consult with officials
from State, local, and tribal governments
and individuals from the private sector
to solicit feedback on how best to
stimulate the economic development of
urban and economically distressed
areas, including qualified Opportunity
Zones;
(d) Coordinate Federal interagency
efforts to help ensure that private and
public stakeholders—such as investors;
business owners; institutions of higher
education (including Historically Black
Colleges and Universities, as defined by
50 U.S.C. 3224(g)(2), and tribally
controlled colleges and universities, as
defined by 25 U.S.C. 1801(a)(4)); K–12
education providers; early care and
education providers; human services
agencies; State, local, and tribal leaders;
public housing agencies; non-profit
organizations; and economic
development organizations—can
successfully develop strategies for
economic growth and revitalization;
(e) Recommend policies that would:
(i) Reduce and streamline regulatory
and administrative burdens, including
burdens on applicants applying for
multiple Federal assistance awards; (ii)
Help community-based applicants,
including recipients of investments
from qualified opportunity funds,
identify and apply for relevant Federal
resources; and (iii) Make it easier for
recipients to receive and manage
multiple types of public and private
investments, including by aligning
certain program requirements;
(f) Evaluate the following: (i) Whether
and how agencies can prioritize support
for urban and economically distressed
areas, including qualified Opportunity
Zones, in their grants, financing, and
other assistance; (ii) Appropriate
methods for Federal cooperation with
and support for States, localities, and
tribes that are innovatively and
strategically facilitating economic
growth and inclusion in urban and
economically distressed communities,
including qualified Opportunity Zones,
consistent with preserving State, local,
and tribal control; (iii) Whether and
how to develop an integrated web-based
tool through which entrepreneurs,
investors, and other stakeholders can
see the full range of applicable Federal
financing programs and incentives
E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM
03SEN1
45948
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 3, 2019 / Notices
available to projects located in urban
and economically distressed areas,
including qualified Opportunity Zones;
(iv) Whether and how to consider urban
and economically distressed areas,
including qualified Opportunity Zones,
as possible locations for Federal
buildings, through consultation with the
General Services Administration; (v)
Whether and how Federal technical
assistance, planning, financing tools,
and implementation strategies can be
coordinated across agencies to assist
communities in addressing economic
problems, engaging in comprehensive
planning, and advancing regional
collaboration; and (vi) What data,
metrics, and methodologies can be used
to measure the effectiveness of public
and private investments in urban and
economically distressed communities,
including qualified Opportunity Zones.
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
Economic Development Subcommittee
On April 17, 2019, the Council
published an Implementation Plan,
outlining a detailed work plan
describing how the Council will
accomplish the goals specified in the
Order. The Implementation Plan
established five work streams: Economic
Development, Entrepreneurship, Safe
Neighborhoods, Workforce
Development, and Measurement.
DOC was selected by the Council to
lead the Economic Development work
stream and is supported by: HUD,
Department of Agriculture, Treasury
Department, Department of
Transportation, Department of Health
and Human Services, Council on
Environmental Quality, and the Small
Business Administration. The primary
objective of the Economic Development
work stream is to leverage Federal
grants and loans in a more integrated
way to develop dilapidated properties
and provide basic infrastructure and
financial tools to attract private
investment.
II. Department of Commerce Economic
Development Programs
DOC promotes job creation and
economic growth by ensuring fair and
reciprocal trade, providing the data
necessary to support commerce and
constitutional democracy, and fostering
innovation by setting standards and
conducting foundational research and
development. The Department, through
the Economic Development
Administration (‘‘EDA’’), provides grant
investments in infrastructure
construction, planning, technical
assistance, entrepreneurship and
innovation programs, revolving loan
funds, and other capacity building
investments that are designed to
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:24 Aug 30, 2019
Jkt 247001
leverage existing regional assets to
support the implementation of
economic development strategies. These
strategies facilitate the creation of new
businesses and industries, and the
growth of existing businesses and
industries. EDA programs that are used
to help regions and communities
catalyze investment, innovation and job
creation in distressed areas include:
(1) Public Works: Empowers
distressed communities to revitalize,
expand, and upgrade their physical
infrastructure to attract new industry,
encourage business expansion, diversify
local economies, and generate or retain
long-term, private sector jobs and
investment.
(2) Economic Adjustment Assistance:
Assists state and local interests in
designing and implementing strategies
to adjust or bring about change to an
economy. (The program focuses on areas
that have experienced or are under
threat of serious structural damage to
the underlying economic base. Under
Economic Adjustment, EDA also
administers its Revolving Loan Fund
Program, which supplies small
businesses and entrepreneurs with the
gap financing needed to start or expand
their business.)
(3) Regional Innovation Strategies:
Supports innovation and
entrepreneurship capacity-building
activities by creating and expanding
cluster-focused proof-of-concept and
commercialization programs and earlystage seed capital funds through the i6
Challenge and the Seed Fund Support
Grant competition, respectively.
A full description of EDA’s grant
programs, including programs that
support planning and technical
assistance, can be found at https://
www.eda.gov/programs/eda-programs/.
The Department, through EDA, also
serves as the lead integrator of the
Federal Government’s economic
development resources. The Economic
Development Integration (‘‘EDI’’)
business practice is designed to
facilitate improved coordination and
streamlining of Federal technical
assistance, strategic planning, financing
tools and other project design and
implementation resources. The practice
enhances local and regional capacity for
the comprehensive collaboration and
strategic planning that are necessary to
successfully address economic issues,
including the effective integration of
resources from multiple Federal
agencies, which will be important to the
Opportunity Zone work stream on
Economic Development. More
information on the EDI business
practice can be found at https://eda.gov/
edi.
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The Department’s Minority Business
Development Administration (‘‘MBDA’’)
promotes the growth of minority-owned
businesses through the mobilization and
advancement of public and private
sector programs, policy, and research. A
full description of MBDA’s programs,
including information on its grants and
loan programs, can be found at https://
www.mbda.gov/page/grants-and-loans.
In addition to EDA and MBDA, the
Department supports economic
development through many of its other
Bureaus and Agencies. For example, the
U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of
Economic Analysis provide statistical
data and tools to help encourage private
and public investment throughout the
country. The International Trade
Administration, through SelectUSA,
provides tailored reports to foreign
investors interested in specific
geographic areas including Opportunity
Zones. Finally, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology through its
Hollings Manufacturing Extension
Partnership (‘‘MEP’’) supports publicprivate partnerships that work with
manufacturers to develop new products
and customers, expand and diversify
markets, adopt new technology, and
enhance value within supply chains.
Additional information about these
various DOC bureaus and offices is
available online at https://
www.commerce.gov/.
III. Purpose of This Request for
Information
The Opportunity Zone tax incentive is
a historic and powerful new tool meant
to help bring private capital into
underserved communities. However, as
stated in the Implementation Plan, to
create the conditions for long-term
sustainable economic growth,
economically distressed communities
cannot rely on private capital and tax
incentives alone. Many of these
communities are also in need of public
sector investment and technical
assistance to ensure they develop the
foundations and investment conditions
necessary to support a thriving private
sector. However, too often communities
that attempt to access these catalytic
Federal resources encounter a labyrinth
of distinct rules and regulations,
multiple application and review
processes, and a myriad of burdensome
and duplicative administrative
requirements.
Therefore, the Department seeks
public input on how the Federal
Government can better align its various
economic development programs and
resources so as to encourage and
facilitate beneficial investments in
urban and economically distressed
E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM
03SEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 170 / Tuesday, September 3, 2019 / Notices
khammond on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
communities, including in qualified
Opportunity Zones. The Department
requests information from and the
perspectives of multiple stakeholders
who support economic development in
Opportunity Zones, including State,
local and tribal officials, institutions of
higher education, nonprofits,
philanthropic organizations and other
impact investors, economic
development and other experts in
relevant disciplines, and affected
stakeholders in the private sector.
IV. Specific Information Requested
To assist in Department’s approach to
Opportunity Zones, DOC invites ideas
and information on the following
questions:
1. How can the Federal Government
target and streamline infrastructure
programs in qualified Opportunity
Zones and other economically
distressed communities to create longterm sustainable economic growth?
a. For example, what actions could
DOC agencies and bureaus (EDA,
MBDA, etc.) take under existing
authorities to focus Federal investments
and programs on distressed
communities and regions that include
qualified Opportunity Zones?
2. How can public and/or private
sector recipients leverage Federal grants
and loans in a more integrated way?
a. For example, what policies could
the Federal Government implement that
would make it easier for recipients to
receive and manage multiple types of
public and private investments, such as
through streamlining application
procedures and/or aligning program
requirements?
b. What types of information or tools
(including web-based) would be helpful
for entrepreneurs, investors, and other
stakeholders to facilitate understanding
of applicable Federal programs and
resources to support investments in
Opportunity Zones?
3. How can coordination between
Federal, state, and local capital
investment be improved to maximize
economic development to the benefit of
qualified Opportunity Zones?
a. For example, what policies,
technical assistance, or tools could the
Federal Government provide
communities to attract private
investment and spur economic
development?
b. What additional resources or policy
changes might communities need to
successfully compete for private
investment in rural Opportunity Zones?
4. How can the Federal Government
provide increased statutory and/or
administrative flexibility in existing
Federal programs in qualified
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:24 Aug 30, 2019
Jkt 247001
Opportunity Zones to increase
economic development outcomes?
a. For example, how can Federal
requirements or guidance for regional
economic development planning foster
improved coordination of resources for
infrastructure, workforce development,
housing, and safety in qualified
Opportunity Zones and surrounding
areas?
5. What data would be useful for the
Federal Government to collect to
evaluate the economic development
impact of program investments that are
designed to assist distressed
communities in qualified Opportunity
Zones?
a. What data would be useful for the
government to collect to determine that
increased investment has provided
inclusive opportunities for businesses
and residents of distressed areas,
including in qualified Opportunity
Zones?
b. What data would be useful in
determining that increased private
investment in qualified Opportunities
Zones increased regional
competitiveness, innovation and
resilience?
V. How will this information be used?
The Department aims to use the
information received to help inform
policies and procedures related to
Federal economic development
programs. In particular, the Department
seeks to use information received to
identify administrative flexibilities and
propose legislative changes to improve
coordination and streamlining of
Federal economic programs to spur
private investment in qualified
Opportunity Zones and other
economically distressed areas.
*
*
*
*
*
Dated: August 26, 2019.
John Fleming,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 2019–18947 Filed 8–30–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Antidumping or Countervailing Duty
Order, Finding, or Suspended
Investigation; Opportunity To Request
Administrative Review
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenda E. Brown, Office of AD/CVD
Operations, Customs Liaison Unit,
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
45949
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20230, telephone: (202) 482–4735.
Background
Each year during the anniversary
month of the publication of an
antidumping or countervailing duty
order, finding, or suspended
investigation, an interested party, as
defined in section 771(9) of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), may
request, in accordance with 19 CFR
351.213, that the Department of
Commerce (Commerce) conduct an
administrative review of that
antidumping or countervailing duty
order, finding, or suspended
investigation.
All deadlines for the submission of
comments or actions by Commerce
discussed below refer to the number of
calendar days from the applicable
starting date.
Respondent Selection
In the event Commerce limits the
number of respondents for individual
examination for administrative reviews
initiated pursuant to requests made for
the orders identified below, Commerce
intends to select respondents based on
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) data for U.S. imports during the
period of review. We intend to release
the CBP data under Administrative
Protective Order (APO) to all parties
having an APO within five days of
publication of the initiation notice and
to make our decision regarding
respondent selection within 21 days of
publication of the initiation Federal
Register notice. Therefore, we
encourage all parties interested in
commenting on respondent selection to
submit their APO applications on the
date of publication of the initiation
notice, or as soon thereafter as possible.
Commerce invites comments regarding
the CBP data and respondent selection
within five days of placement of the
CBP data on the record of the review.
In the event Commerce decides it is
necessary to limit individual
examination of respondents and
conduct respondent selection under
section 777A(c)(2) of the Act:
In general, Commerce finds that
determinations concerning whether
particular companies should be
‘‘collapsed’’ (i.e., treated as a single
entity for purposes of calculating
antidumping duty rates) require a
substantial amount of detailed
information and analysis, which often
require follow-up questions and
analysis. Accordingly, Commerce will
E:\FR\FM\03SEN1.SGM
03SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 3, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45946-45949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18947]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
Review of DOC Policy in Opportunity Zones
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Request for information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Consistent with Executive Order 13853, ``Establishing the
White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council,'' (``The Council'')
(``Executive Order 13853'' or ``the Order'') this document informs the
public that the U.S. Department of Commerce (``DOC'' or ``the
Department'') intends to maximize the beneficial impact of investment
in Opportunity Zones. In accordance with the implementation guidance
issued by the Council, the Department has been charged with leading the
Economic Development subcommittee (``work stream'') on Opportunity
Zones. To inform that work, DOC is reviewing economic development
programs policies, practices, planned actions, regulations, and
guidance across the entire Federal Government and within its own
programs. Through this notice, DOC seeks input and recommendations from
the public to help spur economic development in qualified Opportunity
Zones and other distressed areas across the country.
DATES: Written comments on this request for information (``RFI'') must
be submitted by October 18, 2019.
ADDRESSES: All submissions must refer to the title above.
[[Page 45947]]
Comments may be submitted through any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. All comments received
are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public
viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily
by the sender will be publicly accessible. DOC will accept anonymous
comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous).
Email: [email protected]. Include ``Comments on RFI'' in
the subject line of the message.
Mail: Office of the Chief Counsel, Economic Development
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Suite 72023, Washington, DC 20230. Please indicate ``Comments on
DOC's Request for Information on Opportunity Zones'' on the envelope.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mara Quintero Campbell, Senior
Advisor, Office of Regional Affairs, Economic Development
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Suite 72023, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-5479.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background on Opportunity Zones and the White House Opportunity and
Revitalization Council
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 115-97) created new tax
incentives to encourage the investment of private capital in projects
and activities intended to catalyze economic development and job
creation in low-income communities nationwide designated by governors
as ``Opportunity Zones.'' Opportunity Zones are low income census
tracts nominated by governors and certified by the U.S. Department of
the Treasury. The Opportunity Zone designation encourages investment in
these certified census tracts by granting investors extensive Federal
tax advantages for using their capital gains to finance new projects
and enterprises (or substantially improve existing projects and
enterprises) located within qualified Opportunity Zones. For more
information on the Opportunity Zones tax incentives, please see IRS
guidance found at: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/opportunity-zones-frequently-asked-questions.
There are more than 8,700 Census tracts designated by a Governor or
other chief administrative official as Opportunity Zones across all 50
States, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. The
following are relevant data and characteristics of the Opportunity
Zones and those who reside within Opportunity Zones:
Nearly 35 million Americans live in communities designated
as Opportunity Zones.
More than one-in-five of all Opportunity Zones have a
poverty rate over 40 percent, compared to just over one-in-eight ``low-
income communities'' (LICs) and one-in-20 Census tracts nationwide.
71 percent of Opportunity Zones meet the U.S. Treasury
Department's definition of ``severely distressed.'' \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Severely distressed'' generally means a poverty rate of 30
percent or a median family income no greater than 60 percent of the
area benchmark. See The State of Socioeconomic Need and Community
Change in Opportunity Zones, Economic Innovation Group (Dec. 2018).
https://eig.org/opportunityzones/communitychange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Life expectancy is on average three years shorter for
Opportunity Zone residents than it is nationally.
Approximately 22 percent of Opportunity Zone adult
residents have not attained a high school diploma, compared to 13
percent nationally.
The Opportunity and Revitalization Council
Executive Order 13853 created the Council with the U.S. Housing and
Urban Development (``HUD'') Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) as
the Chair. Other members of the Council include: Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy (Vice-Chair); Secretary of the Treasury;
Attorney General; Secretary of the Interior; Secretary of Agriculture;
Secretary of Commerce; Secretary of Labor; Secretary of Health and
Human Services; Secretary of Transportation; Secretary of Energy;
Secretary of Education; Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency; Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Administrator
of the Small Business Administration; Assistant to the President for
Economic Policy; Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers; Chairman
of the Council on Environmental Quality; and the heads of such other
agencies, offices, or independent regulatory agencies as the Chair may
designate or invite.
Executive Order 13853 directs the Council to:
(a) Assess the actions each Federal agency can take under existing
authorities to prioritize or focus Federal investments and programs on
urban and economically distressed communities, including qualified
Opportunity Zones;
(b) Assess the actions each agency can take under existing
authorities to minimize all regulatory and administrative costs and
burdens that discourage public and private investment in urban and
economically distressed communities, including qualified Opportunity
Zones;
(c) Regularly consult with officials from State, local, and tribal
governments and individuals from the private sector to solicit feedback
on how best to stimulate the economic development of urban and
economically distressed areas, including qualified Opportunity Zones;
(d) Coordinate Federal interagency efforts to help ensure that
private and public stakeholders--such as investors; business owners;
institutions of higher education (including Historically Black Colleges
and Universities, as defined by 50 U.S.C. 3224(g)(2), and tribally
controlled colleges and universities, as defined by 25 U.S.C.
1801(a)(4)); K-12 education providers; early care and education
providers; human services agencies; State, local, and tribal leaders;
public housing agencies; non-profit organizations; and economic
development organizations--can successfully develop strategies for
economic growth and revitalization;
(e) Recommend policies that would: (i) Reduce and streamline
regulatory and administrative burdens, including burdens on applicants
applying for multiple Federal assistance awards; (ii) Help community-
based applicants, including recipients of investments from qualified
opportunity funds, identify and apply for relevant Federal resources;
and (iii) Make it easier for recipients to receive and manage multiple
types of public and private investments, including by aligning certain
program requirements;
(f) Evaluate the following: (i) Whether and how agencies can
prioritize support for urban and economically distressed areas,
including qualified Opportunity Zones, in their grants, financing, and
other assistance; (ii) Appropriate methods for Federal cooperation with
and support for States, localities, and tribes that are innovatively
and strategically facilitating economic growth and inclusion in urban
and economically distressed communities, including qualified
Opportunity Zones, consistent with preserving State, local, and tribal
control; (iii) Whether and how to develop an integrated web-based tool
through which entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders can see
the full range of applicable Federal financing programs and incentives
[[Page 45948]]
available to projects located in urban and economically distressed
areas, including qualified Opportunity Zones; (iv) Whether and how to
consider urban and economically distressed areas, including qualified
Opportunity Zones, as possible locations for Federal buildings, through
consultation with the General Services Administration; (v) Whether and
how Federal technical assistance, planning, financing tools, and
implementation strategies can be coordinated across agencies to assist
communities in addressing economic problems, engaging in comprehensive
planning, and advancing regional collaboration; and (vi) What data,
metrics, and methodologies can be used to measure the effectiveness of
public and private investments in urban and economically distressed
communities, including qualified Opportunity Zones.
Economic Development Subcommittee
On April 17, 2019, the Council published an Implementation Plan,
outlining a detailed work plan describing how the Council will
accomplish the goals specified in the Order. The Implementation Plan
established five work streams: Economic Development, Entrepreneurship,
Safe Neighborhoods, Workforce Development, and Measurement.
DOC was selected by the Council to lead the Economic Development
work stream and is supported by: HUD, Department of Agriculture,
Treasury Department, Department of Transportation, Department of Health
and Human Services, Council on Environmental Quality, and the Small
Business Administration. The primary objective of the Economic
Development work stream is to leverage Federal grants and loans in a
more integrated way to develop dilapidated properties and provide basic
infrastructure and financial tools to attract private investment.
II. Department of Commerce Economic Development Programs
DOC promotes job creation and economic growth by ensuring fair and
reciprocal trade, providing the data necessary to support commerce and
constitutional democracy, and fostering innovation by setting standards
and conducting foundational research and development. The Department,
through the Economic Development Administration (``EDA''), provides
grant investments in infrastructure construction, planning, technical
assistance, entrepreneurship and innovation programs, revolving loan
funds, and other capacity building investments that are designed to
leverage existing regional assets to support the implementation of
economic development strategies. These strategies facilitate the
creation of new businesses and industries, and the growth of existing
businesses and industries. EDA programs that are used to help regions
and communities catalyze investment, innovation and job creation in
distressed areas include:
(1) Public Works: Empowers distressed communities to revitalize,
expand, and upgrade their physical infrastructure to attract new
industry, encourage business expansion, diversify local economies, and
generate or retain long-term, private sector jobs and investment.
(2) Economic Adjustment Assistance: Assists state and local
interests in designing and implementing strategies to adjust or bring
about change to an economy. (The program focuses on areas that have
experienced or are under threat of serious structural damage to the
underlying economic base. Under Economic Adjustment, EDA also
administers its Revolving Loan Fund Program, which supplies small
businesses and entrepreneurs with the gap financing needed to start or
expand their business.)
(3) Regional Innovation Strategies: Supports innovation and
entrepreneurship capacity-building activities by creating and expanding
cluster-focused proof-of-concept and commercialization programs and
early-stage seed capital funds through the i6 Challenge and the Seed
Fund Support Grant competition, respectively.
A full description of EDA's grant programs, including programs that
support planning and technical assistance, can be found at https://www.eda.gov/programs/eda-programs/.
The Department, through EDA, also serves as the lead integrator of
the Federal Government's economic development resources. The Economic
Development Integration (``EDI'') business practice is designed to
facilitate improved coordination and streamlining of Federal technical
assistance, strategic planning, financing tools and other project
design and implementation resources. The practice enhances local and
regional capacity for the comprehensive collaboration and strategic
planning that are necessary to successfully address economic issues,
including the effective integration of resources from multiple Federal
agencies, which will be important to the Opportunity Zone work stream
on Economic Development. More information on the EDI business practice
can be found at https://eda.gov/edi.
The Department's Minority Business Development Administration
(``MBDA'') promotes the growth of minority-owned businesses through the
mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs,
policy, and research. A full description of MBDA's programs, including
information on its grants and loan programs, can be found at https://www.mbda.gov/page/grants-and-loans.
In addition to EDA and MBDA, the Department supports economic
development through many of its other Bureaus and Agencies. For
example, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis
provide statistical data and tools to help encourage private and public
investment throughout the country. The International Trade
Administration, through SelectUSA, provides tailored reports to foreign
investors interested in specific geographic areas including Opportunity
Zones. Finally, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
through its Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (``MEP'')
supports public-private partnerships that work with manufacturers to
develop new products and customers, expand and diversify markets, adopt
new technology, and enhance value within supply chains. Additional
information about these various DOC bureaus and offices is available
online at https://www.commerce.gov/.
III. Purpose of This Request for Information
The Opportunity Zone tax incentive is a historic and powerful new
tool meant to help bring private capital into underserved communities.
However, as stated in the Implementation Plan, to create the conditions
for long-term sustainable economic growth, economically distressed
communities cannot rely on private capital and tax incentives alone.
Many of these communities are also in need of public sector investment
and technical assistance to ensure they develop the foundations and
investment conditions necessary to support a thriving private sector.
However, too often communities that attempt to access these catalytic
Federal resources encounter a labyrinth of distinct rules and
regulations, multiple application and review processes, and a myriad of
burdensome and duplicative administrative requirements.
Therefore, the Department seeks public input on how the Federal
Government can better align its various economic development programs
and resources so as to encourage and facilitate beneficial investments
in urban and economically distressed
[[Page 45949]]
communities, including in qualified Opportunity Zones. The Department
requests information from and the perspectives of multiple stakeholders
who support economic development in Opportunity Zones, including State,
local and tribal officials, institutions of higher education,
nonprofits, philanthropic organizations and other impact investors,
economic development and other experts in relevant disciplines, and
affected stakeholders in the private sector.
IV. Specific Information Requested
To assist in Department's approach to Opportunity Zones, DOC
invites ideas and information on the following questions:
1. How can the Federal Government target and streamline
infrastructure programs in qualified Opportunity Zones and other
economically distressed communities to create long-term sustainable
economic growth?
a. For example, what actions could DOC agencies and bureaus (EDA,
MBDA, etc.) take under existing authorities to focus Federal
investments and programs on distressed communities and regions that
include qualified Opportunity Zones?
2. How can public and/or private sector recipients leverage Federal
grants and loans in a more integrated way?
a. For example, what policies could the Federal Government
implement that would make it easier for recipients to receive and
manage multiple types of public and private investments, such as
through streamlining application procedures and/or aligning program
requirements?
b. What types of information or tools (including web-based) would
be helpful for entrepreneurs, investors, and other stakeholders to
facilitate understanding of applicable Federal programs and resources
to support investments in Opportunity Zones?
3. How can coordination between Federal, state, and local capital
investment be improved to maximize economic development to the benefit
of qualified Opportunity Zones?
a. For example, what policies, technical assistance, or tools could
the Federal Government provide communities to attract private
investment and spur economic development?
b. What additional resources or policy changes might communities
need to successfully compete for private investment in rural
Opportunity Zones?
4. How can the Federal Government provide increased statutory and/
or administrative flexibility in existing Federal programs in qualified
Opportunity Zones to increase economic development outcomes?
a. For example, how can Federal requirements or guidance for
regional economic development planning foster improved coordination of
resources for infrastructure, workforce development, housing, and
safety in qualified Opportunity Zones and surrounding areas?
5. What data would be useful for the Federal Government to collect
to evaluate the economic development impact of program investments that
are designed to assist distressed communities in qualified Opportunity
Zones?
a. What data would be useful for the government to collect to
determine that increased investment has provided inclusive
opportunities for businesses and residents of distressed areas,
including in qualified Opportunity Zones?
b. What data would be useful in determining that increased private
investment in qualified Opportunities Zones increased regional
competitiveness, innovation and resilience?
V. How will this information be used?
The Department aims to use the information received to help inform
policies and procedures related to Federal economic development
programs. In particular, the Department seeks to use information
received to identify administrative flexibilities and propose
legislative changes to improve coordination and streamlining of Federal
economic programs to spur private investment in qualified Opportunity
Zones and other economically distressed areas.
* * * * *
Dated: August 26, 2019.
John Fleming,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 2019-18947 Filed 8-30-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-P
