Broadband Pilot (ReConnect) Program, 20240 [2020-07741]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 70 / Friday, April 10, 2020 / Notices
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Done at Washington, DC, on April 6, 2020.
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U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2020–07538 Filed 4–9–20; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Broadband Pilot (ReConnect) Program
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notification.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
On December 12, 2019, the
Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural
Development agency of the United
States Department of Agriculture,
hereinafter referred to as the Agency,
published a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) and solicitation
of applications for the Broadband Pilot
(ReConnect) Program in the Federal
Register. On March 31, 2020, the
Agency published a Notice in the
Federal Register to extend the
application window to April 15, 2020.
This notice supplements the prior
notice of March 31, 2020, and informs
the public that the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act
(CARES Act) provides an additional
$100 million for ReConnect grants to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to
coronavirus.
lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
DATES:
This policy is effective April 10,
2020.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:00 Apr 09, 2020
Jkt 250001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laurel Leverrier, Acting Assistant
Administrator Telecommunications
Program, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
email: laurel.leverrier@wdc.usda.gov,
telephone (202) 720–9554. For general
inquiries regarding the ReConnect
Program Staff at https://www.usda.gov/
reconnect/contact-us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
published a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) and solicitation
of applications in the Federal Register
on Thursday, December 12, 2019 (84 FR
67913), announcing its general policy
and application procedures for funding
under the broadband pilot program
(ReConnect Program) established
pursuant to the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 (which
became law on February 15, 2019). The
ReConnect Program provides loans,
grants, and loan/grant combinations to
facilitate broadband deployment in rural
areas. On Monday, March 30, 2020, the
Agency published a notice in the
Federal Register amending the FOA for
the second round of the ReConnect
Program to inform the public of an
extension of the application window
until April 15, 2020 (85 FR 17530).
Purpose of This Notice
On March 27, 2020, President Trump
signed into law the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act
(CARES Act). Section 11004 of the
CARES Act provides an additional
$100,000,000 for grants under the
ReConnect Program to prevent, prepare
for, and respond to the coronavirus. The
additional funding remains available
until September 30, 2021. The Agency
will establish a set-aside for the $100
million for priority processing for
applicants that submitted a 100% grant
application during the first round of
funding. For the application to be
eligible for priority processing, the
round one application must have been
unsuccessful due to there being limited
access to broadband in the proposed
service area. Applicants are required to
reapply during the second round of
funding, which closes on April 15,
2020. The application must be for the
same service area proposed by the
applicant in the first round of funding
to receive the prioritization, and the
application must meet all other
eligibility requirements. Applications
already submitted during the second
round of funding that meet these
requirements will receive the priority
consideration. The CARES Act also
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
requires that at least 90 percent of the
households to be served by a project
receiving a grant shall be in a rural area
without sufficient access to broadband.
The CARES Act defines a rural area
without sufficient access to broadband
as 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps
upstream. This definition will be
reevaluated and redefined, as necessary,
on an annual basis by the Secretary of
Agriculture. In accordance with the
CARES Act, an entity to which a grant
is made under the ReConnect Program
shall not use a grant to overbuild or
duplicate broadband expansion efforts
made by any entity that has received a
broadband loan from the Agency.
Chad Rupe,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–07741 Filed 4–8–20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE P
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E:\FR\FM\10APN1.SGM
10APN1
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[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 70 (Friday, April 10, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 20240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07741]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Broadband Pilot (ReConnect) Program
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notification.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On December 12, 2019, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a
Rural Development agency of the United States Department of
Agriculture, hereinafter referred to as the Agency, published a Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and solicitation of applications for the
Broadband Pilot (ReConnect) Program in the Federal Register. On March
31, 2020, the Agency published a Notice in the Federal Register to
extend the application window to April 15, 2020. This notice
supplements the prior notice of March 31, 2020, and informs the public
that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)
provides an additional $100 million for ReConnect grants to prevent,
prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.
DATES: This policy is effective April 10, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurel Leverrier, Acting Assistant
Administrator Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA), email: [email protected],
telephone (202) 720-9554. For general inquiries regarding the ReConnect
Program Staff at https://www.usda.gov/reconnect/contact-us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) published a Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) and solicitation of applications in the Federal
Register on Thursday, December 12, 2019 (84 FR 67913), announcing its
general policy and application procedures for funding under the
broadband pilot program (ReConnect Program) established pursuant to the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (which became law on February 15,
2019). The ReConnect Program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant
combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. On
Monday, March 30, 2020, the Agency published a notice in the Federal
Register amending the FOA for the second round of the ReConnect Program
to inform the public of an extension of the application window until
April 15, 2020 (85 FR 17530).
Purpose of This Notice
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus
Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Section 11004 of
the CARES Act provides an additional $100,000,000 for grants under the
ReConnect Program to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the
coronavirus. The additional funding remains available until September
30, 2021. The Agency will establish a set-aside for the $100 million
for priority processing for applicants that submitted a 100% grant
application during the first round of funding. For the application to
be eligible for priority processing, the round one application must
have been unsuccessful due to there being limited access to broadband
in the proposed service area. Applicants are required to reapply during
the second round of funding, which closes on April 15, 2020. The
application must be for the same service area proposed by the applicant
in the first round of funding to receive the prioritization, and the
application must meet all other eligibility requirements. Applications
already submitted during the second round of funding that meet these
requirements will receive the priority consideration. The CARES Act
also requires that at least 90 percent of the households to be served
by a project receiving a grant shall be in a rural area without
sufficient access to broadband. The CARES Act defines a rural area
without sufficient access to broadband as 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps
upstream. This definition will be reevaluated and redefined, as
necessary, on an annual basis by the Secretary of Agriculture. In
accordance with the CARES Act, an entity to which a grant is made under
the ReConnect Program shall not use a grant to overbuild or duplicate
broadband expansion efforts made by any entity that has received a
broadband loan from the Agency.
Chad Rupe,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07741 Filed 4-8-20; 4:15 pm]
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