Business Loan Program Temporary Changes; Paycheck Protection Program-Revisions to First Interim Final Rule, 36308-36312 [2020-12909]
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36308
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 116 / Tuesday, June 16, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
revising the TN Americas LLC
NUHOMS® EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage
System listing within the ‘‘List of
approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to
include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate
of Compliance No. 1042. Amendment
No. 1 makes the following changes:
Adds a new basket type (Type 4) to
allow for the loading of intact, damaged,
or failed fuel; adds another new basket
type (Type 5); accepts fuel assemblies
with a minimum two-year cooling time,
in selected locations within the basket;
and adds the NUHOMS® MATRIX
design as an alternative to the EOS
horizontal storage module design for the
storage of spent fuel. Amendment No. 1
also makes other additional revisions to
the certificate of compliance and the
technical specifications for consistency
and clarity.
DATES:
Effective date: The effective date of
June 17, 2020, for the direct final rule
published April 3, 2020 (85 FR 18857),
is confirmed.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2019–0224 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information for this action. You may
obtain publicly-available information
related to this action by any of the
following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Website: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2019–0224. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individuals listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. To begin the search, select
‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.’’ For
problems with ADAMS, please contact
the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR)
reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–
415–4737, or by email to pdr.resource@
nrc.gov. The proposed amendment to
the certificate, the proposed changes to
the technical specifications, and
preliminary safety evaluation report are
available in ADAMS under Accession
No. ML19290H600. The final
amendment to the certificate, final
changes to the technical specifications,
and final safety evaluation report can
also be viewed in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML20136A048.
• Attention: The Public Document
Room (PDR), where you may examine
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and order copies of public documents,
is currently closed. You may submit
your request to the PDR via email at
PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1–800–
397–4209 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00
p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christian Jacobs, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards;
telephone: 301–415–6825; email:
Christian.Jacobs@nrc.gov or Nicole
Fields, Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards, telephone: 630–829–
9570; email: Nichole.Fields@nrc.gov.
Both are staff of the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April
3, 2020 (85 FR 18857), the NRC
published a direct final rule amending
its regulations in part 72 of title 10 of
the Code of Federal Regulations by
revising the TN Americas LLC
NUHOMS® EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage
System listing within the ‘‘List of
approved spent fuel storage casks’’ to
include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate
of Compliance No. 1042. Amendment
No. 1 makes the following changes:
Adds a new basket type (Type 4) to
allow for the loading of intact, damaged,
or failed fuel; adds another new basket
type (Type 5); accepts fuel assemblies
with a minimum two-year cooling time,
in selected locations within the basket;
and adds the NUHOMS® MATRIX
design as an alternative to the EOS
horizontal storage module design for the
storage of spent fuel. Amendment No. 1
also makes other additional revisions to
the certificate of compliance and the
technical specifications for consistency
and clarity.
In the direct final rule published on
April 3, 2020, the NRC stated that if no
significant adverse comments were
received, the direct final rule would
become effective on June 17, 2020. The
NRC received and docketed two
comments on the companion proposed
rule (85 FR 18876; April 3, 2020).
Electronic copies of these comments can
be obtained from the Federal
Rulemaking website https://
www.regulations.gov under Docket ID
NRC–2019–0224, and are also available
in ADAMS under Accession Nos.
ML20118C707 and ML20126G364.
The NRC evaluated the comments
against the criteria described in the
direct final rule and determined that
they were not significant and adverse.
Specifically, the comments were outside
the scope of this rulemaking, did not
oppose the rule, or did not propose a
change to the rule, such that the rule
would be ineffective or unacceptable
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without incorporation of the change.
Therefore, the direct final rule will
become effective as scheduled.
Dated: May 26, 2020.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cindy K. Bladey,
Chief, Regulatory Analysis and Rulemaking
Support Branch, Division of Rulemaking,
Environmental, and Financial Support, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2020–11691 Filed 6–15–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
13 CFR Part 120
[Docket No. SBA–2020–0035]
RIN 3245–AH49
Business Loan Program Temporary
Changes; Paycheck Protection
Program—Revisions to First Interim
Final Rule
U.S. Small Business
Administration.
ACTION: Interim final rule.
AGENCY:
On April 2, 2020, the U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
posted on its website an interim final
rule relating to the implementation of
sections 1102 and 1106 of the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security Act (CARES Act or the Act)
(published in the Federal Register on
April 15, 2020). Section 1102 of the Act
temporarily adds a new product, titled
the ‘‘Paycheck Protection Program,’’ to
the U.S. Small Business
Administration’s (SBA’s) 7(a) Loan
Program. Subsequently, SBA issued a
number of interim final rules
implementing the Paycheck Protection
Program. On June 5, 2020, the Paycheck
Protection Program Flexibility Act of
2020 (Flexibility Act) was signed into
law, amending the CARES Act. This
interim final rule revises SBA’s interim
final rule published in the Federal
Register on April 15, 2020, by changing
key provisions, such as the loan
maturity, deferral of loan payments, and
forgiveness provisions, to conform to
the Flexibility Act. SBA also is making
conforming amendments to the use of
PPP loan proceeds for consistency with
amendments made in the Flexibility
Act. Several of these amendments are
retroactive to the date of enactment of
the CARES Act, as required by section
3(d) of the Flexibility Act.
DATES:
Effective Dates: The provisions in this
interim final rule related to loan
forgiveness and deferral periods for PPP
SUMMARY:
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loans are effective March 27, 2020. The
provision in this interim final rule
relating to the maturity date of PPP
loans is effective June 5, 2020. The
remaining provisions in this interim
final rule are effective June 12, 2020.
Comment Date: Comments must be
received on or before July 16, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by number SBA–2020–0035,
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal:
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
SBA will post all comments on
www.regulations.gov. If you wish to
submit confidential business
information (CBI) as defined in the User
Notice at www.regulations.gov, please
send an email to ppp-ifr@sba.gov.
Highlight the information that you
consider to be CBI and explain why you
believe SBA should hold this
information as confidential. SBA will
review the information and make the
final determination whether it will
publish the information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A
Call Center Representative at 833–572–
0502, or the local SBA Field Office; the
list of offices can be found at https://
www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/
districtoffices.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background Information
On March 13, 2020, President Trump
declared the ongoing Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic of
sufficient severity and magnitude to
warrant an emergency declaration for all
states, territories, and the District of
Columbia. With the COVID–19
emergency, many small businesses
nationwide are experiencing economic
hardship as a direct result of the
Federal, State, and local public health
measures that are being taken to
minimize the public’s exposure to the
virus. These measures, some of which
are government-mandated, have been
implemented nationwide and include
the closures of restaurants, bars, and
gyms. In addition, based on the advice
of public health officials, other
measures, such as keeping a safe
distance from others or even stay-athome orders, have been implemented,
resulting in a dramatic decrease in
economic activity as the public avoids
malls, retail stores, and other
businesses.
On March 27, 2020, the President
signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security Act (the CARES Act
or the Act) (Pub. L. 116–136) to provide
emergency assistance and health care
response for individuals, families, and
businesses affected by the coronavirus
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pandemic. The Small Business
Administration (SBA) received funding
and authority through the Act to modify
existing loan programs and establish a
new loan program to assist small
businesses nationwide adversely
impacted by the COVID–19 emergency.
Section 1102 of the Act temporarily
permits SBA to guarantee 100 percent of
7(a) loans under a new program titled
the ‘‘Paycheck Protection Program.’’
Section 1106 of the Act provides for
forgiveness of up to the full principal
amount of qualifying loans guaranteed
under the Paycheck Protection Program.
A more detailed discussion of sections
1102 and 1106 of the Act is found in
section III below.
On April 24, 2020, the President
signed the Paycheck Protection Program
and Health Care Enhancement Act (Pub.
L. 116–139), which provided additional
funding and authority for the PPP. On
June 5, 2020, the President signed the
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility
Act of 2020 (Flexibility Act) (Pub. L.
116–142), which changes key provisions
of the Paycheck Protection Program,
including provisions relating to the
maturity of PPP loans, the deferral of
PPP loan payments, and the forgiveness
of PPP loans. Section 3(d) of the
Flexibility Act provides that the
amendments relating to PPP loan
forgiveness and extension of the deferral
period for PPP loans shall be effective
as if included in the CARES Act, which
means that they are retroactive to March
27, 2020. Section 2 of the Flexibility Act
provides that the amendment relating to
the extension of the maturity date for
PPP loans shall take effect on the date
of enactment (June 5, 2020). Under the
Flexibility Act, the extension of the
maturity date for PPP loans is applicable
to PPP loans made on or after that date,
and lenders and borrowers may
mutually agree to modify PPP loans
made before such date to reflect the
longer maturity.
II. Comments and Retroactive/
Immediate Effective Date
This interim final rule is effective
without advance notice and public
comment because section 1114 of the
CARES Act authorizes SBA to issue
regulations to implement Title I of the
Act without regard to notice
requirements. In addition, SBA has
determined that there is good cause for
dispensing with advance public notice
and comment on the grounds that that
it would be contrary to the public
interest. Specifically, advance public
notice and comment would defeat the
purpose of this interim final rule given
that SBA’s authority to guarantee PPP
loans expires on June 30, 2020, and that
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many PPP borrowers can now apply for
loan forgiveness following the end of
their eight-week covered period.
Providing borrowers and lenders with
certainty on both loan requirements and
loan forgiveness requirements following
the enactment of the Flexibility Act will
enhance the ability of lenders to make
loans and process loan forgiveness
applications, particularly in light of the
fact that most of the Flexibility Act’s
provisions are retroactive to March 27,
2020. Specifically, small businesses that
have yet to apply for and receive a PPP
loan need to be informed of the terms
of PPP loans as soon as possible,
because the last day on which a lender
can obtain an SBA loan number for a
PPP loan is June 30, 2020. Borrowers
who already have applied for and
received a PPP loan need certainty
regarding how loan proceeds must be
used during the covered period, as
amended by the Flexibility Act, so that
they can maximize the amount of loan
forgiveness. These same reasons provide
good cause for SBA to dispense with the
30-day delayed effective date provided
in the Administrative Procedure Act.
Although this interim final rule is
effective on or before date of filing,
comments are solicited from interested
members of the public on all aspects of
the interim final rule, including section
III below. These comments must be
submitted on or before July 16, 2020.
The SBA will consider these comments,
comments received on the interim final
rule posted on SBA’s website April 2,
2020 (the First Interim Final Rule) and
published in the Federal Register on
April 15, 2020, and the need for making
any revisions as a result of these
comments.
III. Paycheck Protection Program—
Revisions to First Interim Final Rule
(85 FR 20811)
Overview
The CARES Act was enacted to
provide immediate assistance to
individuals, families, and businesses
affected by the COVID–19 emergency.
Among the provisions contained in the
CARES Act are provisions authorizing
SBA to temporarily guarantee loans
under a new 7(a) loan program titled the
‘‘Paycheck Protection Program.’’ Loans
guaranteed under the Paycheck
Protection Program (PPP) will be 100
percent guaranteed by SBA, and the full
principal amount of the loans may
qualify for loan forgiveness. The
Flexibility Act amends the CARES Act
and amends provisions relating to loan
terms and loan forgiveness. The purpose
of this interim final rule is to make
changes to the First Interim Final Rule,
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posted on SBA’s website on April 2,
2020, and published in the Federal
Register on April 15, 2020 (85 FR
20811). The First Interim Final Rule, as
amended by this interim final rule,
should be interpreted consistent with
the frequently asked questions (FAQs)
regarding the PPP that are posted on
SBA’s website 1 and the other interim
final rules issued regarding the PPP.2
1. Changes to the First Interim Final
Rule
a. Covered Period for PPP Loans
Section 3(a) of the Flexibility Act
amended the definition of ‘‘covered
period’’ for a PPP loan from ‘‘the period
beginning on February 15, 2020 and
ending on June 30, 2020’’ to ‘‘the period
beginning on February 15, 2020 and
ending on December 31, 2020.’’
Therefore, Part III.2.g.iii. of the First
Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20813)
is revised by striking ‘‘June 30, 2020’’
and replacing it with ‘‘December 31,
2020’’. Section 3(d) of the Flexibility
Act provides that this amendment shall
be effective as if included in the CARES
Act, which was signed into law on
March 27, 2020.
This amendment by the Flexibility
Act applies to the definition of ‘‘covered
period’’ that appears in section 1102 of
the CARES Act, governing loan use,
loan eligibility, and related
requirements. It does not alter the
meaning of ‘‘covered period’’ that
appears in section 1106 of the CARES
Act governing loan forgiveness, which is
addressed by a different provision of the
Flexibility Act.
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b. Maturity Date for PPP Loans
Section 2(a) of the Flexibility Act
amended the CARES Act to provide a
minimum maturity of five years for all
PPP loans made on or after the date of
enactment of the Flexibility Act.
Therefore, Part III.2.j. of the First
Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20813)
is revised to read as follows:
j. What will be the maturity date on
a PPP loan?
For loans made before June 5, 2020,
the maturity is two years; however,
borrowers and lenders may mutually
agree to extend the maturity of such
loans to five years. For loans made on
or after June 5, the maturity is five years.
Section 2 of the Paycheck Protection
Program Flexibility Act of 2020
(Flexibility Act) amended the CARES
Act to provide a minimum maturity of
1 See https://www.sba.gov/document/support-faq-lenders-borrowers.
2 See https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/
loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheckprotection-program.
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5 years for all PPP loans made on or
after its enactment. The Administrator,
in consultation with the Secretary,
determined that the date SBA assigns a
loan number to the PPP loan provides
an efficient, transparent, and auditable
means of determining when a PPP loan
is ‘‘made’’ that provides certainty to
lenders. While the CARES Act provides
that a loan will have a maximum
maturity of up to ten years from the date
the borrower applies for loan
forgiveness, the Administrator, in
consultation with the Secretary,
determined that a five-year loan term is
sufficient in light of the temporary
economic dislocations caused by the
coronavirus. Specifically, the
considerable economic disruption
caused by the coronavirus is expected to
abate well before the five-year maturity
date such that borrowers will be able to
resume business operations and pay off
any outstanding balances on their PPP
loans.
c. Deferral Period for PPP Loans
Section 3(c) of the Flexibility Act
extended the deferral period on PPP
loans. Therefore, Part III.2.n. of the First
Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20813)
is revised to read as follows:
n. When will I have to begin paying
principal and interest on my PPP loan?
If you submit to your lender a loan
forgiveness application within 10
months after the end of your loan
forgiveness covered period, you will not
have to make any payments of principal
or interest on your loan before the date
on which SBA remits the loan
forgiveness amount on your loan to your
lender (or notifies your lender that no
loan forgiveness is allowed).
Your ‘‘loan forgiveness covered
period’’ is the 24-week period beginning
on the date your PPP loan is disbursed;
however, if your PPP loan was made
before June 5, 2020, you may elect to
have your loan forgiveness covered
period be the eight-week period
beginning on the date your PPP loan
was disbursed.3 Your lender must notify
you of remittance by SBA of the loan
forgiveness amount (or notify you that
SBA determined that no loan
forgiveness is allowed) and the date
your first payment is due. Interest
continues to accrue during the
deferment period.
If you do not submit to your lender a
loan forgiveness application within 10
months after the end of your loan
forgiveness covered period, you must
begin paying principal and interest after
3 Under section 3(b)(1) of the Flexibility Act, the
loan forgiveness covered period of any borrower
will end no later than December 31, 2020.
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that period. For example, if a borrower’s
PPP loan is disbursed on June 25, 2020,
the 24-week period ends on December
10, 2020. If the borrower does not
submit a loan forgiveness application to
its lender by October 10, 2021, the
borrower must begin making payments
on or after October 10, 2021.
d. Loan Forgiveness
Section 3(b) of the Flexibility Act
amended the requirements concerning
forgiveness of PPP loans to reduce the
amount of PPP loan proceeds that must
be used for payroll costs in order to be
forgivable, and the law also created a
new exemption for borrowers to avoid a
reduction in loan forgiveness amount
when they have a reduction in full-time
equivalent employees. While the
Flexibility Act provides that a borrower
shall use at least 60 percent of the PPP
loan for payroll costs to receive loan
forgiveness, the Administrator, in
consultation with the Secretary,
interprets this requirement as a
proportional limit on nonpayroll costs
as a share of the borrower’s loan
forgiveness amount, rather than as a
threshold for receiving any loan
forgiveness. This interpretation is
consistent with the new safe harbor in
the Flexibility Act. The new safe harbor
provides that if a borrower is unable to
rehire previously employed individuals
or similarly qualified employees, the
borrower will not have its loan
forgiveness amount reduced based on
the reduction in full-time equivalent
employees. It would be incongruous to
interpret the Flexibility Act’s 60 percent
requirement as a threshold for receiving
any loan forgiveness, because in some
cases it would directly conflict with the
flexibility provided by the new safe
harbor. Further, the 60 percent
requirement in the Flexibility Act was
enacted against the backdrop of SBA’s
existing rules governing the PPP, which
Congress was aware of and which
provided for proportional reductions in
loan forgiveness for borrowers that used
less than 75% of their loan amount
during the eight-week covered period
for payroll costs. In addition, this
interpretation of the 60 percent
requirement under the Flexibility Act is
most consistent with Congress’s purpose
in that legislation—namely, to increase
the flexibility provided to borrowers
related to PPP loan forgiveness.
In addition, as noted in paragraph d.
above, in seeking loan forgiveness, an
eligible borrower whose loan was made
before June 5, 2020 may elect to apply
the original eight-week covered period
under the CARES Act instead of the 24week covered period referenced above.
See Flexibility Act, section 3(b)(3).
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SBA will be issuing revisions to its
interim final rules on loan forgiveness
and loan review procedures to address
amendments the Flexibility Act made to
the loan forgiveness requirements. SBA
will also be issuing additional guidance
on advance purchases of PPP loans,
which will include any effect of the
amendments made to the loan
forgiveness requirements. For the
reasons described above, Part III.2.o. of
the First Interim Final Rule (85 FR
20811, 20813) is revised to read as
follows:
o. Can my PPP loan be forgiven in
whole or in part?
Yes. The amount of loan forgiveness
can be up to the full principal amount
of the loan and any accrued interest. An
eligible borrower will not be responsible
for any loan payment if the borrower
uses all of the loan proceeds for
forgivable purposes as described below
and employee and compensation levels
are maintained or, if not, an applicable
safe harbor applies. The actual amount
of loan forgiveness will depend, in part,
on the total amount of payroll costs,
payments of interest on mortgage
obligations incurred before February 15,
2020, rent payments on leases dated
before February 15, 2020, and utility
payments for service that began before
February 15, 2020, over the loan
forgiveness covered period. However, to
receive full loan forgiveness, a borrower
must use at least 60 percent of the PPP
loan for payroll costs, and not more than
40 percent of the loan forgiveness
amount may be attributable to
nonpayroll costs. For example, if a
borrower uses 59 percent of its PPP loan
for payroll costs, it will not receive the
full amount of loan forgiveness it might
otherwise be eligible to receive. Instead,
the borrower will receive partial loan
forgiveness, based on the requirement
that 60 percent of the forgiveness
amount must be attributable to payroll
costs. For example, if a borrower
receives a $100,000 PPP loan, and
during the covered period the borrower
spends $54,000 (or 54 percent) of its
loan on payroll costs, then because the
borrower used less than 60 percent of its
loan on payroll costs, the maximum
amount of loan forgiveness the borrower
may receive is $90,000 (with $54,000 in
payroll costs constituting 60 percent of
the forgiveness amount and $36,000 in
nonpayroll costs constituting 40 percent
of the forgiveness amount).
e. Use of PPP Loan Proceeds
For consistency with the amendments
made in the Flexibility Act regarding
the percentage of loan proceeds that
must be used for payroll costs in order
to be forgiven, discussed in paragraph
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2.e. above, Part III.2.r. of the First
Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20814)
is revised to read as follows:
r. How can PPP loans be used?
The proceeds of a PPP loan are to be
used for:
i. payroll costs (as defined in the Act
and in 2.f.);
ii. costs related to the continuation of
group health care benefits during
periods of paid sick, medical, or family
leave, and insurance premiums;
iii. mortgage interest payments (but
not mortgage prepayments or principal
payments);
iv. rent payments;
v. utility payments;
vi. interest payments on any other
debt obligations that were incurred
before February 15, 2020; and/or
vii. refinancing an SBA EIDL loan
made between January 31, 2020 and
April 3, 2020. If you received an SBA
EIDL loan from January 31, 2020
through April 3, 2020, you can apply for
a PPP loan. If your EIDL loan was not
used for payroll costs, it does not affect
your eligibility for a PPP loan. If your
EIDL loan was used for payroll costs,
your PPP loan must be used to refinance
your EIDL loan. Proceeds from any
advance up to $10,000 on the EIDL loan
will be deducted from the loan
forgiveness amount on the PPP loan.
At least 60 percent of the PPP loan
proceeds shall be used for payroll costs.
For purposes of determining the
percentage of use of proceeds for payroll
costs, the amount of any EIDL
refinanced will be included. For
purposes of loan forgiveness, however,
the borrower will have to document the
proceeds used for payroll costs in order
to determine the amount of forgiveness.
While the Act provides that PPP loan
proceeds may be used for the purposes
listed above and for other allowable
uses described in section 7(a) of the
Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(a)),
the Administrator believes that finite
appropriations and the structure of the
Act warrant a requirement that
borrowers use a substantial portion of
the loan proceeds for payroll costs,
consistent with Congress’ overarching
goal of keeping workers paid and
employed. This percentage is consistent
with the limitation on the forgiveness
amount set forth in the Flexibility Act.
This limitation on use of the loan funds
will help to ensure that the finite
appropriations available for these loans
are directed toward payroll protection,
as each loan that is issued depletes the
appropriation, regardless of whether
portions of the loan are later forgiven.
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36311
f. Borrower Certifications
For consistency with the changes
discussed in paragraphs 2.e. and f.
above, Parts III.2.t.iii., iv., and v. of the
First Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811,
20814) are revised to read as follows:
t. What certifications need to be
made?
*
*
*
*
*
iii. The funds will be used to retain
workers and maintain payroll or make
mortgage interest payments, lease
payments, and utility payments; I
understand that if the funds are
knowingly used for unauthorized
purposes, the Federal Government may
hold me legally liable such as for
charges of fraud. As explained above,
not more than 40 percent of loan
proceeds may be used for nonpayroll
costs.
iv. Documentation verifying the
number of full-time equivalent
employees on payroll as well as the
dollar amounts of payroll costs, covered
mortgage interest payments, covered
rent payments, and covered utilities for
the loan forgiveness covered period for
the loan will be provided to the lender.
v. Loan forgiveness will be provided
for the sum of documented payroll
costs, covered mortgage interest
payments, covered rent payments, and
covered utility payments. As explained
above, not more than 40 percent of the
forgiven amount may be used for
nonpayroll costs.
*
*
*
*
*
2. Additional Information
SBA may provide further guidance, if
needed, through SBA notices which will
be posted on SBA’s website at
www.sba.gov. Questions on the
Paycheck Protection Program may be
directed to the Lender Relations
Specialist in the local SBA Field Office.
The local SBA Field Office may be
found at https://www.sba.gov/tools/
local-assistance/districtoffices.
Compliance With Executive Orders
12866, 12988, 13132, 13563, and 13771,
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
U.S.C. Ch. 35), and the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601–612)
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and
13771
This interim final rule is
economically significant for the
purposes of Executive Orders 12866 and
13563, and is considered a major rule
under the Congressional Review Act.
SBA, however, is proceeding under the
emergency provision at Executive Order
12866 Section 6(a)(3)(D) based on the
need to move expeditiously to mitigate
the current economic conditions arising
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 116 / Tuesday, June 16, 2020 / Rules and Regulations
from the COVID–19 emergency. This
rule’s designation under Executive
Order 13771 will be informed by public
comment.
This rule is necessary to implement
Sections 1102 and 1106 of the CARES
Act and the Flexibility Act in order to
provide economic relief to small
businesses nationwide adversely
impacted under the COVID–19
Emergency Declaration. We anticipate
that this rule will result in substantial
benefits to small businesses, their
employees, and the communities they
serve. However, we lack data to estimate
the effects of this rule.
Executive Order 12988
SBA has drafted this rule, to the
extent practicable, in accordance with
the standards set forth in section 3(a)
and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, to
minimize litigation, eliminate
ambiguity, and reduce burden. The rule
has no preemptive effect but does have
a limited retroactive effect consistent
with section 3(d) of the Flexibility Act.
Executive Order 13132
SBA has determined that this rule
will not have substantial direct effects
on the States, on the relationship
between the National Government and
the States, or on the distribution of
power and responsibilities among the
various layers of government. Therefore,
SBA has determined that this rule has
no federalism implications warranting
preparation of a federalism assessment.
lotter on DSK30NT082PROD with RULES
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35
SBA has determined that this rule
will modify existing recordkeeping or
reporting requirements under the
Paperwork Reduction Act. The
amendments to the PPP made by the
Flexibility Act and implemented in this
interim final rule will require
conforming revisions to the PPP
Borrower Application Form (SBA Form
2483), the PPP Lender Application Form
(SBA Form 2484), and the PPP Loan
Forgiveness Application (SBA Form
3508). SBA will submit the modified
forms to OMB for approval as a
modification to the existing PPP
information collection. This information
collection is currently approved as an
emergency request under OMB Control
Number 3245–0407 until October 31,
2020.
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
generally requires that when an agency
issues a proposed rule, or a final rule
pursuant to section 553(b) of the APA or
another law, the agency must prepare a
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:22 Jun 15, 2020
Jkt 250001
regulatory flexibility analysis that meets
the requirements of the RFA and
publish such analysis in the Federal
Register. 5 U.S.C. 603, 604. Specifically,
the RFA normally requires agencies to
describe the impact of a rulemaking on
small entities by providing a regulatory
impact analysis. Such analysis must
address the consideration of regulatory
options that would lessen the economic
effect of the rule on small entities. The
RFA defines a ‘‘small entity’’ as (1) a
proprietary firm meeting the size
standards of the Small Business
Administration (SBA); (2) a nonprofit
organization that is not dominant in its
field; or (3) a small government
jurisdiction with a population of less
than 50,000. 5 U.S.C. 601(3)–(6). Except
for such small government jurisdictions,
neither State nor local governments are
‘‘small entities.’’ Similarly, for purposes
of the RFA, individual persons are not
small entities.
The requirement to conduct a
regulatory impact analysis does not
apply if the head of the agency ‘‘certifies
that the rule will not, if promulgated,
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.’’
5 U.S.C. 605(b). The agency must,
however, publish the certification in the
Federal Register at the time of
publication of the rule, ‘‘along with a
statement providing the factual basis for
such certification.’’ If the agency head
has not waived the requirements for a
regulatory flexibility analysis in
accordance with the RFA’s waiver
provision, and no other RFA exception
applies, the agency must prepare the
regulatory flexibility analysis and
publish it in the Federal Register at the
time of promulgation or, if the rule is
promulgated in response to an
emergency that makes timely
compliance impracticable, within 180
days of publication of the final rule. 5
U.S.C. 604(a), 608(b).
Rules that are exempt from notice and
comment are also exempt from the RFA
requirements, including conducting a
regulatory flexibility analysis, when
among other things the agency for good
cause finds that notice and public
procedure are impracticable,
unnecessary, or contrary to the public
interest. Small Business
Administration’s Office of Advocacy
guide: How to Comply with the
Regulatory Flexibility Ac. Ch.1. p.9.
Accordingly, SBA is not required to
conduct a regulatory flexibility analysis.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36); Paycheck
Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020,
Pub. L. 116–142; Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. 116–136,
Section 1114.
Jovita Carranza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020–12909 Filed 6–12–20; 11:15 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2020–0466; Project
Identifier MCAI–2020–00504–A; Amendment
39–21143; AD 2020–12–08]
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Embraer S.A.
(Type Certificate Previously Held by
Empresa Brasileira de Aerona´utica
S.A.) Airplanes
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The FAA is superseding
airworthiness directive (AD) 2011–20–
01 for certain Empresa Brasileira de
Aerona´utica S.A. (now Embraer S.A.)
Model EMB–505 airplanes. AD 2011–
20–01 required replacing the bolts that
attach the balance mass weights to the
elevator structure. This AD requires
inspections of the mass-balance weights
of the elevators, ailerons, and rudder
(flight control surfaces) and their
attachment parts and corrective actions
if necessary, and revising the
airworthiness limitation section of the
existing maintenance manual or
instructions for continued airworthiness
to incorporate new airworthiness
limitations. This AD also adds airplanes
to the applicability. This AD was
prompted by reports of corrosion in the
mass-balance weights of the flight
control surfaces, and a determination
that new airworthiness limitations are
necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD
to address the unsafe condition on these
products.
DATES: This AD is effective July 1, 2020.
The Director of the Federal Register
approved the incorporation by reference
of a certain publication listed in this AD
as of July 1, 2020.
The FAA must receive any comments
on this AD by July 31, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments,
using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\16JNR1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36308-36312]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12909]
=======================================================================
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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
13 CFR Part 120
[Docket No. SBA-2020-0035]
RIN 3245-AH49
Business Loan Program Temporary Changes; Paycheck Protection
Program--Revisions to First Interim Final Rule
AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.
ACTION: Interim final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
posted on its website an interim final rule relating to the
implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act) (published in
the Federal Register on April 15, 2020). Section 1102 of the Act
temporarily adds a new product, titled the ``Paycheck Protection
Program,'' to the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA's) 7(a)
Loan Program. Subsequently, SBA issued a number of interim final rules
implementing the Paycheck Protection Program. On June 5, 2020, the
Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (Flexibility Act)
was signed into law, amending the CARES Act. This interim final rule
revises SBA's interim final rule published in the Federal Register on
April 15, 2020, by changing key provisions, such as the loan maturity,
deferral of loan payments, and forgiveness provisions, to conform to
the Flexibility Act. SBA also is making conforming amendments to the
use of PPP loan proceeds for consistency with amendments made in the
Flexibility Act. Several of these amendments are retroactive to the
date of enactment of the CARES Act, as required by section 3(d) of the
Flexibility Act.
DATES:
Effective Dates: The provisions in this interim final rule related
to loan forgiveness and deferral periods for PPP
[[Page 36309]]
loans are effective March 27, 2020. The provision in this interim final
rule relating to the maturity date of PPP loans is effective June 5,
2020. The remaining provisions in this interim final rule are effective
June 12, 2020.
Comment Date: Comments must be received on or before July 16, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by number SBA-2020-0035,
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
SBA will post all comments on www.regulations.gov. If you wish to
submit confidential business information (CBI) as defined in the User
Notice at www.regulations.gov, please send an email to [email protected].
Highlight the information that you consider to be CBI and explain why
you believe SBA should hold this information as confidential. SBA will
review the information and make the final determination whether it will
publish the information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A Call Center Representative at 833-
572-0502, or the local SBA Field Office; the list of offices can be
found at https://www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/districtoffices.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background Information
On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared the ongoing Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of sufficient severity and magnitude
to warrant an emergency declaration for all states, territories, and
the District of Columbia. With the COVID-19 emergency, many small
businesses nationwide are experiencing economic hardship as a direct
result of the Federal, State, and local public health measures that are
being taken to minimize the public's exposure to the virus. These
measures, some of which are government-mandated, have been implemented
nationwide and include the closures of restaurants, bars, and gyms. In
addition, based on the advice of public health officials, other
measures, such as keeping a safe distance from others or even stay-at-
home orders, have been implemented, resulting in a dramatic decrease in
economic activity as the public avoids malls, retail stores, and other
businesses.
On March 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act or the Act) (Pub. L.
116-136) to provide emergency assistance and health care response for
individuals, families, and businesses affected by the coronavirus
pandemic. The Small Business Administration (SBA) received funding and
authority through the Act to modify existing loan programs and
establish a new loan program to assist small businesses nationwide
adversely impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.
Section 1102 of the Act temporarily permits SBA to guarantee 100
percent of 7(a) loans under a new program titled the ``Paycheck
Protection Program.'' Section 1106 of the Act provides for forgiveness
of up to the full principal amount of qualifying loans guaranteed under
the Paycheck Protection Program. A more detailed discussion of sections
1102 and 1106 of the Act is found in section III below.
On April 24, 2020, the President signed the Paycheck Protection
Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 116-139), which
provided additional funding and authority for the PPP. On June 5, 2020,
the President signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of
2020 (Flexibility Act) (Pub. L. 116-142), which changes key provisions
of the Paycheck Protection Program, including provisions relating to
the maturity of PPP loans, the deferral of PPP loan payments, and the
forgiveness of PPP loans. Section 3(d) of the Flexibility Act provides
that the amendments relating to PPP loan forgiveness and extension of
the deferral period for PPP loans shall be effective as if included in
the CARES Act, which means that they are retroactive to March 27, 2020.
Section 2 of the Flexibility Act provides that the amendment relating
to the extension of the maturity date for PPP loans shall take effect
on the date of enactment (June 5, 2020). Under the Flexibility Act, the
extension of the maturity date for PPP loans is applicable to PPP loans
made on or after that date, and lenders and borrowers may mutually
agree to modify PPP loans made before such date to reflect the longer
maturity.
II. Comments and Retroactive/Immediate Effective Date
This interim final rule is effective without advance notice and
public comment because section 1114 of the CARES Act authorizes SBA to
issue regulations to implement Title I of the Act without regard to
notice requirements. In addition, SBA has determined that there is good
cause for dispensing with advance public notice and comment on the
grounds that that it would be contrary to the public interest.
Specifically, advance public notice and comment would defeat the
purpose of this interim final rule given that SBA's authority to
guarantee PPP loans expires on June 30, 2020, and that many PPP
borrowers can now apply for loan forgiveness following the end of their
eight-week covered period. Providing borrowers and lenders with
certainty on both loan requirements and loan forgiveness requirements
following the enactment of the Flexibility Act will enhance the ability
of lenders to make loans and process loan forgiveness applications,
particularly in light of the fact that most of the Flexibility Act's
provisions are retroactive to March 27, 2020. Specifically, small
businesses that have yet to apply for and receive a PPP loan need to be
informed of the terms of PPP loans as soon as possible, because the
last day on which a lender can obtain an SBA loan number for a PPP loan
is June 30, 2020. Borrowers who already have applied for and received a
PPP loan need certainty regarding how loan proceeds must be used during
the covered period, as amended by the Flexibility Act, so that they can
maximize the amount of loan forgiveness. These same reasons provide
good cause for SBA to dispense with the 30-day delayed effective date
provided in the Administrative Procedure Act. Although this interim
final rule is effective on or before date of filing, comments are
solicited from interested members of the public on all aspects of the
interim final rule, including section III below. These comments must be
submitted on or before July 16, 2020. The SBA will consider these
comments, comments received on the interim final rule posted on SBA's
website April 2, 2020 (the First Interim Final Rule) and published in
the Federal Register on April 15, 2020, and the need for making any
revisions as a result of these comments.
III. Paycheck Protection Program--Revisions to First Interim Final Rule
(85 FR 20811)
Overview
The CARES Act was enacted to provide immediate assistance to
individuals, families, and businesses affected by the COVID-19
emergency. Among the provisions contained in the CARES Act are
provisions authorizing SBA to temporarily guarantee loans under a new
7(a) loan program titled the ``Paycheck Protection Program.'' Loans
guaranteed under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will be 100
percent guaranteed by SBA, and the full principal amount of the loans
may qualify for loan forgiveness. The Flexibility Act amends the CARES
Act and amends provisions relating to loan terms and loan forgiveness.
The purpose of this interim final rule is to make changes to the First
Interim Final Rule,
[[Page 36310]]
posted on SBA's website on April 2, 2020, and published in the Federal
Register on April 15, 2020 (85 FR 20811). The First Interim Final Rule,
as amended by this interim final rule, should be interpreted consistent
with the frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the PPP that are
posted on SBA's website \1\ and the other interim final rules issued
regarding the PPP.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See https://www.sba.gov/document/support--faq-lenders-borrowers.
\2\ See https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Changes to the First Interim Final Rule
a. Covered Period for PPP Loans
Section 3(a) of the Flexibility Act amended the definition of
``covered period'' for a PPP loan from ``the period beginning on
February 15, 2020 and ending on June 30, 2020'' to ``the period
beginning on February 15, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2020.''
Therefore, Part III.2.g.iii. of the First Interim Final Rule (85 FR
20811, 20813) is revised by striking ``June 30, 2020'' and replacing it
with ``December 31, 2020''. Section 3(d) of the Flexibility Act
provides that this amendment shall be effective as if included in the
CARES Act, which was signed into law on March 27, 2020.
This amendment by the Flexibility Act applies to the definition of
``covered period'' that appears in section 1102 of the CARES Act,
governing loan use, loan eligibility, and related requirements. It does
not alter the meaning of ``covered period'' that appears in section
1106 of the CARES Act governing loan forgiveness, which is addressed by
a different provision of the Flexibility Act.
b. Maturity Date for PPP Loans
Section 2(a) of the Flexibility Act amended the CARES Act to
provide a minimum maturity of five years for all PPP loans made on or
after the date of enactment of the Flexibility Act. Therefore, Part
III.2.j. of the First Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20813) is
revised to read as follows:
j. What will be the maturity date on a PPP loan?
For loans made before June 5, 2020, the maturity is two years;
however, borrowers and lenders may mutually agree to extend the
maturity of such loans to five years. For loans made on or after June
5, the maturity is five years.
Section 2 of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of
2020 (Flexibility Act) amended the CARES Act to provide a minimum
maturity of 5 years for all PPP loans made on or after its enactment.
The Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary, determined that
the date SBA assigns a loan number to the PPP loan provides an
efficient, transparent, and auditable means of determining when a PPP
loan is ``made'' that provides certainty to lenders. While the CARES
Act provides that a loan will have a maximum maturity of up to ten
years from the date the borrower applies for loan forgiveness, the
Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary, determined that a
five-year loan term is sufficient in light of the temporary economic
dislocations caused by the coronavirus. Specifically, the considerable
economic disruption caused by the coronavirus is expected to abate well
before the five-year maturity date such that borrowers will be able to
resume business operations and pay off any outstanding balances on
their PPP loans.
c. Deferral Period for PPP Loans
Section 3(c) of the Flexibility Act extended the deferral period on
PPP loans. Therefore, Part III.2.n. of the First Interim Final Rule (85
FR 20811, 20813) is revised to read as follows:
n. When will I have to begin paying principal and interest on my
PPP loan?
If you submit to your lender a loan forgiveness application within
10 months after the end of your loan forgiveness covered period, you
will not have to make any payments of principal or interest on your
loan before the date on which SBA remits the loan forgiveness amount on
your loan to your lender (or notifies your lender that no loan
forgiveness is allowed).
Your ``loan forgiveness covered period'' is the 24-week period
beginning on the date your PPP loan is disbursed; however, if your PPP
loan was made before June 5, 2020, you may elect to have your loan
forgiveness covered period be the eight-week period beginning on the
date your PPP loan was disbursed.\3\ Your lender must notify you of
remittance by SBA of the loan forgiveness amount (or notify you that
SBA determined that no loan forgiveness is allowed) and the date your
first payment is due. Interest continues to accrue during the deferment
period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Under section 3(b)(1) of the Flexibility Act, the loan
forgiveness covered period of any borrower will end no later than
December 31, 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you do not submit to your lender a loan forgiveness application
within 10 months after the end of your loan forgiveness covered period,
you must begin paying principal and interest after that period. For
example, if a borrower's PPP loan is disbursed on June 25, 2020, the
24-week period ends on December 10, 2020. If the borrower does not
submit a loan forgiveness application to its lender by October 10,
2021, the borrower must begin making payments on or after October 10,
2021.
d. Loan Forgiveness
Section 3(b) of the Flexibility Act amended the requirements
concerning forgiveness of PPP loans to reduce the amount of PPP loan
proceeds that must be used for payroll costs in order to be forgivable,
and the law also created a new exemption for borrowers to avoid a
reduction in loan forgiveness amount when they have a reduction in
full-time equivalent employees. While the Flexibility Act provides that
a borrower shall use at least 60 percent of the PPP loan for payroll
costs to receive loan forgiveness, the Administrator, in consultation
with the Secretary, interprets this requirement as a proportional limit
on nonpayroll costs as a share of the borrower's loan forgiveness
amount, rather than as a threshold for receiving any loan forgiveness.
This interpretation is consistent with the new safe harbor in the
Flexibility Act. The new safe harbor provides that if a borrower is
unable to rehire previously employed individuals or similarly qualified
employees, the borrower will not have its loan forgiveness amount
reduced based on the reduction in full-time equivalent employees. It
would be incongruous to interpret the Flexibility Act's 60 percent
requirement as a threshold for receiving any loan forgiveness, because
in some cases it would directly conflict with the flexibility provided
by the new safe harbor. Further, the 60 percent requirement in the
Flexibility Act was enacted against the backdrop of SBA's existing
rules governing the PPP, which Congress was aware of and which provided
for proportional reductions in loan forgiveness for borrowers that used
less than 75% of their loan amount during the eight-week covered period
for payroll costs. In addition, this interpretation of the 60 percent
requirement under the Flexibility Act is most consistent with
Congress's purpose in that legislation--namely, to increase the
flexibility provided to borrowers related to PPP loan forgiveness.
In addition, as noted in paragraph d. above, in seeking loan
forgiveness, an eligible borrower whose loan was made before June 5,
2020 may elect to apply the original eight-week covered period under
the CARES Act instead of the 24-week covered period referenced above.
See Flexibility Act, section 3(b)(3).
[[Page 36311]]
SBA will be issuing revisions to its interim final rules on loan
forgiveness and loan review procedures to address amendments the
Flexibility Act made to the loan forgiveness requirements. SBA will
also be issuing additional guidance on advance purchases of PPP loans,
which will include any effect of the amendments made to the loan
forgiveness requirements. For the reasons described above, Part
III.2.o. of the First Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20813) is
revised to read as follows:
o. Can my PPP loan be forgiven in whole or in part?
Yes. The amount of loan forgiveness can be up to the full principal
amount of the loan and any accrued interest. An eligible borrower will
not be responsible for any loan payment if the borrower uses all of the
loan proceeds for forgivable purposes as described below and employee
and compensation levels are maintained or, if not, an applicable safe
harbor applies. The actual amount of loan forgiveness will depend, in
part, on the total amount of payroll costs, payments of interest on
mortgage obligations incurred before February 15, 2020, rent payments
on leases dated before February 15, 2020, and utility payments for
service that began before February 15, 2020, over the loan forgiveness
covered period. However, to receive full loan forgiveness, a borrower
must use at least 60 percent of the PPP loan for payroll costs, and not
more than 40 percent of the loan forgiveness amount may be attributable
to nonpayroll costs. For example, if a borrower uses 59 percent of its
PPP loan for payroll costs, it will not receive the full amount of loan
forgiveness it might otherwise be eligible to receive. Instead, the
borrower will receive partial loan forgiveness, based on the
requirement that 60 percent of the forgiveness amount must be
attributable to payroll costs. For example, if a borrower receives a
$100,000 PPP loan, and during the covered period the borrower spends
$54,000 (or 54 percent) of its loan on payroll costs, then because the
borrower used less than 60 percent of its loan on payroll costs, the
maximum amount of loan forgiveness the borrower may receive is $90,000
(with $54,000 in payroll costs constituting 60 percent of the
forgiveness amount and $36,000 in nonpayroll costs constituting 40
percent of the forgiveness amount).
e. Use of PPP Loan Proceeds
For consistency with the amendments made in the Flexibility Act
regarding the percentage of loan proceeds that must be used for payroll
costs in order to be forgiven, discussed in paragraph 2.e. above, Part
III.2.r. of the First Interim Final Rule (85 FR 20811, 20814) is
revised to read as follows:
r. How can PPP loans be used?
The proceeds of a PPP loan are to be used for:
i. payroll costs (as defined in the Act and in 2.f.);
ii. costs related to the continuation of group health care benefits
during periods of paid sick, medical, or family leave, and insurance
premiums;
iii. mortgage interest payments (but not mortgage prepayments or
principal payments);
iv. rent payments;
v. utility payments;
vi. interest payments on any other debt obligations that were
incurred before February 15, 2020; and/or
vii. refinancing an SBA EIDL loan made between January 31, 2020 and
April 3, 2020. If you received an SBA EIDL loan from January 31, 2020
through April 3, 2020, you can apply for a PPP loan. If your EIDL loan
was not used for payroll costs, it does not affect your eligibility for
a PPP loan. If your EIDL loan was used for payroll costs, your PPP loan
must be used to refinance your EIDL loan. Proceeds from any advance up
to $10,000 on the EIDL loan will be deducted from the loan forgiveness
amount on the PPP loan.
At least 60 percent of the PPP loan proceeds shall be used for
payroll costs. For purposes of determining the percentage of use of
proceeds for payroll costs, the amount of any EIDL refinanced will be
included. For purposes of loan forgiveness, however, the borrower will
have to document the proceeds used for payroll costs in order to
determine the amount of forgiveness. While the Act provides that PPP
loan proceeds may be used for the purposes listed above and for other
allowable uses described in section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 636(a)), the Administrator believes that finite appropriations
and the structure of the Act warrant a requirement that borrowers use a
substantial portion of the loan proceeds for payroll costs, consistent
with Congress' overarching goal of keeping workers paid and employed.
This percentage is consistent with the limitation on the forgiveness
amount set forth in the Flexibility Act. This limitation on use of the
loan funds will help to ensure that the finite appropriations available
for these loans are directed toward payroll protection, as each loan
that is issued depletes the appropriation, regardless of whether
portions of the loan are later forgiven.
f. Borrower Certifications
For consistency with the changes discussed in paragraphs 2.e. and
f. above, Parts III.2.t.iii., iv., and v. of the First Interim Final
Rule (85 FR 20811, 20814) are revised to read as follows:
t. What certifications need to be made?
* * * * *
iii. The funds will be used to retain workers and maintain payroll
or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility
payments; I understand that if the funds are knowingly used for
unauthorized purposes, the Federal Government may hold me legally
liable such as for charges of fraud. As explained above, not more than
40 percent of loan proceeds may be used for nonpayroll costs.
iv. Documentation verifying the number of full-time equivalent
employees on payroll as well as the dollar amounts of payroll costs,
covered mortgage interest payments, covered rent payments, and covered
utilities for the loan forgiveness covered period for the loan will be
provided to the lender.
v. Loan forgiveness will be provided for the sum of documented
payroll costs, covered mortgage interest payments, covered rent
payments, and covered utility payments. As explained above, not more
than 40 percent of the forgiven amount may be used for nonpayroll
costs.
* * * * *
2. Additional Information
SBA may provide further guidance, if needed, through SBA notices
which will be posted on SBA's website at www.sba.gov. Questions on the
Paycheck Protection Program may be directed to the Lender Relations
Specialist in the local SBA Field Office. The local SBA Field Office
may be found at https://www.sba.gov/tools/local-assistance/districtoffices.
Compliance With Executive Orders 12866, 12988, 13132, 13563, and 13771,
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Ch. 35), and the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612)
Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 13771
This interim final rule is economically significant for the
purposes of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563, and is considered a major
rule under the Congressional Review Act. SBA, however, is proceeding
under the emergency provision at Executive Order 12866 Section
6(a)(3)(D) based on the need to move expeditiously to mitigate the
current economic conditions arising
[[Page 36312]]
from the COVID-19 emergency. This rule's designation under Executive
Order 13771 will be informed by public comment.
This rule is necessary to implement Sections 1102 and 1106 of the
CARES Act and the Flexibility Act in order to provide economic relief
to small businesses nationwide adversely impacted under the COVID-19
Emergency Declaration. We anticipate that this rule will result in
substantial benefits to small businesses, their employees, and the
communities they serve. However, we lack data to estimate the effects
of this rule.
Executive Order 12988
SBA has drafted this rule, to the extent practicable, in accordance
with the standards set forth in section 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of Executive
Order 12988, to minimize litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce
burden. The rule has no preemptive effect but does have a limited
retroactive effect consistent with section 3(d) of the Flexibility Act.
Executive Order 13132
SBA has determined that this rule will not have substantial direct
effects on the States, on the relationship between the National
Government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various layers of government. Therefore, SBA
has determined that this rule has no federalism implications warranting
preparation of a federalism assessment.
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35
SBA has determined that this rule will modify existing
recordkeeping or reporting requirements under the Paperwork Reduction
Act. The amendments to the PPP made by the Flexibility Act and
implemented in this interim final rule will require conforming
revisions to the PPP Borrower Application Form (SBA Form 2483), the PPP
Lender Application Form (SBA Form 2484), and the PPP Loan Forgiveness
Application (SBA Form 3508). SBA will submit the modified forms to OMB
for approval as a modification to the existing PPP information
collection. This information collection is currently approved as an
emergency request under OMB Control Number 3245-0407 until October 31,
2020.
Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) generally requires that when
an agency issues a proposed rule, or a final rule pursuant to section
553(b) of the APA or another law, the agency must prepare a regulatory
flexibility analysis that meets the requirements of the RFA and publish
such analysis in the Federal Register. 5 U.S.C. 603, 604. Specifically,
the RFA normally requires agencies to describe the impact of a
rulemaking on small entities by providing a regulatory impact analysis.
Such analysis must address the consideration of regulatory options that
would lessen the economic effect of the rule on small entities. The RFA
defines a ``small entity'' as (1) a proprietary firm meeting the size
standards of the Small Business Administration (SBA); (2) a nonprofit
organization that is not dominant in its field; or (3) a small
government jurisdiction with a population of less than 50,000. 5 U.S.C.
601(3)-(6). Except for such small government jurisdictions, neither
State nor local governments are ``small entities.'' Similarly, for
purposes of the RFA, individual persons are not small entities.
The requirement to conduct a regulatory impact analysis does not
apply if the head of the agency ``certifies that the rule will not, if
promulgated, have a significant economic impact on a substantial number
of small entities.'' 5 U.S.C. 605(b). The agency must, however, publish
the certification in the Federal Register at the time of publication of
the rule, ``along with a statement providing the factual basis for such
certification.'' If the agency head has not waived the requirements for
a regulatory flexibility analysis in accordance with the RFA's waiver
provision, and no other RFA exception applies, the agency must prepare
the regulatory flexibility analysis and publish it in the Federal
Register at the time of promulgation or, if the rule is promulgated in
response to an emergency that makes timely compliance impracticable,
within 180 days of publication of the final rule. 5 U.S.C. 604(a),
608(b).
Rules that are exempt from notice and comment are also exempt from
the RFA requirements, including conducting a regulatory flexibility
analysis, when among other things the agency for good cause finds that
notice and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary
to the public interest. Small Business Administration's Office of
Advocacy guide: How to Comply with the Regulatory Flexibility Ac. Ch.1.
p.9. Accordingly, SBA is not required to conduct a regulatory
flexibility analysis.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36); Paycheck Protection Program
Flexibility Act of 2020, Pub. L. 116-142; Coronavirus Aid, Relief,
and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. 116-136, Section 1114.
Jovita Carranza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-12909 Filed 6-12-20; 11:15 am]
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