Department of Agriculture March 15, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of two individual grants: one single $495,000 grant from the passenger transportation funds appropriated for the RBS Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program and another single $247,500 grant from the Federally Recognized Native American Tribes' (FRNAT) funds appropriated for RBS under the RBEG program for fiscal year (FY) 2006. Each grant is to be competitively awarded to a qualified national organization. These grants are to provide technical assistance for rural transportation.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces its fiscal year (FY) 2006 funding and application window for the Household Water Well System (HWWS) Grant Program. The HWWS Grant Program is authorized under Section 6012 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (The Act), Public Law 107-171. The Act authorizes USDA Rural Development to make grants to qualified private non-profit organizations to establish lending programs for household water wells. For FY 2006, the HWWS grant funding available is $990,000. The non-profit organizations will use the grants to make loans to individuals to construct or upgrade a household water well system for an existing home. The organizations must contribute an amount equal to at least 10 percent of the grant request to capitalize the loan fund. Applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format. The HWWS Grant Program regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 1776.

This Notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. These guidelines are used by schools, institutions, and facilities participating in the National School Lunch Program (and Commodity School Program), School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. The annual adjustments are required by section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those children most in need and are revised annually to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index.