Rural Utilities Service February 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) proposes to amend its regulation for Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loans to remove all references to a one-time, specific loan guarantee fee and provide the authority for the charging of an annual renewal fee on all loans obligated after the publication of the final rule. The intended effect of this rule is to reduce the subsidy rate for guaranteed loans and its associated budget authority dollar level, which will result in a greater level of assistance to the public (i.e., higher supportable loan level). A notice will be published in the Federal Register each fiscal year that will establish the guarantee fee and any annual renewal fees for loans obligated during that fiscal year.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has made a Finding Of No Significant Impact with respect to a request from North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation for financing assistance from RUS to finance the construction of a 336 megawatt (MW), simple-cycle combustion turbine electric generating facility in Anson County North Carolina, and a 280 MW simple-cycle combustion turbine electric generation facility in Richmond County, North Carolina.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is proposing regulations implementing its financial assistance programs for rural communities with extremely high energy costs. These programs are authorized under section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 918a). This proposed rule is intended to establish and clarify eligibility and application requirements, the review and approval process, and grant administration procedures for RUS grants to rural communities with extremely high energy costs and for grants to State entities for bulk fuel revolving loan funds. This publication of these rules will assure timely and effective distribution of grant funds to eligible rural communities and state entities. In the final rule section of this Federal Register, RUS is publishing this action as a direct final rule without prior proposal because RUS views this as a non-controversial action and anticipates no adverse comments. If no adverse comments are received in response to the direct final rule, no further action will be taken on this proposed rule and the action will become effective at the time specified in the direct final rule. If RUS receives adverse comments, RUS will publish a timely notice withdrawing the direct final rule based on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this proposed action should do so at this time.