Rural Utilities Service February 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced its general policy and application procedures for funding under the eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect Program) on December 14, 2018, in the Federal Register. The Reconnect Program will provide loans, grants, and loan/ grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, ReConnect will fuel long-term rural economic development and opportunities in rural America. The awards made under this program will bring high speed broadband to the farms which will allow them to increase productivity. This Notice amends the original application window closing dates that were published in the December 14, 2018, Federal Register Notice and provides the anticipated date that the opening application window will be announced.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program, which it intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

A notice of availability, public meetings, and Section 106 notification was published in the Federal Register by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) on December 7, 2018 (83 FR 63149) for the Cardinal-Hickory Creek 345-kV Transmission Line Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Meetings were scheduled for January 2019 and the public review period was to conclude on February 5, 2019. Due to the lapse in federal funding, this notice announces an extension of the public comment period to April 1, 2019. Additionally, previously scheduled Draft EIS public comment meetings in January 2019 were also cancelled and will be rescheduled, once RUS receives full funding for FY 2019.