Rural Utilities Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an Agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or Agency, intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) related to possible financial assistance to KAMO Power (KAMO) of Vinita, Oklahoma, for the proposed construction of approximately 100 miles of 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Cherokee and Crawford Counties, Kansas; portions of Jasper, Newton, and McDonald Counties, Missouri; and Ottawa, Delaware, Craig, and Mayes Counties, Oklahoma. KAMO is requesting USDA Rural Development to provide financial assistance for the proposal.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development, is issuing a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Norborne Baseload Plant (Norborne Plant). The Final EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (U.S.C. 4231 et seq.) in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508) and RUS regulations (7 CFR 1794). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is a cooperating agency for this Final EIS. Rural Development invites comments on the Final EIS. The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of and alternatives to the Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI) application for Rural Development financing to construct the proposed 660 megawatt (MW) net supercritical pulverized coal (SCPC) fired power plant in Carroll County, Missouri, near the town of Norborne. AECI also proposes to construct new and modified substations, approximately 134 miles of new 345-kV transmission lines, a utility waste landfill, new rail access from existing mainline railroads, and a water supply system consisting of groundwater wells and associated pipeline.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Program, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development, announces the withdrawal of a previously published Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Community Connect Grant Program due to an inadvertent error. A corrected NOFA appears elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

The e Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Program, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development, announces its Community Connect Grant Program application window for funding during fiscal year (FY) 2007. In addition, RUS announces the minimum and maximum amounts for Community Connect grants applicable for the fiscal year. The Community Connect Grant Program regulations can be found at 7 CFR part 1739, subpart A.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers USDA Rural Development Utilities Programs (USDA Rural Development or the ``Agency'') announces the Fiscal Year (FY) funding levels available for its Revolving Fund Program (RFP) grant. In addition, USDA Rural Development announces the maximum amounts for RFP grants applicable for the fiscal year 2007 and the solicitation of applications.

The Rural Housing Service (Agency) is proposing to amend its regulations to be consistent with other federal agencies. The current thermal standards for existing single family housing can impose an unnecessary financial burden on the borrower. Removing the thermal standards for existing single family housing will provide consistency with HUD existing single family housing thermal standards. This change will not affect the thermal standards for new construction; such requirements are generally prescribed by adopted building and model energy codes. Construction materials and building techniques have improved tremendously during the last thirty years, creating many alternatives to achieve thermally efficient homes. Removing the Agency's imposed thermal standards for existing single family housing will give a borrower the opportunity to allocate money towards other improvements which may result in higher cost savings. The rule will not result in any increase in costs or prices to consumers; non-profit organizations; businesses; Federal, State, or local government agencies; or geographic regions.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development, proposes to amend its regulation for the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Broadband Loan Program). Since the Broadband Loan Program's inception, the Agency has faced and continues to face significant challenges in administering the program, including the fierce competitive nature of the broadband market, the fact that many companies proposing to offer broadband service are start-up organizations with limited resources, continually evolving technology, and economic factors such as the higher cost of serving rural communities. Because of these challenges, the Agency has been reviewing the characteristics of the Broadband Loan Program and has determined that modifications are required to accelerate the deployment of broadband service to the rural areas of the country. Therefore, this rulemaking proposes to implement changes on the following subject matter: funding in competitive markets and new eligibility requirements; new equity and market survey requirements; and new legal notice requirements to increase transparency.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development administers loan and grant programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces the Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program funding level and application window for fiscal year (FY) 2007.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces its fiscal year (FY) 2007 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 2007, the HWWS grant funding available is $990,000. The non-profit organizations will use the grants to make loans to individual homeowners 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.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency that administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a request from Earth Resources Inc. for assistance from RUS to finance the construction and operation of a twenty (20) MW power generating station utilizing chicken litter and woody biomass as fuel. The proposal would be constructed on a 140-acre property in Franklin County, Georgia.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (USDA Rural Development) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) related to possible financial assistance to Earth Resources, Inc. (ERI) for the proposed construction of Plant Carl, a 20-megawatt electric power generation plant proposed to be built by Earth Resources, Inc. (ERI) in Franklin County, Georgia. ERI is requesting the USDA Rural Development to provide financial assistance for the proposed project.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This action amends the servicing regulations that apply when it is determined that unauthorized recipients have received financial assistance under USDA Business, Cooperative, and Community Facility loan and grant programs. The changes make clear that the first demand letter notifying the recipient of the Agency's determination serves as the initial step in the Agency's collection efforts, and that it may serve as the basis for the recipient's appeal rights. The terms of the first demand letter remain in full force and effect, unless the demand letter is subsequently amended in writing by the Agency after discussions with the recipient or modified as a result of judicial proceedings.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (USDA Rural Development) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) related to possible financial assistance to South Mississippi Electric Power Association (SMEPA) for the proposed construction of one approximately 5.76 acre 230:161:69 kV substation, two approximately 0.1 mile 230 kilovolt (kV) electric transmission lines, one 0.4 mile 69 kV electric transmission line, and one microwave tower on an approximate fourteen (14) acre parcel in Greene County, Mississippi. SMEPA is requesting the USDA Rural Development to provide financial assistance for the proposed project.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency which administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (hereinafter ``USDA Rural Development'' or the ``Agency,'') is amending its regulations to update the seismic safety requirements of the Agency. These amendments will provide Agency borrowers (including Rural Telephone Bank borrowers), grant recipients, and the public with updated rules for compliance with seismic safety requirements for new building construction using loan, grant, or guaranteed funds of the Agency, or funds provided through lien accommodations or subordinations approved by the Agency.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency which administers the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (USDA/RDUP) proposes to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) and conduct a public scoping meeting related to possible financial assistance to East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) for the proposed construction of two 278 MW Circulating Fluidized Bed generating units (CFBs) in Clark County, Kentucky. EKPC is requesting that RUS provide financial assistance for the proposed project.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the above-named Agencies to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of debt settlement of Community Facilities and Direct Business Program Loans and Grants.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service (Agency). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Agency invites comments on this information collection for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is extending the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Highwood Generating Station (HGS), and, as requested, is conducting an additional public hearing. The Draft EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (U.S.C. 4231 et seq.) in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1500-1508) and RUS regulations (7 CFR 1794). This document has been prepared jointly with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The Draft EIS is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of and alternatives to the Southern Montana Electric Transmission & Generation Cooperative, Inc. (SME) application for a loan guarantee to construct a 250 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant near Great Falls, Montana. SME is proposing to use a coal combustion technology known as circulating fluidized bed (CFB). Along with other proposed pollution controls collectively known as Best Available Control Technology (BACT), the HGS would be among the cleanest-burning coal-fired power plants currently operating in the United States. SME also proposes to construct and operate four, 1.5-MW wind turbines to generate supplemental electrical power at the preferred project location eight miles east of Great Falls. Receipt of the Draft EIS was announced by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in the Federal Register on July 3, 2006 (official date June 30, 2006). Requests for extension of public comment periods may be honored per 40 CFR 1506.10. The initial 45-day public comment period was to end on August 15, 2006. With the 15-day extension, the new deadline for public comments is now August 30, 2006. In addition to the public hearing held in Great Falls, Montana on July 27, an additional hearing will be held in Havre, Montana. The Havre public hearing will be held on August 7, 2006 at the Applied Technology Center Auditorium at MSU Northern, 300 West 11th Street, Havre, MT. An open house will be held from 5-7 p.m., with the hearing beginning at 7 p.m. The hearing will include a presentation summarizing the findings of the Draft EIS and the opportunity for attendees to submit both oral and written comments. In accordance with 40 CFR Section 1503.1, Inviting Comments, the purpose of the meeting will be to solicit comments from interested parties on the Draft EIS for the Highwood Generating Station.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (USDA Rural Development Utilities Programs) invites comments on this information collection for which USDA Rural Development Utilities Programs intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).