Rural Utilities Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is issuing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Highwood Generating Station (HGS). 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 parts 1500-1508) and RUS regulations (7 CFR part 1794). This document has been prepared jointly with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), which has its own statutory mandates to analyze potential environmental impacts under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) (75-1-101 et seq., MCA and ARM 17.4.601 et seq.) and to issue permits under the Montana Clean Air Act, Montana Clean Water Act, and Montana Solid Waste Management Act. The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of and alternatives to the Southern Montana Electric Transmission & Generation Cooperative, Inc. (SME) application for a RUS 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). 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.

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 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) invites comments on the following information collections 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 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) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program grant application window for funding during fiscal year (FY) 2006. FY 2005 funding for the DLT grant program was approximately $29.4 million. In addition to announcing an application window, the Agency announces the available funding, and the minimum and maximum amounts for DLT grants applicable for the fiscal year.

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.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities service through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces its Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program application window for fiscal year (FY) 2006.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funding levels available for its Revolving Fund Program (RFP) grant. In addition, USDA Rural Development anounces the maximum amounts for RFP grants applicable for the fiscal year 2006 and the solicitation of applications.

The Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities programs are administered through USDA Rural Development. This Notice is intended to announce the availability of hurricane disaster assistance provided pursuant to chapter 1 of title I of Division B of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 with respect to programs and activities of the Rural Development Mission Area of USDA.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funding available through its Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program (TAT). An additional $500,000 in emergency funding will be made available, pursuant to the Secretary's determination of extreme need, to conduct Water Resource Studies in the states affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and/or Wilma (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, is amending its regulations to revise the delegation of authority to update key positions and room and phone numbers in the organization and to clarify authority to serve as the Acting Administrator, including in emergency situations where the Continuity of Operations Plan is enacted.

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 the following information collections 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 (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Rural Utilities Service (the Agency) is issuing a new rule to allow the Agency to make grants to enable Public Television Stations in rural areas to replace current analog television broadcasting equipment with digital television broadcasting equipment as part of the national transition to digital television service.

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 (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is issuing an environmental assessment (EA) in connection with possible impacts related to the construction and operation of a natural gas- fired simple cycle, combustion turbine power generation facility in Cambridge Township in Isanti County, Minnesota. The electrical output from the facility is expected to range from 170 megawatts (MW) to 190 MW depending upon operating conditions.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with possible impacts related to a project being proposed by Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (Basin Electric), of Bismarck, North Dakota. The proposal consists of the construction and operation of a coal-fired electric generation facility referred to as the Dry Fork Station, consisting of a single maximum net 385 Megawatt (MW) unit, at a site in Gillette, Wyoming, and the construction of 130 miles of 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Campbell and Sheridan counties, referred to as the Hughes Transmission 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).

The Agencies are revising their disbursement of funds regulations. This action is necessary since existing regulations do not accurately reflect the current disbursement methodologies employed by the Agencies. The intended effect is to simplify and update the regulations; to eliminate reference to the obsolete Loan Disbursement System; clarify Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insurance coverage; and eliminate reference to the now defunct Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC). These amended regulations are to ensure the Agencies' field offices have current guidance on the disbursement methods available and supervised bank accounts.

Upon request the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) agrees to extend the public scoping comment period by 30 days prior to the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection to a project proposed by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), with headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. A previous notice was published in the Federal Register on August 10, 2005 announcing RUS's intent to prepare an EIS and to hold public scoping meetings. The proposal consists of the construction and operation of a nominal 660 megawatt coal-based electrical generating plant and associated transmission facilities. A proposed and an alternate site both near the Missouri River in the northwest quadrant of Missouri have been identified by AECI. AECI is requesting RUS to provide financing for the proposal.

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).

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in connection with possible impacts related to a project proposed by Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AECI), with headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. The proposal consists of the construction and operation of a nominal 660 megawatt coal-based electrical generating plant and associated transmission facilities. A proposed and an alternate site both near the Missouri River in the northwest quadrant of Missouri have been identified by AECI. AECI is requesting RUS to provide financing for the proposed project.