[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-1148]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 18, 1994]


DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary
RIN 0503-AA09

 

Notice Inviting Applications for Designation of Rural Empowerment 
Zones and Enterprise Communities

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications.

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SUMMARY: This Notice invites applications from States and local 
governments nominating rural areas for designation as Empowerment Zones 
(``EZ'') and Enterprise Communities (``EC''), as those terms are 
defined in this Notice and in an interim rule published elsewhere in 
today's Federal Register. The interim rule provides the guidance 
necessary for completion and submission of the applications.

DATES: Application due date: The deadline for receipt of an application 
will be 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Thursday, June 30, 1994. 
Applications received after this date will not be considered. 
Applications may not be submitted prior to 30 days from the date of 
publication of the interim rule.

ADDRESSES: Applications may be obtained from EZ/EC State Contacts 
located at the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) State or District 
Offices listed in the appendix to this Notice or by sending an Internet 
Mail message to: [email protected]. to obtain the application.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Beverly C. Gillot, Strategy Development Staff, Rural Development 
Administration, room 5405, Department of Agriculture, 14th and 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-3200, telephone 202-690-
1045 (this is not a toll free number), or by sending an Internet Mail 
message to: [email protected] to obtain information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this notice 
have been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). 
No person may be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with 
these information collection requirements until they have been approved 
and assigned an OMB control number. The OMB control number, when 
assigned, will be announced by separate notice in the Federal Register.
    The burden for collecting the required information is estimated to 
include the time for reviewing the instructions, searching existing 
data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing 
and reviewing the collection of information. Information on the 
estimated public reporting burden is provided under the heading, Other 
Matters. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other 
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for 
reducing this burden, to: Jack Holston, FmHA Clearance Officer, Farmers 
Home Administration, AG Box 0743, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250-3200; and the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for 
USDA, Washington, DC 20503.

I. Background

    One of the core items of President Clinton's economic proposals is 
the need to empower America's distressed rural and urban communities. 
His Empowerment Zone proposal represents a new approach to the problems 
of distressed communities. It emphasizes a bottom-up community based 
strategy rather than the traditional top-down bureaucratic approach. It 
is a strategy to address economic, human, community, and physical 
development problems and opportunities in a comprehensive fashion.
    Title XIII of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1993, enacted to 
implement the President's vision, authorizes the Secretary of 
Department of Agriculture to designate up to three Empowerment Zones 
and up to 30 Enterprise Communities in rural areas. (Unless otherwise 
noted, all references in this Notice to Empowerment Zones also include 
Enterprise Communities.) This Notice invites applications from State 
and local governments, regional planning agencies, non-profit 
organizations, community-based organizations, or other locally-based 
organizations for the Secretarial designations as Empowerment Zones or 
Enterprise Communities.
    The program is intended to combine the resources of the Federal 
Government with those of State and local governments, educational 
institutions and the private and non-profit sectors to implement 
community-developed strategic plans for economic development. The 
Federal Government has taken steps to coordinate Federal assistance in 
support of the Zones, including expedited processing, priority funding, 
and waiver of regulations. To that end, President Clinton has issued an 
Executive Order that creates a Community Enterprise Board chaired by 
Vice President Al Gore to ensure the success of the Empowerment Zone 
initiative.

II. Eligibility

    The statute specifies certain criteria that must apply in order for 
an area to be eligible for Empowerment Zone designation, including 
geographic size, population, poverty rate by census tract (or by block 
numbering areas when the community is not delineated by census tracts), 
pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress of the area. The 
details of these requirements are described in the interim rule 
governing the program published elsewhere in today's Federal Register.
    This information must be provided in the application. USDA will 
accept certifications of the data by the State and local governments, 
subject to further verification of the data prior to designation as a 
Zone.

III. Designation Factors

    The statute specifies three factors to be considered by the 
Secretary in designating Empowerment Zones: (1) The effectiveness of 
the Strategic Plan; (2) the effectiveness of the assurances provided in 
support of the Strategic Plan; and (3) other criteria to be specified 
by the Secretary. Each of these factors is discussed in greater detail 
in the interim rule (The Strategic Plan is described in the interim 
rule at 7 CFR 25.200(c)).

IV. Timing and Location of Application Submissions

    Applications may be obtained from any FmHA State Office and from 
Rural EZ/EC State Contacts (see Appendix A) or by sending an Internet 
Mail message to: [email protected]. An application may be submitted 30 
days from the date of publication of the interim rule, which governs 
the Empowerment Zone program. The deadline for receipt of the 
application will be 4 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Thursday, 
June 30, 1994. Applications received after that date and time will not 
be accepted, and will be returned to the sender. As the applications 
require certifications from the State and local governments, we cannot 
accept applications sent by FAX or through the Internet system. The 
original application and one (1) copy should be sent to: US Department 
of Agriculture, Rural Development Administration, EZ/EC Team, room 
5405, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-
3200.
    Applicants will be notified of an incomplete application. Provided 
that the application is received at the above address with sufficient 
time before the deadline, applicant will be given an opportunity to 
provide the missing information to USDA.

V. Notice of Intent to Apply

    Applicants should fill out and mail a Notice of Intent to Apply. 
The form of notice is located at the end of the Empowerment Zone 
Application (see Appendix B), or may be obtained by sending an Internet 
Mail message to: [email protected] to obtain the notice. Applicants 
may wish to submit the form in order to be placed on the Empowerment 
Zone and Enterprise Community mailing list. While the notice is not 
mandatory for participation in the program, USDA encourages the 
submission of the notice as it will permit the Department to provide 
applicants with updated information on program requirements as well as 
information on technical assistance.

VI. Miscellaneous

    Empowerment Zone designation does not constitute a Federal action 
for provisions of the Uniform Relocation Act. However, any activity 
constituting a Federal action that may result from such a designation 
may be subject to the provision of this Act, as well as any other 
statutory or regulatory provisions governing the particular Federal 
action.

VII. Other Matters

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this Notice 
have been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). No person 
may be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with these 
information collection requirements until they have been approved and 
assigned an OMB control number. The OMB control number, when assigned, 
will be announced by separate notice in the Federal Register. 
Information on the estimated public reporting burden is provided in the 
preamble of the interim rule implementing this program (7 CFR part 25) 
published elsewhere in today's Federal Register.

    Dated: January 12, 1994.
Bob J. Nash,
Under Secretary, Small Community and Rural Development.

Appendix A: EZ/EC State Contacts

Alabama

Richard Jones, FmHA State Office, 4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 601, 
Montgomery AL 36106-3683, Ph: 205-279-3400, Fax: 205-279-3484

Alaska

Darwin Betts, FmHA State Office, 634 S. Bailey, Suite 103, Palmer AK 
99645, Ph: 907-745-2176, Fax: 907-745-5398

Arkansas

Shirley Tucker, FmHA State Office, 700 W. Capitol St., P.O. Box 
2778, Little Rock AR 72203, Ph: 501-324-6281, Fax: 501-324-6346

Arizona

Clark Dierks, FmHA State Office, 3003 N Central Ave, Suite 900, 
Phoenix AZ 85012, Ph: 602-280-8700, Fax: 602-280-8770

California

Paula Galvan, FmHA State Office, 194 West Main Street, Suite F, 
Woodland CA 95695-2915, Ph: 916-668-2000, Fax: 916-668-2055

Colorado

Judy Jacklich, 655 Parfet Street, Room E 100, Lakewood CO 80215, Ph: 
303-236-2806, Fax: 303-236-2854

Delaware

James Waters, 4611 So Dupont Highway, PO Box 400, Camden DE 19934-
9998, Ph: 302-697-4324, Fax: 302-697-4388

Florida

Jeanie Graham, 4440 N.W. 25th Pl, Gainesville FL 32614-7010, Ph: 
904-338-3400, Fax: 904-338-3405

Georgia

Eugene Carr, 355 E. Hancock Ave., Stephens Federal Bldg., Athens GA 
30610, Ph: 706-546-2165, Fax: 706-546-2152

Hawaii

Ted Matsuo, 154 Waianuenue Ave, Federal Building Rm 311, Hilo HI 
89701, Ph: 808-933-3009, Fax: 808-935-1590

Idaho

Larry Spindler, 3232 Elder St., Boise ID 83705, Ph: 208-334-1836, 
Fax: 208-334-1712

Illinois

Charles Specht, 1817 S Neil Street, Suite 103, Champaign IL 61820, 
Ph: 217-398-5235, Fax: 217-398-5337

Indiana

Joseph Steele, 5975 Lakeside Blvd., Indianapolis IN 46278, Ph: 317-
290-3109, Fax: 317-290-3127

Iowa

Dorman Otte, 210 Walnut Street, Federal Bldg Rm 873, Des Moines IA 
50309, Ph: 515-284-4152, Fax: 515-284-4859

Kansas

William Kirk, 1200 SW Executive Dr, P.O. Box 4653, Topeka KS 66604, 
Ph: 913-271-2708, Fax: 913-271-2700

Kentucky

Robert Letton, FmHA State Office, 771 Corporate Plaza, Suite 200, 
Lexington KY 40503, Ph: 606-224-7336, Fax: 606-224-7340

Louisiana

Michael Taylor, RDA Delta Region, 1221 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 
MS 39180, Ph: 601-631-3920, Fax: 601-631-3931

Maine

Daniel E. McAllister, Jr., FmHA State Office, 444 Stillwater Avenue, 
Suite 2, P.O. Box 405, Bangor ME 04402-0405, Ph: 207-990-9125, Fax: 
207-990-9170

Massachusetts

Craig L. Dore, FmHA State Office, 451 West Street, Amherst MA 01002, 
Ph: 413-253-4340, Fax: 413-253-4347

Michigan

James Trumbell, FmHA State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, 
East Lansing MI 48823, Ph: 517-337-6635, Fax: 517-337-6913

Minnesota

Deborah Slipek, FmHA State Office, 410 Farm Credit Services Bldg, 
375 Jackson Street, St. Paul MN 55101-1853, Ph: 612-290-3866, Fax: 
612-290-3834

Mississippi

Jane Jones, FmHA State Office, Suite 831, Federal Bldg, 100 W 
Capital St, Jackson MS 39269, Ph: 601-965-5460, Fax: 601-965-5384

Mississippi (2)

Bettye Oliver, RDA Delta Region, FmHA State Office, Suite 831, 
Federal Building, 100 W Capital Street, Jackson MS 39269, Ph: 601-
965-4318, Fax: 601-965-5384

Missouri

Eldrid ``Pete'' Easterhaus, FmHA State Office, 601 Business Loop, 
70W, Parkade Cr, Ste 235, Columbia MO 65203, Ph: 314-876-0995, Fax: 
314-876-0977

Montana

Mitchel Copp, FmHA State Office, 900 Technology Blvd, Suite B, P.O. 
Box 850, Bozeman MT 59771, Ph: 406-585-2520, Fax: 406-585-2565

Nebraska

Richard L. Bolte, FmHA State Office, Federal Building, Rm 308, 100 
Centennial Mall N, Lincoln NE 68508, Ph: 402-437-5556, Fax: 402-437-
5408

New Jersey

Mike P. Kelsey, FmHA State Office, Tarnsfield Plaza, #22, Woodlane 
Road, Mt. Holly NJ 08060, Ph: 609-265-3640, Fax: 609-265-3651

New Mexico

Bill Culberston, FmHA State Office, Plaza del Comercio, 1570 Pacheco 
St B, Santa Fe NM 87501, Ph: 505-984-8084, Fax: 505-984-8078

New York

Lowell J. Gibson, FmHA State Office, James M. Hanley Fed. Bldg, Room 
871, PO Box 7318, Syracuse NY 13261-7318, Ph: 315-423-5298, Fax: 
315-423-5722

North Carolina

Debra Nesbitt, FmHA State Office, 4405 Bland Rd, Suite 260, Raleigh 
NC 27609, Ph: 919-790-2731, Fax: 919-790-2738

North Dakota

DeLayne Brown, FmHA State Office, Federal Building, Room 221, 220 
East Rosser, Bismarck ND 58502, Ph: 701-250-4781, Fax: 701-250-4670

Ohio

Allen L. Turnbull, FmHA State Office, Federal Building Rm 740, 200 
North High Street, Columbus OH 43215, Ph: 614-469-5400, Fax: 614-
469-5802

Oklahoma

Christie Woolsey, FmHA State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater 
OK 74074-2654, Ph: 405-624-4250, Fax: 405-624-4278

Oregon

Jerry W. Sheridan, FmHA State Office, Federal Bldg., Rm 1590, 1220 
S.W. 3rd Ave., Portland OR 97204, Ph: 503-326-2735, Fax: 503-326-
5898

Pennsylvania

Duane Tuttle, FmHA State Office, 1 Credit Union Pl, Room 330, 
Harrisburg PA 17110-2996, Ph: 717-782-4477, Fax: 717-782-4878

South Carolina

R. Gregg White, RDA Southeast Region, 280 Beaufort Street, NE, Aiken 
SC 29801, Ph: 803-643-4214, Fax: 803-643-4245

South Dakota

Robert Bothwell, FmHA State Office, Federal Building, Rm 308, 200 
Fourth Street, S.W., Huron SD 57350, Ph: 605-353-1474, Fax: 605-353-
1220

Tennessee

John M. Dement, FmHA State Office, Suite 300, 3322 West End Ave, 
Nashville TN 37203-1071, Ph: 615-783-1341, Fax: 615-783-1301/1394

Texas

Lorraine Clements, FmHA Dist Office, P.O. Box 1115, Georgetown TX 
78627, Ph: 512-863-6502, Fax: 512-869-0579

Utah

Duane A. Olson, FmHA State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Fed. Bldg, Rm 
5438, 125 S State S, Salt Lake City UT 84138, Ph: 801-524-3244, Fax: 
801-524-4406

Vermont

Burtt McIntire, FmHA State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main 
Street, Montpelier VT 05602, Ph: 802-828-6030, Fax: 802-828-6037

Virginia

Robert Boyd, FmHA State Office, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Culpeper 
Building #238, Richmond VA 23229, Ph: 804-287-1601, Fax: 804-287-
1721

Washington

Mary McBride, P.O. Box 2466, Olympia WA 98507, Ph: 206-534-9314, Fax 
206-753-8082

Wisconsin

David Gibson, FmHA State Office, 4949 Kirschling Ct., Stevens Point 
WI 54481, Ph: 715-341-0023, Fax: 715-345-7669

West Virginia

Jenny Phillips, FmHA State Office, 75 High Street, Morgantown WV 
26505-7500, Ph: 304-291-4791, Fax: 304-291-4032

Wyoming

Edward E. Chase, FmHA State Office, P.O. Box 820, Casper WY 82602, 
Ph: 307-261-5144, Fax: 307-261-5167
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M

TN18JA94.009


[FR Doc. 94-1148 Filed 1-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-C