[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 112 (Monday, June 10, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29340-29342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14500]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Inviting Preapplications for Technical Assistance for Rural 
Transportation Systems

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the 
availability of approximately $500,000 in competing Rural Business 
Enterprise Grant (RBEG) funds for fiscal year (FY) 1996 specifically 
for technical assistance for rural transportation systems. The funds 
are designed to assist public bodies and private nonprofit corporations 
serving rural areas in providing technical assistance, for planning and 
developing transportation systems, and for training for rural 
communities needing improved passenger transportation systems or 
facilities in order to promote economic development through a link

[[Page 29341]]

between transportation and economic development initiatives.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of a preapplication in the Rural 
Development State Office is July 1, 1996. Preapplications received 
after that date will not be considered for FY 1996 funding.

ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact the 
Rural Development State Offices to receive further information and 
copies of the preapplication package. A list of State Offices follows:

State Director, Rural Development, Sterling Center Suite 601, 4121 
Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683
State Director, Rural Development, 634 S Bailey, Suite 103, Palmer, 
AK 99645
State Director, Rural Development, 3003 North Central Avenue, Suite 
900, Phoenix, AZ 85012
State Director, Rural Development, 700 W Capitol, P O Box 2778, 
Little Rock, AR 72203
State Director, Rural Development, 194 West Main Street, Suite F, 
Woodland, CA 95695-2915
State Director, Rural Development, 655 Parfet Street, Room E100, 
Lakewood, CO 80215
State Director, Rural Development, 5201 S Dupont Highway, P O Box 
400, Camden, DE 19934-9998
State Director, Rural Development, 4440 NW 25th Pl, P O Box 147010, 
Gainesville, FL 32614-7010
State Director, Rural Development, Stephens Federal Building, 355 E 
Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 311, 154 
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720
State Director, Rural Development, 3232 Elder Street, Boise, ID 
83705
State Director, Rural Development, Illini Plaza, Suite 103, 1817 
South Neil Street, Champaign, IL 61820
State Director, Rural Development, 5975 Lakeside Blvd, Indianapolis, 
IN 46278
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Rm 873, 210 
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
State Director, Rural Development, 1201 SW Summit Executive Court, P 
O Box 4653, Topeka, KS 66604
State Director, Rural Development, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, 
Lexington, KY 40503
State Director, Rural Development, 3727 Government Street, 
Alexandria, LA 71302
State Director, Rural Development, 444 Stillwater Avenue, Suite 2, P 
O Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405
State Director, Rural Development, 451 West Street, Amherst, MA 
01002
State Director, Rural Development, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, 
East Lansing, MI 48823
State Director, Rural Development, 410 Farm Credit Service Building, 
375 Jackson Street, St Paul, MN 55101
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 831, 100 W 
Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269
State Director, Rural Development, 601 Business Loop 70 West, 
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203
State Director, Rural Development, 900 Technology Blvd., Suite B, P 
O Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59771
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 308, 100 
Centennial Mall N, Lincoln, NE 68508
State Director, Rural Development, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson 
City, NV 89703-5405
State Director, Rural Development, Tarnsfield Plaza, Suite 22, 1016 
Woodlane Road, Mt Holly, NJ 08060
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 3414, 517 
Gold Avenue, SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
State Director, Rural Development, Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S 
Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13202
State Director, Rural Development, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, 
Raleigh, NC 27609
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 208, 3rd & 
Rosser, P O Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 507, 200 
North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
State Director, Rural Development, USDA Agricultural Center, 
Stillwater, OK 74074
State Director, Rural Development, 101 SW Main Street, Suite 1410, 
Portland, OR 97204-2333
State Director, Rural Development, 1 Credit Union Place, Suite 330, 
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996
State Director, Rural Development, New San Juan Office Building, 
Room 501, 159 Carlos E Chardon Street, Hato Rey, PR 00918-5481
State Director, Rural Development, Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 
1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 308, 200 
4th Street, SW, Huron, SD 57350
State Director, Rural Development, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 300, 
Nashville, TN 37203-1071
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 
South Main, Temple, TX 76501
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 5438, 125 
South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138
State Director, Rural Development, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main 
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
State Director, Rural Development, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 
1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229
State Director, Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 319, 301 
Yakima Street, PO Box 2427, Wenatchee, WA 98807
State Director, Rural Development, 75 High Street, PO Box 678, 
Morgantown, WV 26505
State Director, Rural Development, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens 
Point, WI 54481
State Director Rural Development,
Federal Building, Rm 1005,
P O Box 820,
Casper, WY 82602

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carole S. Boyko, Rural Development 
Specialist, Specialty Lenders Division, Room 2245, South Agriculture 
Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0700. 
Telephone: (202)720-1400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Refer to section 310B (c) and 310B (j) (7 
U.S.C. 1932) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, as 
amended, and FmHA Instruction 1942-G for the information collection 
requirements of the RBEG program. The RBEG program was previously 
administered by the former Rural Development Administration. Under the 
reorganization of the Department of Agriculture, the responsibility for 
administering this program was transferred to the Rural Business-
Cooperative Service (RBS). Part 1942-G of title 7 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations provides details on what information must be 
contained in the preapplication package.
    The RBEG program is authorized by section 310 B of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932). The primary objective 
of the program is to improve the economic conditions of rural areas. 
The RBEG program will achieve this objective by assisting public bodies 
and private nonprofit corporations serving rural areas in providing 
technical assistance for planning and developing transportation 
systems, and for training for rural communities needing improved 
passenger transportation systems or facilities in order to promote 
economic development through a link between transportation and economic 
development initiatives.
    RBEG grants are competitive and will be awarded to nonprofit 
institutions and public bodies based on specific selection criteria, as 
required by legislation and set forth in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G. 
Project selection will be given to those projects that contribute the 
most to the improvement of economic conditions in rural areas. 
Preapplications will be tentatively scored by the State Offices and 
submitted to the National Office for review and selection.

Fiscal Year 1996 Preapplication Submission

    Due to the short preapplication period remaining for FY 1996 funds, 
qualified applicants should begin the preapplication process as soon as 
possible and have their preapplications submitted to the State Offices 
no later than July 1, 1996. Each preapplication received in a State 
Office will be reviewed to determine if the

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preapplication is consistent with the eligible purposes outlined in 7 
CFR part 1942, subpart G. Copies of 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G, will be 
provided to any interested applicant by making a request to the Rural 
Development State Office or the RBS National Office.
    All eligible preapplications, along with tentative scoring sheets 
and the State Director's recommendation, will be referred to the 
National Office no later than July 15, 1996, for final scoring and 
selection for award.
    The National Office will score preapplications based on the grant 
selection criteria set forth in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G, and 
published weights and will select awardees subject to the availability 
of funds and the awardee's satisfactory submission of a formal 
preapplication and related materials in accordance with subpart G. 
Entities submitting preapplications and subsequently selected for award 
will be invited by the State Office to submit a formal application. It 
is anticipated that grant awardees will be selected by August 15, 1996. 
All applicants will be notified by the Rural Development State Office 
of the Agency decision on awards, and non-selectees will be provided 
appeal rights in accordance with 7 CFR part 11. The information 
collection requirements within this Notice are covered under OMB No. 
0575-0132 and 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G.

    Dated: June 3, 1996.
Jill Long Thompson,
Under Secretary, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 96-14500 Filed 6-7-96; 8:45 am]
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