[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13039-13041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-5076]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Announcement of Funding To Develop Essential Community Facilities 
in Rural Communities for Eligible Public Entities, Nonprofit 
Corporations, and Tribal Governments With Extreme High Unemployment and 
Severe Economic Depression

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of 
$47.5 million in National competitive grant funds to be administered in 
accordance with this Notice, 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(20), and the Community 
Facilities grant program (7 CFR part 3570, subpart B) to develop 
essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme high 
unemployment and severe economic depression. An additional $2.5 million 
is available for community planning and implementation related to these 
essential community facilities.

DATES: Applications may be submitted at any time until funds are 
exhausted.

ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance are encouraged to 
contact their local USDA Rural Development office for guidance on the 
intake and processing of preapplications.
    A listing of Rural Development State offices, their addresses, 
telephone numbers, and a person to contact follows:

    Note: Telephone numbers listed are not toll-free.

Alabama State Office, Suite 601, Sterling Centre, 4121 Carmichael 
Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, 334-279-3400, Chris Harmon
Alaska State Office, 800 W. Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK 99645-
6539, 907-761-7705, Merlaine Kruse
Arizona State Office, Phoenix Corporate Center, 3003 North Central 
Avenue, Suite 900, Phoenix, AZ 85012-2906, 602-280-8700, Leonard 
Gradillas
Arkansas State Office, 700 W. Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little 
Rock, AR 72201-3225, 501-301-3200, Jesse G. Sharp
California State Office, 430 G Street, #4169, Davis, CA 95616-4169, 
530-792-5800, Robert Longman
Colorado State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E100, Lakewood, CO 
80215, 303-236-2801, Leroy Cruz
Delaware State Office,* 4607 S. DuPont Highway, P.O. Box 400, 
Camden, DE 19934-9998, 302-697-4300, Arthur Greenwood

    * The Delaware State Office also administers the Maryland 
program.

Florida State Office,* 4440 N.W. 25th Place, P.O. Box 147010, 
Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, 352-338-3400, Glenn W. Walden

    * The Florida State Office also administers the Virgin Islands 
program.

Georgia State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock 
Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2768, 706-546-2162, Jerry Thomas
Hawaii State Office, Room 311, Federal Building, 154 Waianuenue 
Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, 808-933-8380, Thao Khamoui
Idaho State Office, 9173 W. Barnes Drive, Suite A1, Boise, ID 83709, 
208-378-5600, Dan Fraser
Illinois, Illini Plaza, Suite 103, 1817 South Neil Street, 
Champaign, IL 61820, 217-398-5235, Gerald Townsend
Indiana State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 
46278, 317-290-3100, Gregg Delp
Iowa State Office, 873 Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Des 
Moines, IA 50309, 5150284-4663, Dorman A. Otte
Kansas State Office, 1200 SW Executive Drive, P.O. Box 4653, Topeka, 
KS 66604, 785-271-2700, Gary Smith
Kentucky, Suite 200, 771 Corporate Drive, Lexington, KY 40503, 859-
224-7300, Vernon C. Brown
Louisiana State Office, 3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 
71302, 318-473-7920, Danny Magee
Maine State Office, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. Box 405, 
Bangor, ME 04402-0405, 207-990-9106, Alan Daigle
Massachusetts State Office,* 967 Illinois Ave., Suite 4, 451 West 
Street, Amherst, MA 01002, 413-253-4300, Daniel Beaudette

    * The Massachusetts State Office, also administers the Rhode 
Island and Connecticut programs.

Michigan State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, 
MI 48823, 517-324-5100, Philip H. Wolak
Minnesota State Office, 410 AgriBank Building, 375 Jackson Street, 
St. Paul, MN 55101-1853, 651-602-7800, James Maras
Mississippi State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 W. 
Capitol, Jackson, MS 39269, 601-965-4316, Darnella Smith-Murray
Missouri State Office, 601 Business Loop, 70 West, Parkade Center, 
Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, 573-876-0976, Randall L. Griffith

[[Page 13040]]

Montana State Office, Unit 1, Suite B, P.O. Box 850, 900 Technology 
Boulevard, Bozeman, MT 59715, 406-585-2580, Mary Lou Affleck
Nebraska State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial 
Mall N, Lincoln, NE 68508, 402-437-5551, Denise Brosius-Meeks
Nevada State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson City, NV 89703-
9910, 775-887-1222, Mike Holm
New Hampshire State Office, 10 Ferry Street, Concord Center, P.O. 
Box 317, Concord, NH 03301, 603-223-6034, William Konrad
New Jersey State Office, Tarnsfield Plaza, Suite 22, 790 WoodLane 
Road, Mt. Holly, NJ 08060, 609-265-3600, Michael P. Kelsey
New Mexico State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street NE, Room 255, 
Albuquerque, NM 87109, 505-761-4950, Clyde Hudson
New York State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 S. Salina 
Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, 315-477-6400, Gail 
Giannotta
North Carolina State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC 
27609, 919-873-2000, Phyllis Godbold
North Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East 
Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, 701-530-2037, Don 
Warren
Ohio State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High 
Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, 614-255-2400, David Douglas
Oklahoma State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074-
2654, 405-742-1000, Rock W. Davis
Oregon, 101 SW Main, Suite 1410, Portland, OR 97204-3222, 503-414-
3300, Bill Daniels
Pennsylvania State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite 330, 
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, 717-237-2299, Gary Rothrock
Puerto Rico State Office, IBM Building, Suite 601, 654 Munos Rivera 
Avenue, Hato Rey, PR 00918-6106, 787-766-5095, Pedro Gomez
South Carolina State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal Bldg., 835 
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29102, 803-765-5163, Larry 
Floyd
South Dakota State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth 
Street SW., Huron, SD 57350, 605-352-1100, Dwight Wullweber
Tennessee State Office, Suite 300, 3322 West End Avenue, Nashville, 
TN 37203-1084, 615-783-1300, Keith Head
Texas State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South Main, 
Temple, TX 76501, 254-742-9700, Mike Meehan
Utah State Office, Wallace F. Bennett, Federal Building, 125 S. 
State Street, Rm. 4311, P.O. Box 11350, Salt Lake City, UT 84147-
0350, 801-524-4320, Jack Cox
Vermont State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, 
Montpelier, VT 05602, 802-828-1600, Ronda Shippee
Virginia State Office, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa 
Road, Richmond, VA 23229, 804-287-1550, Carrie Schmidt
Washington State Office, 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW., Suite B, 
Olympia, VA 98512-5715, 360-704-7740, Jack Gleason
West Virginia State Office, Federal Building, 75 High Street, Room 
320, Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, 304-284-4860, Dianne Crysler
Wisconsin State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 
54481, 715-345-7600, Mark Brodziski
Wyoming State Office, 100 East B, Federal Building, Room 1005, P.O. 
Box 820, Casper, WY 82602, 307-261-6300, John Cochran

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Ben-Israel, Community Programs, 
RHS, USDA, STOP 0787, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-
0787, Telephone (202) 720-1490, Facsimile (202) 690-0471, E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The reporting requirements contained in this notice have been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and have been 
assigned OMB control number 0575-0173 in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Authorizing Legislation and Regulations

    This program is authorized under section 306(a) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act, as amended by section 304 of the Grain 
Standards and Warehouse Improvement Act of 2000 (106 Pub. L. 472). 
Funding was made possible through the Agriculture, Rural Development, 
Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Act 2001 (106 Pub. L. 
387) (FY 2001 Appropriation). RHS has decided to administer these funds 
using, where possible, those same regulations that govern its Community 
Facilities grant program. Program administration, eligibility, 
processing, and servicing requirements, which govern the Community 
Facilities grant program, may be found under 7 CFR part 3570, subpart 
B.

Background

    Under the FY 2000 appropriation, Congress appropriated $47.5 
million for a Community Facilities grant program for rural communities 
with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression, hereafter 
referred to as the Economic Impact Initiative. These funds are in 
addition to the Community Facilities grant program's regular allocation 
of competitive grant funds. The Community Facilities grant program, 
authorized by Congress in 1996, is used in conjunction with the 
existing direct and guaranteed loan programs for the development of 
essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. Funding 
is intended to complement rather than compete with other credit 
sources. Grants are made available to public entities, such as 
municipalities, counties, and special-service districts, as well as to 
eligible nonprofit corporations and tribal governments. Grants are 
targeted to communities with the smallest populations and lowest 
incomes. Communities with lower population and income levels receive a 
greater percentage of the Federal contribution, between 15 to 75 
percent of the cost of developing the facility.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

    In addition to those requirements contained in 7 CFR part 3570, 
subpart B, applicants interested in competing for Economic Impact 
Initiative funds for FY 2001 must meet the following statutory 
eligibility criteria by demonstrating extreme unemployment and severe 
economic depression for funding consideration: the essential community 
facility must be located in a rural community where the ``not employed 
rate'' is greater than 19.5 percent.

Definition of Not Employed Rate

    This is the percentage of individuals over the age of 18 who reside 
within the community and who are ready, willing, and able to be 
employed but are unable to find employment, as determined by the 
department of labor of the State in which the community is located.

Allocation of Funds

    All Economic Impact Initiative funds will remain in the National 
Office reserve for funding consideration for FY 2001. Project 
selections will be on a National competitive basis with project 
selections made on a monthly basis.

Selection Process

    Once a determination has been made by the State Office that an 
applicant is eligible, the preapplication is evaluated competitively 
and points awarded as specified in the project selection priorities 
contained in 7 CFR part 3570, subpart B. The State Director or designee 
will then forward the request to the National Office to compete for 
funding consideration. Unless withdrawn by the applicant, projects will 
then be rated, ranked, and selections made in order of priority. Each 
proposal will be judged on its own merit. Unless withdrawn by the 
applicant, projects not selected for funding consideration for a given 
month will remain eligible to compete for the next month's round of 
funding

[[Page 13041]]

selections through the remainder of the fiscal year or until funds are 
exhausted.

Notice of Invitation To Submit Complete Application

    All preapplications selected for funding consideration will be 
notified by the State or field office by issuing Form AD-622, ``Notice 
of Preapplication Review Action.'' At that time, the proposed recipient 
will be invited to submit a complete application, along with 
instructions related to the agreed upon award amount, and asked to 
schedule an application conference to discuss items needed for formal 
application and to further clarify issues related to the project.

Final Approval and Funding Process

    Final approval is subject to the availability of funds; the 
submission by the applicant of a formal, complete application and 
related materials that meet the program requirements and 
responsibilities of the grantee (contained in 7 CFR part 3570, subpart 
B); the letter of conditions; and the grant agreement.
    Those preapplications that do not have sufficient priority 
necessary to receive funding consideration for FY 2001 will be 
notified, in writing, by the Agency's State or designated field office.

    Dated: February 26, 2001.
James C. Alsop,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 01-5076 Filed 3-1-01; 8:45 am]
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