[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 29 (Monday, February 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7509-7511]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1923]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Inviting Applications for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy 
Efficiency Improvements Grants and Guaranteed Loans

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the 
availability of funds for fiscal year (FY) 2006 to purchase renewable 
energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements for agriculture 
producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas. The 
amount available for competitive grants is $11.385 million. 
Approximately $176.5 million in guaranteed loan authority is also 
available. Any guarantee loan funds that are not obligated by August 1, 
2006, will be pooled and revert to the National Office reserve for 
grant use. USDA is currently in the process of evaluating the potential 
for a direct loan program to help finance renewable energy and energy 
efficiency projects for rural small businesses and agricultural 
producers. Therefore, for purposes of FY 2006, funding will be limited 
to grants and guaranteed loans.
    For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant request is $2,500 
and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the 
minimum acceptable grant request is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000. 
The maximum amount of a guaranteed loan made to a borrower will be $10 
million. For FY 2006, the guarantee fee amount is 1.0% (one percent) of 
the guaranteed portion of the loan and the annual renewal fee is 0.125% 
(one-eighth of one percent) of the guaranteed portion of the loan.

DATES: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct 
one competitive grant solicitation in 2006. Applications must be 
completed and submitted to the appropriate USDA Rural Development State 
Office postmarked no later than May 12, 2006. Grant applications 
postmarked after this date will be returned to the applicant with no 
action. Any guaranteed loan funds not obligated by August 1, 2006 will 
be made available for competitive grants under this notice. Guaranteed 
loans will be awarded on a continuous basis. Applications are due to 
the National Office for funding consideration by July 3, 2006. In 
accordance with RD Instructions 1940-G, all environmental assessments 
must be completed prior to submission to the National Office.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications to the USDA Rural Development State 
Office in the State where your project is located or, in the case of 
rural small businesses, where your business is headquartered. A list of 
the Rural Development State Offices and Energy Coordinators addresses 
and telephone numbers follow. For further information about this 
solicitation, please contact the applicable State Office. This document 
is available on our Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/index.html.

USDA State Rural Development Offices

Alabama

Mary Ann Clayton, USDA Rural Development, Sterling Centre, Suite 601, 
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3615.

Alaska

Dean Stewart, USDA Rural Development, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, 
Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7722.

Arizona

Alan Watt, USDA Rural Development, 230 N. First Avenue, Suite 206, 
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8769.

Arkansas

Shirley Tucker, USDA Rural Development, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3280.

California

Joseph Choperena, USDA Rural Development, 430 G Street, 4169, Davis, CA 
95616-4169, (530) 792-5826.

Colorado

Linda Sundine, USDA Rural Development, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100, 
Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2929.

Delaware-Maryland

James Waters, USDA Rural Development, 1221 College Park

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Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3626.

Florida/Virgin Islands

Joe Mueller, USDA Rural Development, 4440 NW. 25th Place, P.O. Box 
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3482.

Georgia

J. Craig Scroggs, USDA Rural Development, 333 Phillips Drive, 
McDonough, GA 30253, (678) 583-0866.

Hawaii

Tim O'Connell, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 311, 154 
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8313.

Idaho

Brian Buch, USDA Rural Development, 725 Jensen Grove Drive, Suite 1, 
Blackfoot, ID 83221, (208) 785-5840, Ext. 118.

Illinois

Patrick Lydic, USDA Rural Development, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A, 
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6211.

Indiana

Jerry Hay, USDA Rural Development, 2411 N. 1250 W., Deputy, IN 47230, 
(812) 873-1100.

Iowa

Teresa Bomhoff, USDA Rural Development, 873 Federal Building, 210 
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4447.

Kansas

F. Martin Fee, USDA Rural Development, 1303 SW First American Place, 
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2744.

Kentucky

Scott Mass, USDA Rural Development, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, 
Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7435.

Louisiana

Kevin Boone, USDA Rural Development, 3727 Government Street, 
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7960.

Maine

John F. Sheehan, USDA Rural Development, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, 
P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9168.

Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut

Sharon Colburn, USDA Rural Development, 451 West Street, Suite 2, 
Amherst, MA 01002-2999, (413) 253-4303.

Michigan

Rick Vanderbeek, USDA Rural Development, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, 
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5218.

Minnesota

Lisa Noty, USDA Rural Development, 1408 21st Avenue, Suite 3, Austin, 
MN 55912, (507) 437-8247 ext. 150.

Mississippi

G. Gary Jones, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 
West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-5457.

Missouri

D Clark Thomas, USDA Rural Development, 601 Business Loop 70 West, 
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0995.

Montana

John Guthmiller, USDA Rural Development, 900 Technology Blvd., Unit 1, 
Suite B, P.O. Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59771, (406) 585-2540.

Nebraska

Cliff Kumm, USDA Rural Development, 201 North, 25 Street, Beatrice, NE 
68310, (402) 223-3125.

Nevada

Dan Johnson, USDA Rural Development, 555 West Silver Street, Suite 101, 
Elko, NV 89801, (775) 738-8468, Ext. 112.

New Hampshire (See Vermont)

New Jersey

Michael Kelsey, USDA Rural Development, 8000 Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor 
North, Suite 500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7700, Ext. 7751.

New Mexico

Eric Vigil, USDA Rural Development, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE., Room 
255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4952.

New York

Scott Collins, USDA Rural Development, The Galleries of Syracuse, Suite 
357, 441 South Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-6409.

North Carolina

H. Rossie Bullock, USDA Rural Development, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, 
Raleigh, NC 27609, (910) 739-3349 Ext. 4.

North Dakota

Dale Van Eckhout, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 208, 
220 East Rosser Avenue, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 
530-2065.

Ohio

Randy Monhemius, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 507, 
200 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, (614) 255-2424.

Oklahoma

Jody Harris, USDA Rural Development, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, 
OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1036.

Oregon

Don Hollis, USDA Rural Development, 1229 SE. Third Street, Suite A, 
Pendleton, OR 97801-4198, (541) 278-8049, Ext. 129.

Pennsylvania

J. Gregory Greco, USDA Rural Development, One Credit Union Place, Suite 
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2289.

Puerto Rico

Luis Garcia, USDA Rural Development, IBM Building, 654 Munoz Rivera 
Avenue, Suite 601, Hato Rey, PR 00918-6106, (787) 766-5091, Ext. 251.

South Carolina

R. Gregg White, USDA Rural Development, Strom Thurmond Federal 
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 
765-5881.

South Dakota

Gary Korzan, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 
4th Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1142.

Tennessee

Will Dodson, USDA Rural Development, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 300, 
Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1350.

Texas

Daniel Torres, USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Suite 102101, 
South Main Street, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9756.

Utah

Richard Carrig, USDA Rural Development, Wallace F. Bennett Federal 
Building, 125 South State

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Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, (801) 524-4328.

Vermont/New Hampshire

Lyn Millhiser, USDA Rural Development, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main 
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6069.

Virginia

Laurette Tucker, USDA Rural Development, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 
1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229, (804) 287-1594.

Washington

Chris Cassidy, USDA Rural Development, 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW., Suite 
B, Olympia, WA 98512, (360) 704-7707.

West Virginia

Cheryl Wolfe, USDA Rural Development, 75 High Street, Room 320, 
Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, (304) 284-4882.

Wisconsin

Mark Brodziski, USDA Rural Development, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens 
Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7615, Ext. 131.

Wyoming

Milton Geiger, USDA Rural Development, Dick Cheney Federal Building, 
100 East B Street, Room 1005, P.O. Box 820, Casper, WY 82602, (307) 
672-5820 Ext. 4.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This solicitation is issued pursuant to 
Section 9006 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(2002 Act), which established the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy 
Efficiency Improvements Program. The program is designed to help 
agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs 
and consumption and help meet the Nation's critical energy needs. The 
2002 Act mandates the maximum percentage Rural Development will provide 
in funding for these types of projects. Rural Development grants under 
this program will not exceed 25 percent of the eligible project costs. 
Rural Development guaranteed loans will not exceed 50 percent of the 
eligible project costs. Rural Development combined grant and guaranteed 
loan funding packages will not exceed 50 percent of eligible project 
cost, with the grant portion not to exceed 25 percent of eligible 
project costs.
    Information required to be in the application package is contained 
in 7 CFR 4280.111. Awards are made on a competitive basis using 
specific evaluation criteria contained in 7 CFR 4280.112(e). To ensure 
that projects are accurately scored by USDA, applicants are expected to 
tab and number each evaluation criteria and include in that section, 
its corresponding supporting documentation and calculations according 
to 7 CFR 4280.112. Only projects that have completed the environmental 
review process according to 7 CFR 4280.114(d), demonstrated project 
eligibility according to 7 CFR 4280.108, and demonstrated technical 
feasibility will be eligible for funding consideration.
    State Offices will submit eligible funding requests, with the state 
score sheets, including supporting documentation to the National Office 
for funding consideration. The National Office will form a Second Tier 
Review Committee comprised of representatives from Rural Development 
State Offices, U.S. Forest Service National Office staff, the 
Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and 
Environmental Protection Agency National Office staff. The Second Tier 
Review Committee will conduct independent reviews of proposals based on 
the grant evaluation criteria contained in 7 CFR 4280.112(e). These 
reviews will be conducted based on the information provided in the 
State Office request for funding. The Second Tier Review Committee will 
only award points when properly organized supporting documentation and 
fully understandable calculations are provided.
    Final scores and ranking will be based on the reviews completed by 
the Second Tier Review Committee. To reduce scoring bias by technology 
and scale, a standard statistical normalization process will be applied 
to all scores. All applicants will be notified by the Rural Development 
State Offices of the Agency's decision on the awards.
    This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under Number 10.755 and is subject to the provisions of 
Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation 
with State and local officials.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the paperwork 
burden has been cleared by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under OMB Control Number 0570-0050.

Nondiscrimination Statement

    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where 
applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, 
religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, 
reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived 
from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to 
all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 
for communication of program information (braille, large print, 
audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 
(voice and TDD).
    To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, 
Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). 
``USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.''

    Dated: February 2, 2006.
Jackie J. Gleason,
Acting Administrator, Business and Cooperative Programs.
 [FR Doc. E6-1923 Filed 2-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P