[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34978-34979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13731]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Amendment to Notice of Funding Availability for the Rural Energy 
for America Program

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) published a 
notice in the Federal Register of March 29, 2013, (78 FR 19183) 
announcing the acceptance of applications for funds available under the 
Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Fiscal Year 2013. The 
Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, provides 
additional funding for REAP. This Notice announces the availability of 
approximately $65.2 million in Fiscal Year 2013 budget authority to 
fund REAP activities, which will support approximately $31 million in 
grant program level and approximately $142.3 million in guaranteed loan 
program level, which includes approximately $13 million of 
discretionary funding. This Notice also extends the application period 
to June 14, 2013, for both Fiscal Year 2013 applicants and applicants 
who submitted Fiscal Year 2012 applications and wish to submit written 
requests to have their Fiscal Year 2012 applications considered for 
Fiscal Year 2013 funds.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this Notice, 
please contact Lisa Noty, USDA Rural

[[Page 34979]]

Development, Energy Division, 255 U.S. Highway 69, Suite 5, Garner, IA 
50438. Telephone: (641) 923-3666 extension 109. Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agency is amending the Available Funds 
paragraph under Award Information section in the Notice of Funding 
Availability for the Rural Energy for America Program published on 
March 29, 2013, (78 FR 19183). The Consolidated and Further Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2013, has provided additional funding for REAP.
    The March 29, 2013, Notice identified up to $20.8 million available 
to the REAP program, with up to $10.4 million in grant program level 
and up to $43.4 million in guaranteed loan program level. With the 
additional funding now available, for Fiscal Year 2013, up to $65.2 
million of budget authority is available to the REAP program, an 
increase of approximately $44.4 million. The REAP grant program level 
increases approximately $20.6 million, from $10.4 million to up to $31 
million, with grant program levels for feasibility studies increasing 
from $250,000 to up to $350,000 and for grants of $20,000 or less 
increasing from $4.1 million to up to $12.4 million. The guaranteed 
loan program level for Fiscal Year 2013 increases approximately $99 
million, from $43.4 million to $142.3 million, which includes 
approximately $13 million in discretionary funds.
    To reflect these changes in program level funding, the Agency is 
amending the funding levels and dollars available for grants and 
guaranteed loans for renewable energy system (RES) and energy 
efficiency improvement (EEI) projects and for grants for RES 
feasibility studies.
    The Agency is also amending, for a second time, the application 
deadline for three sets of applications: (1) Renewable energy system 
(RES) and energy efficiency improvement (EEI) grants, (2) RES and EEI 
grant and loan combinations and (3) RES feasibility study grants. The 
Agency extended the original deadline for these applications from April 
30, 2013, to May 31, 2013, in a May 8, 2013, Notice (78 FR 26747). The 
May 8, 2013, Notice, however, inadvertently did not extend the deadline 
for these same types of applications for Fiscal Year 2012 applicants 
who wish to be considered for Fiscal Year 2013 funding.
    With this Notice, the Agency is extending the application deadline 
for the aforementioned grants to compete for Fiscal Year 2013 funds to 
June 14, 2013. This extension applies to both Fiscal Year 2013 
applicants and to Fiscal Year 2012 applicants who wish to submit a 
written request to have their Fiscal Year 2012 applications considered 
for Fiscal Year 2013 funds.
    The application dates in this Notice supersede those identified in 
the May 8, 2013, Notice. This Notice makes no other changes to the 
March 29, 2013, Notice.
    The following Summary of Changes apply to the March 29, 2013, 
Notice.

Summary of Changes

    1. In the third column on page 19183, the last sentence in the 
SUMMARY section is revised to read as follows:
    The Notice also announces the availability of up to $65.2 million 
of Fiscal Year 2013 budget authority to fund these REAP activities, 
which will support up to $31 million in grant program level and up to 
$142.3 million in guaranteed loan program level.
    2. In the third column on page 19183, the second paragraph under 
the DATES section is revised to read as follows:
    For renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant 
applications and combination grant and guaranteed loan applications, no 
later than 4:30 p.m. local time June 14, 2013.
    3. In the third column on page 19183, the fourth paragraph under 
the DATES section is revised to read as follows:
    For renewable energy system feasibility study applications, no 
later than 4:30 p.m. local time June 14, 2013.
    4. In the first column on page 19186, the first sentence of the 
first paragraph under the Award Information section, Available Funds, 
is revised to read as follows:
    The amount of funds available for renewable energy systems and 
energy efficiency improvements in Fiscal Year 2013 will be up to $173 
million.
    5. In the second column on page 19186, the first sentence of the 
second paragraph under the Award Information section, Available Funds, 
is revised to read as follows:
    The amount of grant funds available for renewable energy system 
feasibility studies in Fiscal Year 2013 will be up to $350,000.
    6. In the second column on page 19186, the first sentence of the 
third paragraph under the Award Information section, Available Funds, 
is revised to read as follows:
    In order to ensure that small projects have a fair opportunity to 
compete for the funding and are consistent with the priorities set 
forth in the statute, the Agency will set-aside up to $12.4 million to 
fund grants of $20,000 or less.
    7. In the first column on page 19189, the first sentence of 
subparagraph (1)(iv), is revised to read as follows:
    Written requests to consider Fiscal Year 2012 applications for 
Fiscal Year 2013 funds may be submitted at any time during Fiscal Year 
2013, up to and including 4:30 p.m. local time on June 14, 2013.

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, Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil 
Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-
9410 or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 
(TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 
(Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 
employer.

    Dated: June 4, 2013.
Lillian E. Salerno,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-13731 Filed 6-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P