[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 10456-10457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04309]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Parts 1779 and 1780

Rural Housing Service

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Rural Utilities Service

Farm Service Agency

7 CFR Part 1942

Rural Housing Service

7 CFR Parts 3570 and 3575

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Rural Utilities Service

7 CFR Parts 4279 and 4280

RIN 0570-AA87, 0570-AA92, 0572-AB57, 0572-AB59, 0575-AC53, 0575-AC58, 
0575-AC75, 0575-AC78


Underlying Programs Cross-References to the Strategic Economic 
and Community Development; Technical Amendments

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, 
Rural Utilities Service, Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Rural Development (RD) is correcting an oversight of omitting 
cross-reference to the Strategic Economic and Community Development 
priority in the underlying programs when it published the rule for the 
priority.

DATES: This rule is effective March 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Farah Ahmad, Rural Business-
Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 3254, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0783, Telephone: 202-245-
1169. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 6025 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(2014 Farm Bill) provides the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to 
give priority to projects that support strategic economic development 
or community development plans. Section 6025 enables the Secretary to 
reserve up to 10 percent of program funds from certain Rural 
Development programs, as identified in the section.
    On May 20, 2015 (80 FR 28807), the Agency implemented this priority 
through the establishment of a new regulation, which is found in 7 CFR 
part 1980, subpart K of the Code of Federal Regulations. The new 
regulation applies to the following specific programs, which are 
referred to as the ``underlying programs,'' within Rural Development:

 Community Facility Loans
 Fire and Rescue and Other Small Community Facilities Projects
 Community Facilities Grant Program
 Community Programs Guaranteed Loans
 Water and Waste Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans
 Water and Waste Loans and Grants
 Business and Industry Guaranteed Loanmaking and Servicing
 Rural Business Development Grants

    When the Agency published the new regulation, we overlooked 
inserting cross-references to the new regulation in the regulations for 
the underlying programs. This action corrects that oversight. 
Specifically, the Agency is adding to each of the underlying programs' 
regulations language that alerts potential applicants to the new 
strategic and economic development regulation, which is found in 7 CFR 
part 1980, subpart K of chapter XVIII of the Code of Federal 
Regulations.

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 1779

    Loan programs--housing and community development, Rural areas, 
Waste treatment and disposal, Water supply.

7 CFR Part 1780

    Community development, Community facilities, Grant programs--
housing and community development, Loan programs--housing and community 
development, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Rural areas, 
Waste treatment and disposal, Water supply, Watersheds.

7 CFR Part 1942

    Business and industry, Community facilities, Fire prevention, Grant 
programs--business, Grant programs--housing and community development, 
Grant programs--Indians, Indians, Loan programs--agriculture, Loan 
programs--housing and community development, Loan programs--Indians, 
Loan programs--natural resources, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Rural areas, Waste treatment and disposal, Water supply, 
Watersheds.

7 CFR Part 3570

    Administrative practice and procedure, Fair housing, Grant 
programs--housing and community development, Housing, Low and moderate 
income housing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Rural areas.

7 CFR Part 3575

    Loan programs--agriculture.

7 CFR Part 4279

    Loan programs--business, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Rural areas.

7 CFR Part 4280

    Loan programs--Business and industry, Economic development, Energy, 
Energy efficiency improvements, Feasibility studies, Grant programs, 
Guaranteed loan programs, Renewable energy systems, Rural areas.

    For the reasons discussed above, chapters XVII, XVIII, XXXV, and 
XLII of title 7, of the Code of Federal Regulations are amended as 
follows:

Chapter XVII--Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture

PART 1779--WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS GUARANTEED LOANS

0
1. The authority citation for part 1779 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989; 16 U.S.C. 1005.


0
2. Add Sec.  1779.51 to read as follows:


Sec.  1779.51  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

PART 1780--WATER AND WASTE LOANS AND GRANTS

0
3. The authority citation for part 1780 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989; 16 U.S.C. 1005.

Subpart A--General Policies and Requirements

0
4. Add Sec.  1780.34 to read as follows:


Sec.  1780.34  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic

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economic development and community development plans are encouraged to 
review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which contains 
provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

Chapter XVIII--Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service, Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service Agency, Department 
of Agriculture

PART 1942--ASSOCIATIONS

0
5. The authority citation for part 1942 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989.

Subpart A--Community Facility Loan

0
6. Add Sec.  1942.10 to read as follows:


Sec.  1942.10  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

Subpart C--Fire and Rescue and Other Small Community Facilities 
Projects

0
7. Add Sec.  1942.110 to read as follows:


Sec.  1942.110  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

Chapter XXXV--Rural Housing Service, Department of Agriculture

PART 3570--COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

0
8. The authority citation for part 3570 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989.


0
9. Add Sec.  3570.71 to read as follows:


Sec.  3570.71  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

PART 3575--GENERAL

0
10. The authority citation for part 3575 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 301, 7 U.S.C. 1989.

Subpart A--Community Programs Guaranteed Loans

0
11. Add Sec.  3575.51 to read as follows:


Sec.  3575.51  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

Chapter XLII--Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Rural Utilities 
Service, Department of Agriculture

PART 4279--GUARANTEED LOANMAKING

0
12. The authority citation for part 4279 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; and 7 U.S.C. 1989.

Subpart B--Business and Industry Loans

0
13. Add Sec.  4279.162 to read as follows:


Sec.  4279.162  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

PART 4280--LOANS AND GRANTS

0
14. The authority citation for part 4280 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 904c and 7 U.S.C. 1932(c).

Subpart E--Rural Business Development Grants

0
15. Add Sec.  4280.428 to read as follows:


Sec.  4280.428  Strategic economic and community development.

    Applicants with projects that support the implementation of 
strategic economic development and community development plans are 
encouraged to review and consider 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K, which 
contains provisions for providing priority to projects that support the 
implementation of strategic economic development and community 
development plans on a Multi-jurisdictional basis.

    Dated: February 19, 2016.
Lisa Mensah,
Under Secretary, Rural Development.

    Dated: February 19, 2016.
Michael Scuse,
Under Secretary, Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 2016-04309 Filed 2-29-16; 8:45 am]
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