[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 44 (Thursday, March 5, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12862-12864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03657]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Part 123

RIN 3245-AH12


Regulatory Reform Initiative: Disaster Loan Program

AGENCY: U. S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is removing from 
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 20 regulations that are no longer 
necessary because the programs they govern are no longer in effect. The 
rule will remove all regulations applicable to two subparts: Pre-
Disaster Mitigation Loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans as a 
Result of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks. The removal of 
these regulations will assist the public by simplifying SBA's 
regulations in the CFR.

DATES: This rule is effective on June 3, 2020 without further action, 
unless significant adverse comment is received by May 4, 2020. If 
significant adverse comment is received, SBA will publish a timely 
withdrawal of the rule in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN: 3245-AH12 by any 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail or Hand Delivery/Courier: Jerome Edwards, Director, 
Program Policy and Evaluation, Office of Disaster Assistance, Small 
Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW, Washington, DC 20416.
    SBA will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. If you 
wish to submit confidential business information (CBI), as defined in 
the User Notice at http://www.regulations.gov, please submit the 
information to Jerome Edwards, Director, Program Policy and Evaluation, 
Office of Disaster Assistance, Small Business Administration, 409 Third 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20416, or send an email to 
[email protected]. Highlight the information that you consider to 
be CBI and explain why you believe SBA should hold this information as 
confidential. SBA will review the information and make the final 
determination on whether it will publish the information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerome Edwards, Director, Program 
Policy and Evaluation, (202) 205-6734, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background Information

A. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loans, Part 123, Subpart E

    Pre-disaster mitigation loans were authorized by Congress in 1999 
to encourage disaster preparedness rather than reliance on response and 
recovery. The program was authorized for five fiscal years (2000-2004). 
During that time, SBA made four loans under the program. SBA published 
regulations implementing the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loan program on 
October 7, 2002 (67 FR 62337). SBA is now removing those regulations as 
the program is no longer authorized.

B. Economic Injury Disaster Loans as a Result of the September 11, 2001 
Terrorist Attacks, Part 123, Subpart G

    In response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, SBA 
published regulations authorizing economic injury disaster loans 
outside the declared disaster areas to small businesses that suffered 
economic injury as a direct result of the attacks or any related 
Federal action following the attacks. The rule, published on October 
22, 2001 (66 FR 53331), outlined the eligibility criteria and loan 
terms. On June 24, 2002, SBA extended the deadline for businesses to 
apply for the loans from May 22, 2002 to September 30, 2002 (67 FR 
42594). SBA made 4,996 loans under the program. SBA is now removing 
these regulations as they are now obsolete.

C. Executive Order 13771

    On January 30, 2017, President Trump signed Executive Order 13771, 
Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, which, among 
other objectives, is intended to ensure that an agency's regulatory 
costs are prudently managed and controlled so as to minimize the 
compliance burden imposed on the public. For every new regulation an 
agency proposes to implement, unless prohibited by law, this Executive 
order requires the agency to (i) identify at least two existing 
regulations that the agency can cancel; and (ii) use the cost savings 
from the cancelled regulations to offset the cost of the new 
regulation.

D. Executive Order 13777

    On February 24, 2017, the President issued Executive Order 13777, 
Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda, which further emphasized the 
goal of the Administration to alleviate the regulatory burdens placed 
on the public. Under Executive Order 13777, agencies must evaluate 
their existing regulations to determine which ones should be repealed, 
replaced, or modified. In doing so, agencies should focus on 
identifying regulations that, among other things: Eliminate jobs or 
inhibit job creation; are outdated, unnecessary or ineffective; impose 
costs that exceed benefits; create a serious inconsistency or otherwise 
interfere with regulatory reform initiatives and policies; or are 
associated with Executive orders or other Presidential directives that 
have been rescinded or substantially modified. SBA has engaged in this 
process and has identified the regulations in this rulemaking as 
appropriate for removal in accordance with Executive Order 13777.

II. Section by Section Analysis

A. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loans, Part 123, Subpart E

    SBA is removing subpart E from part 123 of SBA's regulations 
because the regulations are no longer necessary. The regulations at 13 
CFR 123.400 through 123.412 describe eligibility requirements, 
allowable uses of proceeds, loan terms, and application procedures for 
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loans. Specifically, the provisions to be 
removed are: (1) Sec.  123.400 What is the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loan 
Program?; (2) Sec.  123.401 What types of mitigation measures can your 
business include in

[[Page 12863]]

an application for a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; (3) Sec.  123.402 
Can your business include its relocation as a mitigation measure in an 
application for a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; (4) Sec.  123.403 When 
is your business eligible to apply for a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; 
(5) Sec.  123.404 When is your business ineligible to apply for a pre-
disaster mitigation loan?; (6) Sec.  123.405 How much can your business 
borrow with a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; (7) Sec.  123.406 What is 
the interest rate on a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; (8) Sec.  123.407 
When does your business apply for a pre-disaster mitigation loan and 
where does your business get an application?; (9) Sec.  123.408 How 
does your business apply for a pre-disaster mitigation loan?; (10) 
Sec.  123.409 Which pre-disaster mitigation loan requests will SBA 
consider for funding?; (11) Sec.  123.410 Which loan requests will SBA 
fund?; (12) Sec.  123.411 What if SBA determines that your business 
loan request meets the selection criteria of Sec.  123.409 but SBA is 
unable to fund it because SBA has already allocated all program funds?; 
and (13) Sec.  123.412 What happens if SBA declines your business' pre-
disaster mitigation loan request?
    The statutory authority for Pre-Disaster Mitigation Loans expired 
in 2004; therefore, SBA is no longer making these loans. There are no 
outstanding loans.

B. Economic Injury Disaster Loans as a Result of the September 11, 2001 
Terrorist Attacks, Part 123, Subpart G

    SBA is also removing subpart G from part 123 of SBA's regulations 
because the regulations are no longer necessary. The regulations at 13 
CFR 123.600 through 123.606 describe eligibility requirements, 
allowable uses of proceeds, loan terms, and application procedures for 
economic injury disaster loans made under Subpart G. Specifically, the 
provisions to be removed are: (1) Sec.  123.600 Are economic injury 
disaster loans under this subpart limited to the geographic areas 
contiguous to the declared disaster areas?; (2) Sec.  123.601 Is my 
business eligible to apply for an economic injury disaster loan under 
this subpart?; (3) Sec.  123.602 When would my business not be eligible 
to apply for an economic injury disaster loan under this subpart?; (4) 
Sec.  123.603 What is the interest rate on an economic injury disaster 
loan under this subpart?; (5) Sec.  123.604 How can my business spend 
my economic injury disaster loan under this subpart?; (6) Sec.  123.605 
How long do I have to apply for a loan under this subpart?; and (7) 
Sec.  123.606 May I request an increase in the amount of an economic 
injury disaster loan under this subpart?
    This loan program was intended to specifically address the unique 
injury caused by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Since the 
deadline for businesses to apply for the loans was September 30, 2002 
(67 FR 42594), SBA is no longer making these loans. Therefore, the 
regulations are no longer necessary. There are approximately 478 
outstanding loans; existing borrowers can refer to their loan documents 
for information on loan terms.

C. Conforming Amendment

    SBA is removing regulatory text that cross-references the 
regulations being removed by this rule. Specifically, this conforming 
change removes the text in Sec.  123.21 that references pre-disaster 
mitigation loans.

D. Administrative Procedure Act--Direct Final Rule

    SBA is publishing this rule as a direct final rule because SBA 
views this action as a non-controversial administrative action that 
relates solely to expired SBA programs. This rule will be effective on 
the date shown in the DATES section unless SBA receives any significant 
adverse comments on or before the deadline for comments set forth in 
the DATES section. Significant adverse comments are comments that SBA 
determines provide strong justifications for why the rule should not be 
adopted or for changing the rule. If SBA receives any significant 
adverse comments, SBA will publish a document in the Federal Register 
withdrawing this rule before the effective date.

III. Compliance With Executive Orders 12866, 13771, 12988, and 13132, 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C., Ch. 35), and the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612)

A. Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that this 
rule does not constitute a significant regulatory action for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866 and is not a major rule under the 
Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq.

B. Executive Order 13771

    This direct final rule is an Executive Order 13771 deregulatory 
action with an annualized net savings of $45,245 and a net present 
value of $646,355, both in 2016 dollars. This rule will remove 
information, which will save potential applicants time in reading and 
inquiring about these obsolete programs and reduce confusion around 
whether applications are being accepted.
    Approximately 109,131 applicants apply for SBA disaster assistance 
loans per year on average, based on data from 2014-2018. These 
calculations assume 3% of disaster loan applicants read the regulations 
per year (or approximately 3,300 applicants) and that the removal of 
these obsolete regulations would save each applicant 30 minutes of time 
otherwise spent reviewing or inquiring about non-existent programs. 
This time is valued at $28.80 per hour--the median wage of a full-time 
working adult based on 2018 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, 
adding 30% more for benefits. The removal of these regulations produces 
a total savings per year of $47,145 in current dollars.

C. Executive Order 12988

    This action meets applicable standards set forth in Sections 3(a) 
and 3(b)(2) of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform, to minimize 
litigation, eliminate ambiguity, and reduce burden. The action does not 
have retroactive or preemptive effect.

D. Executive Order 13132

    This rule does not have federalism implications as defined in 
Executive Order 13132. It will not have substantial direct effects on 
the States, on the relationship between the National Government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government, as specified in the Executive order. As 
such it does not warrant the preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

E. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The SBA has determined that this final rule does not affect any 
existing collection of information.

F. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    When an agency issues a rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) 
requires the agency to prepare a final regulatory flexibility analysis 
(FRFA), which describes whether the rule will have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. However, 
Section 605 of the RFA allows an agency to certify a rule, in lieu of 
preparing a FRFA, if the rulemaking is not expected to have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
    This direct final rule is removing descriptions of obsolete 
programs in the current regulations, which will reduce confusion and 
the time required to read and/or inquire about obsolete programs. 
Approximately 109,131 applicants apply for SBA disaster assistance 
loans per year, on average based on data from

[[Page 12864]]

2014-2018. The net savings to potential disaster loan applicants is 
$47,145 per year in current dollars, or less than a dollar per 
applicant.
    Therefore, SBA hereby certifies that this rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

List of Subjects in 13 CFR Part 123

    Disaster assistance, Loan programs-business, Small businesses, 
Terrorism.

    Accordingly, for the reasons stated in the preamble, SBA is 
amending 13 CFR part 123 as follows:

PART 123--DISASTER LOAN PROGRAM

0
1. The authority citation for part 123 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 632, 634(b)(6), 636(b), 636(d), and 657n.


Sec.  123.21   [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  123.21 by removing the last sentence.

Subpart E--[Removed and Reserved]

0
3. Remove and reserve subpart E, consisting of Sec. Sec.  123.400 
through 123.412.

Subpart G--[Removed and Reserved]

0
4. Remove and reserve subpart G, consisting of Sec. Sec.  123.600 
through 123.606.

    Dated: February 11, 2020.
Jovita Carranza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-03657 Filed 3-4-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8025-01-P