[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2064-2065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00597]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket #RUS-22-Electric-0060]


Inflation Reduction Act Discussion Sessions

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA

ACTION: Notice of roundtable discussion sessions.

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SUMMARY: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 created several new 
clean energy provisions to be administered by the Rural Utilities 
Service (RUS), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area of 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Following formal 
listening sessions, Tribal consultation, and a written comment period 
in November and December of 2022 regarding these IRA RUS clean energy 
provisions, RUS will host a series of virtual roundtables in January of 
2023 to gain additional individual input from stakeholders regarding 
the design of IRA sections 22001 and 22004, with the intention of 
releasing a funding opportunity announcement in the first half of 2023.

DATES: Thirteen virtual roundtable discussions are planned for the 
following dates and times. In an effort to create a smaller setting for 
individual representatives to share their input, roundtables are 
organized by stakeholder groups, although all discussions will be open 
to any member of the public who expresses interest in joining, with the 
goal of being inclusive and hearing from all stakeholders wishing to 
provide further input. Registration links for the sessions below are 
available at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act.

January 17--10 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA 
Roundtable aimed at Electrical Generation & Transmission (G&T) entities 
RUS Region 1 which includes entities in the following states: AL, CT, 
DE, FL, GA, KY, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, 
WV
January 17--4 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Rural Mayors and Other Sub-national Leaders
January 18--10 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable 
aimed at Labor Stakeholders
January 18--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Environmental Stakeholders
January 19--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Clean Energy Developers
January 20--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable 
aimed at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 1 which includes 
entities in the following states: AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, ME, MD, MA, 
NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV
January 20--3:30 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable 
aimed at Electrical G&T entities in RUS Region 2 which includes 
entities in the following states: AK, AR, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI, 
MS, MO, NE, OK, TX
January 23--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable 
aimed at Engineering Firms with Expertise in Rural Energy and Rural 
Energy Systems
January 23--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Electrical G&T entities in RUS Region 3 which includes entities in 
the following states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, 
WA, WI, WY and all Territories
January 24--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable 
aimed at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 2 which includes 
entities in the following states: AK, AR, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI, 
MS, MO, NE, OK, TX
January 24--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at promoting renewable energy development in tribal communities through 
Tribes, Tribal Utilities and Tribal Organizations and Entities
January 25--1 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Equity Stakeholders
January 26--4 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed 
at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 3 which includes entities in 
the following states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, 
WA, WI, WY and all Territories

ADDRESSES: If you have an interest in attending any roundtable 
discussion session, please register at https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act. Given limited capacity and the goal of 
creating smaller settings to hear from as diverse and broad a set of 
stakeholders as possible, we encourage stakeholders to only register 
for the session most focused on their interest. Additional information 
about RD and its programs is available on the internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louise Torrez at 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication (Braille, large print,

[[Page 2065]]

audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-
2600 (voice and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Rural Development is an advocate for rural America, administering a 
multitude of programs, ranging from housing and community facilities to 
infrastructure and business development. The Agency's mission is to 
increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in rural 
communities by providing the leadership, infrastructure, capital, and 
technical support that enables rural communities to prosper. To achieve 
its mission, the Agency provides financial support, including loan 
guarantees, direct loans and grants, and technical assistance to 
enhance the quality of life and provide the foundation for economic 
development in rural areas.
    The RUS received significant funding through the IRA of 2022, 
Public Law 117-169. This funding is a historic opportunity to provide 
financial assistance for renewable and zero-emission projects and 
energy systems, including energy storage and enabling infrastructure, 
that will support the long-term resilience, reliability, and 
affordability of rural electric systems and achieve greenhouse gas 
emission reductions.
    Section 22001 of the IRA provides $1 billion in budget authority 
for loans for solar, hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass projects, as 
required by Section 317 of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C. 
940g), and for energy storage associated with renewable energy 
projects. Up to 50 percent of such loans will be forgiven if the loan 
terms and conditions are satisfied; however, the Secretary shall also 
establish criteria to go beyond the 50 percent limitation.
    Section 22004 of the IRA provides $9.7 billion in budget authority 
for loans, grants, loan modifications and other financial assistance to 
support the purchase of renewable energy, renewable energy systems, 
zero-emissions, and carbon capture systems and to deploy such systems 
or to make energy efficiency improvements to generation and 
transmission systems of eligible entities to achieve the greatest 
reduction in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions 
associated with rural electric systems. An eligible entity is defined 
as an electric cooperative described in section 501(c)(12) or 
1381(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is or has been a 
Rural Utilities Service electric loan borrower pursuant to the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936 or serving a predominantly rural area or a 
wholly or jointly owned subsidiary of such electric cooperative.
    RUS aims to release a Funding Opportunity Announcement for both 
sections 22001 and 22004 in the first half of 2023. The RUS is 
developing processes and tools that will be used to deliver this 
important funding to rural areas and stakeholder feedback is vital in 
developing financial assistance products that will be integral to 
ensuring this funding reaches the intended customers.

Roundtable Discussion Sessions

    The RUS will hold the roundtable discussions on the dates listed in 
DATES section of this notice to provide an additional opportunity for 
the public, particularly those who may not have participated in or 
commented through previously announced opportunities, about their needs 
and interests regarding sections 22001 and 22004 of the IRA. RUS will 
use the Zoom platform to host and record the virtual roundtable 
discussions. Each roundtable session will begin with brief opening 
remarks from RUS leadership. Participants will be able to provide input 
verbally or through the chat feature in Zoom. Individual speakers 
providing input will be asked for succinct remarks. Due to time and 
attendance constraints, the agency reserves the right to announce a 
time limitation at the beginning of each session.
    The discussions will vary and be driven in large part by 
participants, but will focus on IRA sections 22001 and 22004 and input 
regarding, but not limited to, topics such as community needs, 
concerns, and opportunities regarding renewable energy development; 
specific financing and market needs to make renewable energy and zero 
emission projects and energy systems viable, affordable and reliable 
for rural communities; equity concerns and specific thoughts on how to 
include and address equity considerations; and metrics and the benefits 
and/or limitations of existing publicly available government tools to 
assess the greenhouse gas emissions of renewable energy projects and 
energy systems.

Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00597 Filed 1-10-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P