[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 143 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48429-48430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-15897]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[DOCKET #: RUS-23-ELECTRIC-0005]


Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; announcement of the opening of the online application 
window for the New ERA Program.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service, a Rural Development agency of the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter referred to 
as ``RUS'' or ``the Agency'' announced its intent to solicit Letters of 
Interest (LOI) for applications under the Empowering Rural America (New 
ERA) Program in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on May 16, 2023, 
in the Federal Register. In addition, the NOFO also announced the 
eligibility requirements, application process and deadlines, and the 
criteria that RUS will use to assess New ERA Applications. The New ERA 
funds will be used to assist Eligible Entities in achieving the 
greatest reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions while advancing 
the long-term resiliency, reliability, and affordability of rural 
electric systems. This Notice announces an update on how to submit an 
LOI, additional information that must be submitted and an extension of 
time to submit LOIs.

DATES: The Agency will begin accepting LOIs for the New ERA Program 
beginning at 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 31, 2023, and until 
11:59 p.m. ET on September 15, 2023. Letters of Interest will not be 
accepted after 11:59 p.m. ET on September 15, 2023.

ADDRESSES: All LOIs must be submitted to RUS electronically at 
www.grants.gov. Additional information and resources are available at 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/empowering-rural-america-new-era-program. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 
funding for Rural Development website is located at https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher McLean, Assistant 
Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities Service, Rural 
Development, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW, STOP 1568, Washington, DC 20250-1560; Telephone: 202-690-
4492. Email to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The New ERA Program is authorized under the Inflation 
Reduction Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-169, ``IRA''), Subtitle C, Section 
22004.

Overview

    Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Utilities Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Empowering Rural America (New ERA) 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Announcement of the Opening of the On-Line 
Application Window for the New ERA Program.
    Assistance Listing Number: 10.758.
    Funding Opportunity Number: RUS-NewERA-2023
    LOI submission information: RUS will accept electronic submission 
of LOIs through Grants.gov. RUS will not accept paper, facsimile, or 
email transmission.

I. Background

    On August 16, 2022, The Biden Harris Administration and the United 
State Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 which 
authorized the New ERA Program. The goal of the New ERA Program is to 
provide financial assistance to Eligible Entities to achieve the 
greatest reductions in GHG emissions through the cooperatives' 
voluntary transformation of rural electric systems in a way that 
promotes resiliency and reliability of rural electric systems and 
affordability for their members.
    On May 16, 2023, the Agency published a NOFO in the Federal 
Register (88 FR 31218) that solicited LOIs for applications under the 
New ERA Program and announced the application process as well as 
provided deadlines for applications from Eligible Entities. The NOFO 
also informed potential Applicants that the Agency would finalize the 
specific requirements of submitting an LOI through the on-line 
application window by a separate notice in the Federal Register and on 
the RUS website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/empowering-rural-america-new-era-program. In response to 
stakeholder requests, RUS is extending the deadline for accepting LOI 
submissions from August 31, 2023, to September 15, 2023, to provide 
stakeholders more time to prepare their LOIs.

II. Letter of Interest Requirements and Submission

A. Letter of Interest Requirements

    The Agency has added the requirement to submit an Application for 
Federal Assistance (SF 424) to the list of items needed for a complete 
LOI in order to accept the LOI's through Grants.gov. In addition to the 
SF 424, Applicants will still be required to provide the information 
included in Section D.2.i. of the NOFO that published in the Federal 
Register on May 16, 2023, (88 FR 31218). The RUS New ERA website will 
include an LOI Guide at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/empowering-rural-america-new-era-program. The LOI 
Guide will provide details on the submission of the LOI on Grants.gov, 
including how to provide attachments. In addition, the LOI Guide will 
detail how Applicants should use the RUS geospatial mapping tool to 
draw the service areas associated with each New ERA project and then 
upload Shapefiles to Grants.gov as part of an LOI Application. The LOI 
Guide will also indicate where to attach the additional requirements 
for the LOI, such as a copy of the Applicant's balance sheet and income 
statements.

B. Letter of Interest Submission

    1. Application of General Assistance. Prior to official submission 
of an LOI, Applicants may request general assistance from the Agency if 
such

[[Page 48430]]

requests are made prior to September 8, 2023. The Agency may provide 
general assistance as it is able, and Applicants may request assistance 
in the form of general assistance and consultation with an RUS General 
Field Representative (GFR). Please note that RUS GFRs shall not provide 
strategic submission or strategic LOI advice, and Applicants are fully 
responsible for their submissions. Assistance may also be requested to 
Agency staff in the form of requests to speak at meetings, events, and 
conferences to explain program provisions and answer questions about 
this funding announcement. Responses to questions regarding program 
provisions and this funding announcement will be posted to the New ERA 
FAQ page. Information on contacting an RUS GFR can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/electric-gfr. For requests regarding 
speaking engagements, please email: [email protected].
    2. Letters of Interest Submission Deadlines: The Agency will begin 
accepting LOIs for the New ERA Program beginning at 11:59 a.m. ET on 
July 31, 2023, and until 11:59 p.m. ET on September 15, 2023.
    The LOIs must be submitted electronically thru www.grants.gov. The 
New ERA funding opportunity in Grants.gov can be found by searching for 
the funding opportunity number found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this Notice. Please review the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html for instructions on the 
process of registering an organization as soon as possible to ensure 
that all electronic application deadlines are met. Grants.gov will not 
accept applications submitted after the deadline.

III. Program Requirements

    To be eligible for an award, applications must meet all of the 
requirements contained in the NOFO published in the Federal Register on 
May 16, 2023, at 88 FR 31218. Information can also be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/electric-programs/empowering-rural-america-new-era-program.

Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-15897 Filed 7-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P