[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 77 (Friday, April 19, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08369]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

7 CFR Parts 210, 220, 225, and 292

[FNS-2023-0029]
RIN 0584-AE96


Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate 
Option in the Summer Meal Programs

AGENCY:  Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Department of Agriculture 
(USDA).

ACTION:  Interim final rule, extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is extending for 120 days 
the public comment period on the interim final rule, ``Establishing the 
Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal 
Programs'', which published in the Federal Register on December 29, 
2023. This action extends the public comment period from April 29, 
2024, to August 27, 2024, to give the public additional time to prepare 
and submit comments.

DATES: The comment period of the interim final rule published December 
29, 2023, at 88 FR 90230, is extended through August 27, 2024. To be 
assured of consideration, written comments on this interim final rule 
must be received on or before August 27, 2024.

ADDRESSES: The Food and Nutrition Service invites interested persons to 
submit comments on this interim final rule. Comments may be submitted 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Send comments to Community Meals Policy Division, 
Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314.
     All written comments submitted in response to this interim 
final rule will be included in the record and will be made available to 
the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and 
the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments 
will be subject to public disclosure. USDA will make the written 
comments publicly available on the internet via https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  J. Kevin Maskornick, Division 
Director, Community Meals Policy Division, USDA Food and Nutrition 
Service, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone: 703-305-
2537.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Food and Nutrition Service is extending 
the public comment period on the interim final rule ``Establishing the 
Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal 
Programs'', which published on December 29, 2023, at 88 FR 90230. The 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 required the Secretary of 
Agriculture to make available an option to States to provide summer 
meals for non-congregate meal service in rural areas with no congregate 
meal service and to establish a permanent Summer Electronic Benefits 
Transfer for Children Program (Summer EBT) for the purpose of ensuring 
continued access to food when school is not in session for the summer. 
This interim final rule amends the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) 
and the National School Lunch Program's Seamless Summer Option (SSO) 
regulations to codify the flexibility for rural program operators to 
provide non-congregate meal service in the SFSP and SSO, collectively 
referred to as the summer meal programs. This rule also establishes 
regulations and codifies the Summer EBT Program in the Code of Federal 
Regulations.
    This action extends the public comment period to August 27, 2024, 
to provide additional time for the public, including State 
administering agencies, Territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations, 
as well as program participants and beneficiaries, and other 
stakeholders, to prepare and submit comments. Because the interim final 
rule became effective immediately upon publication, stakeholders are 
already taking active steps to implement its provisions. Extending the 
comment period ensures that these stakeholders are able to provide 
robust feedback on the entirety of the interim final rule's provisions, 
and that this feedback is reflective of their implementation 
experiences in advance of and during Summer 2024. Receipt of informed 
public input accounting for the first year of operations under the new 
Program rules will be vital when the Food and Nutrition Service 
considers future rulemaking to finalize the provisions of the interim 
final rule.

Cynthia Long,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-08369 Filed 4-18-24; 8:45 am]
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