[Federal Register: May 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 96)]
[Notices]
[Page 27013-27014]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19my03-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) Inviting Applications for the
Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grant
Program
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of extension of application deadline and clarification
of previous notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) extends the
deadline of June 6, 2003, for submitting applications for grant funds
to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency
improvements for agricultural producers and rural small businesses
under Title IX, Section 9006, pursuant to enactment of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 announced in a notice of
funds availability (NOFA) published April 8, 2003 (67 FR 17009). This
action is also taken to provide additional information that clarifies
the financial requirements for agricultural producers and requirements
for utility interconnection agreements and power purchase arrangements.
This extension will allow eligible applicants additional time to submit
applications.
DATES: Accordingly, the deadline for submitting applications under the
notice published April 8, 2003, (67 FR 17009) is extended to June 27,
2003. Applications postmarked after June 27, 2003, will be returned to
the applicant with no action. Postage due applications will not be
accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USDA Rural Development State Offices
published in the notice on April 8, 2003 (67 FR 17009).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Discussion of Extension of Application Deadline
RBS published a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) on April 8,
2003 (67 FR 17009) with an application deadline of June 6, 2003. Due to
the application requirements outlined in the NOFA and the
clarifications of two areas of the NOFA that are being provided as part
of this notice, RBS is extending the application period until June 26,
2003.
The NOFA requires that agricultural producers submit a current
balance sheet and income statement in a format that is generally
required by commercial agricultural lenders. In addition, agricultural
producers are required to provide financial statements for the past 3
years, including income statements and balance sheets, in the format
that is generally required by commercial agricultural lenders. For
agricultural producers, the requirement of the use of a format that is
generally required by commercial agricultural lenders is satisfied by
the use of ``income tax returns, bank statements, balance sheet/income
statements, or financial statements.'' If the applicant chooses to
submit last year's income tax return in lieu of a current income
statement, a balance sheet and/or bank statement will be required. This
requirement is necessary in order to determine the demonstrated
financial need for the grant. Agricultural producers may submit only
income tax returns to satisfy the requirement to provide financial
statements for the past 3 years. For assistance in finding technical
and feasibility resources useful in preparing an application under the
NOFA, please access the Rural Development Web site, http://www.rurdev.usda.gov <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.rurdev.usda.gov>
, in the Rural Development News section.
RBS recognizes that the interconnection agreement and power
purchase arrangements may take several months to arrange and execute.
While the Agency always recognized this reality, language used in the
NOFA to describe the requirement could have been more clear. Applicants
are advised that a letter of intent between the utility and the
applicant to enter into an interconnection agreement satisfies the
requirement in the NOFA. Applicants are also advised that a letter of
intent between the power purchaser and the applicant to enter into a
power purchase arrangement satisfies the requirement in the NOFA. RBS
recognizes that the utility and the power purchaser may be different
entities.
[[Page 27014]]
Dated: May 12, 2003.
Thomas C. Dorr,
Under Secretary, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 03-12459 Filed 5-16-03; 8:45 am]
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