[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 246 (Friday, December 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67440-67441]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-32267]
[[Page 67439]]
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Part V
Department of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
Economic Development Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
Economic Development Assistance Program: Disaster Recovery Activities;
Availability of Funds; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 246 / Friday, December 20, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 67440]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No. 950302065-6354-07]
RIN 0610-ZA03
Economic Development Assistance Program for Disaster Recovery
Activities, Availability of Funds
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce (DoC).
ACTION: Supplementary notice.
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SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announces the
policies and the application procedures for funds available to support
disaster recovery projects designed to assist affected states and local
communities recover from the consequences of wind damage and flooding
in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West
Virginia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricanes
Fran and Hortense and other natural disasters.
EDA offers a variety of program tools to assist affected
communities. For the purposes of a targeted recovery program response
for this disaster, the primary emphasis of EDA's program will be to
assist disaster-impacted areas with the construction of new and
expanded infrastructure and development facilities required for
economic development to alleviate the economic distress of the areas.
DATES: This announcement is effective December 20, 1996. Applications
are accepted on a continuous basis and funds shall remain available
until expended.
ADDRESSES: To establish merits of projects proposals, interested
parties should contact the Atlanta Regional Office, Philadelphia
Regional Office or the appropriate Economic Development Representative
for the area (see listing in ``Other Information'').
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
See listing in ``Other Information'' of this Notice.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants should be aware that a false
statement on the application is grounds for denial of the application
or termination of the grant award and grounds for possible punishment
by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
Applicants are hereby notified that any equipment or products
authorized to be purchased with funding provided under this program
must be American-made to the maximum extent feasible.
The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an
application under any EDA programs must not exceed the indirect cost
rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal agency prior to the
proposed effective date of the award or 100 percent of the total
proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is
less.
Applicants seeking an early start, i.e., to begin a project before
EDA approval, must obtain a letter from EDA allowing such early start.
Such approval may be given with the understanding that an early start
does not constitute project approval. Applicants should be aware that
if they incur any costs prior to an award being made they do so solely
at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Government.
Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may have been
received, there is no obligation on the part of DOC to cover preaward
costs.
If an application is selected for funding, EDA has no obligation to
provide any additional future funding in connection with an award.
Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of
performance is at the sole discretion of EDA.
Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may result in
an application not being considered for funding.
No award of Federal funds will be made to an applicant who has an
outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either:
1. The delinquent account is paid in full;
2. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one
payment is received; or
3. Other arrangements satisfactory to DoC are made.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond to nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to
comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information
displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
control number. This notice involves a collection of information
requirement subject to the provisions of the PRA and has been approved
by OMB under Control Number 0610-0094.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
The Special Economic Development Adjustment Assistance Program--
Long Term Economic Deterioration and Sudden and Severe Economic
Dislocation is listed under CFDA 11.307 (13 CFR Part 308). Public Works
and Development Facilities Assistance and Public Works Impact Program
are listed under CFDA 11.300 and CFDA 11.304 (13 CFR 305). The Planning
and Technical Assistance programs are listed under CFDA 11.302, 11.303,
and 11.305 (13 CFR 307, Subpart A; and 13 CFR Part 307, Subparts E and
F).
Funding Availability
Funds in the amount of $25 million are available for this disaster
relief program and shall remain available until expended. These funds
are provided from the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997
(Public Law 104-208). The funds are available for awarding disaster
assistance grants pursuant to the Public Works and Economic Development
Act of 1965, as amended. Funds will be apportioned as follows: North
Carolina--$14.0 million; South Carolina--$1.0 million; Virginia--$4.5
million; West Virginia--$1.0 million; Commonwealth of Puerto Rico--$4.5
million.
Grant Rates
Grant rates, as established by the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965, as amended (PWEDA) and its implementing
regulations at 13 CFR Chapter III, may vary, if permitted by PWEDA and
its implementing regulations, and will depend on the type of applicant,
relative needs and financial capacity of applicants. In most cases, a
nonfederal local share of not less than 25 percent will be required. In
rare and extenuating circumstances, EDA may waive the local share
requirement where permitted by PWEDA and its implementing regulations
at 13 CFR Chapter III.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include the states and the commonwealth or
political subdivisions thereof, including municipalities and quasi-
public corporations and authorities, Indian tribes, Community
Development Corporations, and nonprofit corporations representing an
EDA designated redevelopment area or part thereof, located in areas
affected by Hurricanes Fran and Hortense in the states of North
Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico.
Proposal Submission Procedures
Proposals for assistance under this disaster recovery program shall
be submitted to EDA on a completed Form ED-900P, OMB Control No. 0610-
0094. Applicants must clearly demonstrate
[[Page 67441]]
how the EDA assistance will help the area recover from the economic
hardship and other problems caused by wind and/or flood damage, or
other natural disasters, and that such assistance has been preceded by
sound planning. Interested parties should contact the appropriate
Economic Development Representative for the area, or the appropriate
EDA Regional Office for a proposal package (see listing under ``Other
Information'').
Application Procedures
A determination of whether to invite an application under this
disaster recovery program for EDA assistance will be issued based upon
the Agency's review of the applicant's proposal under the evaluation
criteria herein and EDA's regulations at 13 CFR Chapter III.
Funding Instrument
Funds will be awarded in accordance with the requirements of Title
I, Title III, and Title IX of the Public Works and Economic Development
Act of 1965, as amended (Public Law 89-136; 42 U.S.C. 3121 et. seq.)
(PWEDA) and EDA's regulations at 13 CFR Chapter III. The appropriate
title for grant application and award will be determined by EDA based
on the nature of the project and the eligibility of the area.
Project Selection Criteria
It is anticipated that the funds announced herein for disaster
recovery assistance may not be sufficient to meet all of the economic
recovery needs for which requests are received. EDA will use the
following criteria to select the projects for grant award: (1) projects
that are consistent with an area Economic Adjustment Strategy, the
Overall Economic Development Program for the Area, or the State
Emergency Recovery Plan; (2) the degree to which EDA funding is
leveraged with appropriate state, local, private, and other Federal
assistance efforts; (3) the extent to which projects are located in
areas with high levels of economic distress; (4) the degree to which
projects enhance/stimulate sustainable economic development; (5) the
extent to which projects mitigate the impacts of future disasters; (6)
the relative impact projects have for assisting in the post-disaster
recovery of the area; and (7) the extent to which the project will
directly or indirectly tend to improve opportunities in the area for
the establishment or expansion of industrial or commercial facilities
and/or primarily benefit members of low-income families.
To establish the merits of project proposals, interested parties
should contact the EDA Economic Development Representative or EDA
Regional Office for the area (see listing below) for a proposal form,
(ED-900P). Requests for assistance shall be submitted directly to the
EDA Economic Development Representative or EDA Regional Office that
serves the area (see listing below).
EDA will evaluate proposals to determine whether they can meet the
criteria established. Following the review of the proposals, EDA will
invite those entities whose projects are selected for consideration to
submit full applications, ED-900A, OMB Control No. 0610-0094. In
addition to the real property title requirements at 13 CFR 314.7,
applicants will be expected to submit satisfactory evidence of rights
of entry assuring prompt access to project property at time of grant
award in those cases where applicants do not hold title to all real
property required for the projects at time of application.
Other Information
Except as modified herein, evaluation criteria, competitive
selection procedures, application procedures, and other requirements
for the applicable assistance program are described at 13 CFR Chapter
III.
For further information contact the appropriate Economic
Development Representative or EDA Regional Office listed below:
John E. Corrigan, Regional Director, Philadelphia Regional Office,
Curtis Center, Independence Square West, Suite 140 South, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19106; Telephone: (215) 597-4603; Internet Address:
jcorriga@doc.gov
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Economic development representatives States covered
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Neal E. Noyes, 700 Centre Building, Room 230, Virginia.
704 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA
23219; Telephone: (804) 771-2061; Internet
Address: nnoyes@doc.gov.
R. Byron Davis, Rose City Press Building, 550 West Virginia.
Eagan Street, Room 305, Charleston, WV
25301; Telephone: (304) 347-5252; Internet
Address: bdavis3@doc.gov.
Ernesto L. Cruz, Economic Development Puerto Rico.
Representative, IBM Building, Room 620, 654
Munoz Rivera Avenue, Hato Rey, PR 00918;
Telephone: (809) 766-5187; Internet Address:
ecruz@doc.gov.
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William J. Day, Jr., Regional Director, 401 West Peachtree Street, NW.,
Suite 1820, Atlanta, GA 30308-3510; Telephone: (404) 730-3002; Internet
Address: wday@doc.gov
Patricia M. Dixon--North Carolina, South Carolina, Strom Thurmond
Federal Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 307, Columbia, SC 29201;
Telephone: (803) 765-5676; Internet Address: pdixon@doc.gov
Dated: December 12, 1996.
Phillip A. Singerman,
Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 96-32267 Filed 12-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-M
