[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28152-28154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13222]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 100 / Tuesday, May 25, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 28152]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Designation of Rural Empowerment Zones and Rural Enterprise
Communities
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the designation of five new rural
empowerment zones and 20 new rural enterprise communities from the
applications received in response to the Notice Inviting Applications
published in the Federal Register on April 16, 1998. The Secretary of
Agriculture (Secretary) will award newly authorized direct federal
grants of $2,000,000 to each rural empowerment zone and $250,000 to
each rural enterprise community. Notice is also given that rural
empowerment zones and rural enterprise communities designated by the
Secretary are expected to sign a memorandum of agreement substantially
in the form attached to this notice.
DATES: The designation date for the five Round II rural empowerment
zones and 20 Round IIS rural enterprise communities announced in this
notice was December 24, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deputy Administrator for Community
Development, USDA Rural Development, Office of Community Development,
Reporters Building, Room 701, STOP 3203, 300 7th Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20024-3203, telephone 1-800-851-3403, or by sending an
Internet e-mail message to ">``[email protected]www.ezec.gov''. For hearing- and
speech-impaired persons, information concerning this program may be
obtained by contacting USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (Voice
and TDD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title IX of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
authorized the Secretary to designate up to five rural empowerment
zones (``Round II'') in addition to those rural empowerment zones and
enterprise communities designated by the Secretary in December 1994
pursuant to title XIII of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
(``Round I''). A Notice Inviting Applications for Round II was
published on April 16, 1998 (63 FR 19143). One hundred sixty eligible
applications were received in response to this invitation in time to
meet the October 9, 1998, deadline. On October 21, 1998, the
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies, Appropriations Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277) (Round
IIS) was signed into law (1999 Appropriations Act). Section 766 of the
1999 Appropriations Act authorized 20 new rural enterprise communities
and also appropriated new USDA grant funding for Round II rural
empowerment zones and Round IIS rural enterprise communities. The
statutory deadline for Round II rural empowerment zone designations was
January 1, 1999. There is no statutory deadline for Round IIS rural
enterprise community designations.
I. Designation of Five New Rural Empowerment Zones
On December 24, 1998, the Secretary designated the following
nominated areas as rural empowerment zones pursuant to the Round II
legislative authorization:
USDA Rural Empowerment Zones (Round II)
[Asterisked ``*'' counties have areas not included in the designated empowerment zone]
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Name State Counties
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Desert Communities EZ........ CA Riverside*
Southwest Georgia United EZ.. GA Crisp*, Dooly
Southernmost Illinois Delta IL Alexander*, Johnson*, Pulaski
EZ.
Griggs-Steele EZ............. ND Griggs*, Steele
Oglala Sioux Tribe EZ........ SD Bennett, Jackson*, Shannon
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II. Designation of 20 New Rural Enterprise Communities
On December 24, 1998, the Secretary designated the following
nominated areas as rural enterprise communities pursuant to the Round
IIS legislative authorization:
USDA Rural Enterprise Communities (Round IIS)
[Asterisked ``*'' counties have areas not included in the designated enterprise community]
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Name State Counties
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Metlakatla Indian EC......... AK Ketchikan Borough
Four Corners................. AZ Apache*, Coconino*, Navajo*, (AZ)
NM San Juan* (NM)
UT San Juan* (UT)
Central California EC........ CA Fresno*, Tulare
Empowerment Alliance of FL Collier*, Hendry*
Southwest Florida EC.
Molokai EC................... HI Maui*
Town of Austin EC............ IN Scott*
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Wichita County EC............ KS Wichita
Bowling Green EC............. KY Warren*
City of Lewiston EC.......... ME Androscoggin*
Clare County EC.............. MI Clare*
Fort Peck Assiniboine and MT Roosevelt, Valley*
Sioux Tribe EC.
City of Deming EC............ NM Luna
Tri County Nations EC........ OK Coal, Johnston*, Pontotoc*
Fayette EC................... PA Fayette*
Allendale ALIVE EC........... SC Allendale
Clinch-Powell EC............. TN Claiborne*, Grainger*, Hancock, Hawkins*, Union*
Middle Rio Grande EC......... TX Dimmit*, Maverick*, Uvalde*, Zavala*
Tri County Rural EC.......... WA Ferry*, Okanogan*, Pend Oreille*, Stevens*
Northwoods Niijii EC......... WI Forest*, Minominee, Vilas*
Upper Kanawha Valley EC...... WV Kanawha*, Fayette*
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The Secretary selected the new rural enterprise communities from
the pool of applicants for Round II rural empowerment zones. This
notice satisfies the notice requirement of 7 C.F.R. 25.300(a) for
purposes of Round IIS.
USDA's efforts to maximize participation of eligible communities in
the second round of applications for designation included 16 workshops
in 16 cities around the country. The 160 applications on hand for Round
II reflect a cross section of 38 states; 23 or more applications
include reservation land or were submitted by native American tribal
communities. Nineteen Round I enterprise communities submitted
applications for Round II empowerment zone designation.
Selection of Round IIS rural enterprise communities from the pool
of Round II empowerment zone applicants facilitated more timely and
efficient implementation of the financial benefits appropriated for the
second round of designations. USDA is of the opinion that a quality
strategic plan (required as part of the application process) takes at
least six months to develop. Town meetings are held and cross sections
of the community are brought together to decide how they wish to
develop as a community and how best to achieve those goals. The
outreach for Round II, as described above, was comprehensive and
thorough. The cost to taxpayers of mounting another round of nationwide
workshops is considerable. All of these factors taken together support
a decision to take an expeditious approach to implementing Round IIS.
III. Amount of Grants
The Round IIS legislation authorized direct USDA grant funding of
$10,000,000 for the five new rural empowerment zones and $5,000,000 for
the 20 new rural enterprise communities (USDA EZ/EC grants). The
Secretary will make equal USDA EZ/EC grant awards of $2,000,000 to the
rural empowerment zones and $250,000 to the rural enterprise
communities in accordance with a rulemaking to be published as soon as
is practicable.
IV. Memorandum of Agreement
Applicants for Round II were advised that newly designated zones
would be expected to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) substantially
in the form of the MOA published as Appendix E to the April 16, 1998,
Notice Inviting Applications at 63 FR 19150. This model MOA has been
revised and is attached hereto as Appendix A. All Round II and Round
IIS rural empowerment zones and enterprise communities will be expected
to sign a MOA conforming in all material respects to the form of the
model MOA provided in Appendix A to this notice.
Dated: May 14, 1999.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary.
Appendix A--Form of Memorandum of Agreement; Rural Empowerment
Zones and Enterprise Communities
This Agreement among the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), the State of ________ (State) and the [Empowerment Zone]
[Enterprise Community] Lead Entity relating to the Rural
[Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community] known as ________, is made
pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code (title 26 of the United States
Code) as amended by title IX of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997;
title XIII, subchapter C, part I of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1993; and section 766 of the Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277).
In reliance upon and in consideration of the mutual
representations and obligations herein contained, the applicable
statute and part 25 of 7 CFR, USDA, the State and the [Empowerment
Zone][Enterprise Community] agree as follows:
The Rural [Empowerment Zone][Enterprise Community] boundaries
are as follows: Census Tracts ________, ________, ________ [as such
boundaries may be modified] in accordance with maps provided in the
application for designation and inclusive of developable sites, as
identified. The term of the designation as a rural [Empowerment
Zone] [Enterprise Community is effective from December 24, 1998 to
December 31, 2008, unless sooner revoked.
The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
agree as follows:
1. The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
will comply with the requirements title XIII, subchapter C, part I
of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 as modified by the
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, and the regulations appearing at 7 CFR
part 25 and any future regulations.
2. The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
will comply with statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements,
as amended, as may be applicable to the receipt and expenditure of
Social Services Block Grant funds, pursuant to title XX of the
Social Security Act.
3. The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
will comply with statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements,
as amended, as are applicable to the receipt and expenditure of USDA
Rural Development EZ/EC grant funds, pursuant to section 766 of the
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999.
4. The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
will comply with all elements of the USDA approved application for
designation, including the strategic plan, submitted to USDA
pursuant to 7 CFR part 25 (``strategic plan'') and all assurances,
certifications, schedules or other submissions made in support of
the strategic plan or of this Agreement, all of which are included
herein and made a part hereof by reference.
5. The State and the [Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community]
will annually submit with each 2-year workplan required under 7 CFR
Sec. 25.403 documentation, in form and
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substance satisfactory to the Secretary, sufficient to identify
baselines, benchmark goals, benchmark activities and timetables for
the implementation of the strategic plan during the applicable 2
years of the workplan.
6. Pursuant to the strategic plan, the lead entity for the
[Empowerment Zone] [Enterprise Community], ________ [name of lead
entity] ________, located at ________ [address] ________, is
responsible for the implementation of the strategic plan. The
current director of the lead entity, who is duly authorized to
execute this agreement, is ________ [name] ________.
7. The use of USDA Rural EZ/EC Grant funds will be directed by
the lead entity, in accordance with the strategic plan. The USDA
Rural Development State Office will distribute the funds according
to the directives of the lead entity, provided that such actions are
consistent with the USDA approved strategic plan and USDA grant
procedures.
8. The lead entity agrees to timely comply with the reporting
requirements contained in 7 CFR part 25, including reporting on
progress made in carrying out actions necessary to implement the
requirements of the strategic plan and any assurances,
certifications, schedules or other submissions made in connection
with the designation.
9. The lead entity agrees to submit to periodic performance
reviews by USDA in accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR
Secs. 25.402 and 25.404. Upon request by USDA, the lead entity will
permit representatives of USDA to inspect and make copies of any
records pertaining to matters covered by this Agreement.
10. Each year after the execution of this Agreement, the lead
entity will submit updated documentation sufficient to identify
baselines, benchmark goals and activities and timetables for the
implementation of the strategic plan during the following 2 years.
Upon written acceptance from USDA, such documentation shall
become part of this Agreement and shall replace the documentation
submitted previously, for purposes of operations during the
following 2 years.
11. All benchmark goals, benchmark activities, baselines, and
schedules approved by the [Empowerment Zone][Enterprise Community]
after a full community participation process (which must be
documented and which may be further amended or supplemented from
time to time), will be incorporated as part of this Agreement. All
references to the strategic plan in this memorandum of agreement
shall be deemed to refer to the strategic plan as modified in
accordance with this paragraph.
12. Amendments to the strategic plan may be made only with the
approval of the [Empowerment Zone][Enterprise Community] and USDA.
The lead entity must demonstrate to USDA that the local governments
within the [Empowerment Zone][Enterprise Community] were involved in
the amendment process.
13. All attachments and submissions in accordance herewith are
incorporated as part of this Agreement.
This Agreement is dated__________.
State Government: State of________
By:________[official authorized to commit the state]________
Title:
Address:
Empowerment Zone[ Name of Empowerment Zone]
Enterprise Community [Name of Enterprise Community]
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
Address:
Lead entity: [Name of Lead Entity]
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
Address:
Federal Government: United States Department of Agriculture
By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
Address:
[FR Doc. 99-13222 Filed 5-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-07-U
