[Federal Register: February 4, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 23)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 5263-5264]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04fe04-3]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Housing Service
Rural Utilities Service
Farm Service Agency
7 CFR Part 1940
Methodology and Formulas for Allocation of Loan and Grant Program
Funds
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is amending the
regulation to recognize a transition
[[Page 5264]]
formula that will be used for allocating funds to State Offices. This
action is needed due to the significant impact the use of the new 2000
U.S. Census data versus the 1990 U.S. Census data, used in previous
years, will have on certain States' allocations.
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 4, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sylvia Neal, Management Analyst,
Business Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 3221, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3221, telephone (202)
720-2811, or by sending an e-mail message to sylvia.neal@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Classification
This action is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order
12866 since it involves only internal Agency management. This action is
not published for prior notice and comment under the Administrative
Procedure Act since it involves only internal Agency management and
publication for comment is unnecessary and contrary to the public
interest.
Programs Affected
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance numbers for the programs
impacted by this action are as follows:
10.768--Business and Industry Loans, and
10.769--Rural Development Grants (RBEG) (TDG).
Paperwork Reduction Act
This final rule does not revise or impose any new information
collection requirements from those previously approved by the Office of
Management and Budget.
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), Public
Law 104-4, establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the
effects of their regulatory actions on State, local and tribal
governments, and the private sector. Under section 202 of the UMRA, the
agency generally must prepare a written statement, including a cost
benefit analysis, for proposed and final rules with ``Final mandates''
that may result in expenditures to State, local, or tribal governments,
in the aggregate, or to the private sector, of $100 million or more in
any one year. When such a statement is needed for a rule, section 205
of the UMRA generally requires the agency to identify and consider a
reasonable number of regulatory alternatives and adopt the least
burdensome alternative that achieves the objective of the rule.
This rule contains no Federal mandates (under the regulatory
provisions of Title II of the UMRA) for State, local and tribal
governments, or the private sector. Thus, today's rule is not subject
to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the UMRA.
Environmental Impact Statement
This action has been reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940,
subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' The Agency has determined that
this action does not constitute a major Federal action significantly
affecting the quality of the human environment and in accordance with
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, Public Law 91-190, an
Environmental Impact Statement is not required.
Discussion
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is amending the
regulation to recognize a transition formula that will be used for
allocating funds to State Offices. The transition formula limits
allocation shifts to any particular State in the event of changes from
year to year of the basic formula, the basic criteria, or the weights
given the criteria.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1940
Administrative practice and procedure, Agriculture, Allocations,
Grant programs--Housing and community development, Loan programs--
Agriculture, Rural areas.
0
Accordingly, Chapter XVIII, title 7, Code of Federal Regulations is
amended as follows:
PART 1940--GENERAL
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1. The authority citation for part 1940 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C.; 7 U.S.C.; 1989, and 42 U.S.C. 1480.
Subpart L--Methodology and Formulas for Allocation of Loan and
Grant Program Funds
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2. Amend section 1940.589 by revising paragraph (d) to read as follows:
Sec. 1940.589 Rural Business Enterprise Grants.
* * * * *
(d) Transition formula. See Sec. 1940.552(d) of this subpart. The
percentage range for the transition equals 30 percent (15%).
* * * * *
Dated: January 23, 2004.
John Rosso,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 04-2265 Filed 2-3-04; 8:45 am]