14770 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 60 / Thursday, March 29, 2007 / Notices 

2004. In 2005, the Appeal Deciding 

Officer affirmed both decisions. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The Supplement will not change the 

purpose and need for the North Sheep 

Final EIS which was described on page 

1–5. 

Proposed Action 

The Supplement will not change the 

proposed action for the North Sheep 

Final EIS which was described on pages 

1–5 through 1–6. 

Responsible Official 

There are two Responsible Officials 

involved. For decisions regarding the 

Baker Creek and North Fork-Boulder 

allotments, the Responsible Official is 

the District Ranger, Ketchum Ranger 

District, P.O. Box 2356 (206 Sun Valley 

Road), Ketchum, Idaho 83340. For the 

Smiley Creek and Fisher Creek 

allotments, the Area Ranger of the 

SNRA is the Responsible Official—5 

North Fork Canyon Road; Ketchum, ID 

83340. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

Each Responsible Official will review 

the information on the Supplement and 

determine if their 2004 Record of 

Decision based on the North Sheep 

Final EIS should be modified or if the 

original decision is to remain in effect 

and unchanged. 

Scoping Process 

Public scoping for the Supplement 

will commence with the publication of 

this Notice of Intent. Public notices will 

be placed in local newspapers. Press 

releases will be distributed to the media. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the Supplement to the 

North Sheep EIS. The comment period 

for scoping is 30 days from the date the 

EPA publishes this notice of intent in 

the Federal Register. A legal notice will 

be published in the newspaper of record 

and a Notice of Availability will be 

published in the Federal Register to 

inform the public when supplemental 

information is available for review and 

comment. The draft Supplement will be 

distributed to all parties that received 

the 2004 North Sheep Final EIS and 

record of decision and to those parties 

that filed an appeal of the 2004 North 

Sheep RODs. 

Early Notice of Importance of Public 

Participation in Subsequent 

Environmental Review 

A draft Supplement to the EIS will be 

prepared for comment. The comment 

period on the draft Supplement will be 

45 days from the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes the notice of availability in 

the Federal Register. The Forest Service 

believes, at this early stage, it is 

important to give reviewers notice of 

several court rulings related to public 

participation in the environmental 

review process. First, reviewers of draft 

environmental impact statements must 

structure their participation in the 

environmental review of the proposal so 

that it is meaningful and alerts an 

agency to the reviewer’s position and 

contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear 

Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 

(1978). Also, environmental objections 

that could be raised at the draft 

environmental impact statement stage 

but that are not raised until after 

completion of the final environmental 

impact statement may be waived or 

dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon 

v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 

1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. 

Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. 

Wis. 1980). Because of these court 

rulings, it is very important that those 

interested in this proposed action 

participate by the close of the 45-day 

comment period so that substantive 

comments and objections are made 

available to the Forest Service at a time 

when it can meaningfully consider them 

and respond to them in the final 

Supplement. To assist the Forest Service 

in identifying and considering issues 

and concerns on the proposed action, 

comments on the draft Supplement 

should be as specific as possible. It is 

also helpful if comments refer to 

specific pages or chapters of the draft 

Supplement. Comments may also 

address the adequacy of the draft 

Supplement or the merits of the 

alternatives formulated and discussed in 

the statement. Reviewers may wish to 

refer to the Council on Environmental 

Quality Regulations for implementing 

the procedural provisions of the 

National Environmental Policy Act at 40 

CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. 

Comments received, including the 

names and addresses of those who 

comment, will be considered part of the 

public record on this proposal and will 

be available for public inspection. 

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; 

Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 

21) 

Dated: March 6, 2007. 

Jane Kollmeyer, 

Sawtooth Forest Supervisor. 

[FR Doc. 07–1533 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Household Water Well System Grant 

Program Announcement of Application 

Deadlines and Funding 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of funding availability 

and solicitation of applications. 

SUMMARY: USDA Rural Development 

administers rural utilities programs 

through the Rural Utilities Service. 

USDA Rural Development announces its 

fiscal year (FY) 2007 funding and 

application window for the Household 

Water Well System (HWWS) Grant 

Program. The HWWS Grant Program is 

authorized under Section 6012 of the 

Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 

of 2002 (The Act), Public Law 107–171. 

The Act authorizes USDA Rural 

Development to make grants to qualified 

private non-profit organizations to 

establish lending programs for 

household water wells. For FY 2007, the 

HWWS grant funding available is 

$990,000. The non-profit organizations 

will use the grants to make loans to 

individual homeowners to construct or 

upgrade a household water well system 

for an existing home. The organizations 

must contribute an amount equal to at 

least 10 percent of the grant request to 

capitalize the loan fund. Applications 

may be submitted in paper or electronic 

format. The HWWS Grant Program 

regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 

1776. 

DATES: The deadline for completed 

applications for a HWWS grant is May 

31, 2007. Applications in either paper or 

electronic format must be postmarked or 

time-stamped electronically on or before 

the deadline. Late applications will be 

ineligible for grant consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic grant 

applications through http:// 

www.grants.gov (Grants.gov), following 

the instructions on that Web site. 

Submit completed paper applications to 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

USDA Rural Development Utilities 

Programs, Mail Stop #1570, Room 2233–

S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–1570. 

Applications should be marked 

‘‘Attention: Water and Environmental 

Programs.’’

Application guides and materials for 

the HWWS Grant Program may be 

obtained electronically through http:// 

www.usda.gov/rus/water/well.htm. Call 

(202) 720–9589 to request paper copies 

of application guides and materials from 

the Water and Environmental Programs 

staff. 


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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cheryl Francis, Loan Specialist, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Rural 

Development Programs, Water and 

Environmental Programs, telephone: 

(202) 720–1937, fax: (202) 690–0649, email: cheryl.francis@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Agency: Rural Utilities 

Service (RUS). 

Funding Opportunity Title: 

Household Water Well System Grant 

Program. 

Announcement Type: Grant—Initial. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.862. 

Due Date for Applications: May 31, 

2007. 

Items in Supplementary Information 

I. Funding Opportunity: Description of the 

Household Water Well System Grant 

Program. 

II. Award Information: Available funds. 

III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, 

what kinds of projects are eligible, what 

criteria determine basic eligibility. 

IV. Application and Submission Information: 

Where to get application materials, what 

constitutes a completed application, how 

and where to submit applications, 

deadlines, items that are eligible. 

V. Application Review Information: 

Considerations and preferences, scoring 

criteria, review standards, selection 

information. 

VI. Award Administration Information: 

Award notice information, award recipient 

reporting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, email, contact name. 

I. Funding Opportunity 

A. Program Description 

The Household Water Well System 

(HWWS) Grant Program has been 

established to help individuals with low 

to moderate incomes finance the costs of 

household water wells that they own or 

will own. The HWWS Grant Program is 

authorized under Section 6012 of the 

Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 

of 2002 (The Act), Public Law 107–171. 

The Act authorizes the USDA Rural 

Development through the Rural Utilities 

Service to make grants to qualified 

private non-profit organizations to 

establish lending programs for 

household water wells. 

As the grant recipients, non-profit 

organizations will receive HWWS grants 

to establish lending programs that will 

provide water well loans to individuals. 

The individuals, as loan recipients, may 

use the loans to construct, refurbish, 

and service their household well 

systems. A loan may not exceed $8,000 

and will have a term of up to 20 years 

at a one percent annual interest rate. 

B. Background 

The USDA Rural Development 

supports the sound development of 

rural communities and the growth of 

our economy without endangering the 

environment. The USDA Rural 

Development provides financial and 

technical assistance to help 

communities bring safe drinking water 

and sanitary, environmentally sound 

waste disposal facilities to rural 

Americans in greatest need. 

Central water systems may not be the 

only or best solution to drinking water 

problems. Distance or physical barriers 

make public central water systems 

expensive in remote areas. A significant 

number of geographically isolated 

households without water service might 

require individual wells rather than 

connections to new or existing 

community systems. The goal of the 

USDA Rural Development is not only to 

make funds available to those 

communities most in need of potable 

water but also to ensure that facilities 

used to deliver drinking water are safe 

and affordable. There is a role for 

private wells in reaching this goal. 

C. Purpose 

The purpose of the HWWS Grant 

Program is to provide funds to nonprofit organizations to assist them in 

establishing loan programs from which 

individuals may borrow money for 

household water well systems. 

Applicants must show that the project 

will provide technical and financial 

assistance to eligible individuals to 

remedy household well problems. 

Priority will be given to the non-profit 

organizations that: 

1. Demonstrate experience in 

promoting safe, productive uses of 

household water wells and ground 

water 

2. Demonstrate significant 

management experience in making and 

servicing loans to individuals. 

3. Contribute more than 50 percent of 

the grant amount in cash or other liquid 

assets in order to capitalize the 

revolving loan fund. 

4. Propose to serve rural areas 

containing the smallest communities 

with a high percentage of low-income 

individuals eligible for loans. 

5. Target areas which lack running 

water, flush toilets, and modern sewage 

disposal systems. 

Due to the limited amount of funds 

available under the HWWS Program, 

one or two applications may be funded 

from FY 2007 funds. Previously funded 

grant recipients must apply for a 

different target area to be considered for 

funding under this announcement. 

II. Award Information 

Funding Instrument Type: Grant. 

Anticipated Total Priority Area 

Funding: $990,000. 

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 or 

2. 

Length of Project Periods: 12-month 

project. 

Assistance Instrument: Grant 

Agreement with successful applicants 

before any grant funds are disbursed. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Who Is Eligible for Grants? 

1. An organization is eligible to 

receive a Household Water Well grant if 

it: 

a. Is a private, non-profit organization 

that has tax-exempt status from the 

United States Internal Revenue Service 

(IRS). Faith-based organizations are 

eligible and encouraged to apply for this 

program. 

b. Is legally established and located 

within one of the following: 

(1) A State within the United States 

(2) The District of Columbia 

(3) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico 

(4) A United States territory 

c. Has the legal capacity and authority 

to carry out the grant purpose; 

d. Has sufficient expertise and 

experience in lending activities; 

e. Has sufficient expertise and 

experience in promoting the safe and 

productive use of individually-owned 

household water well systems and 

ground water; 

f. Has no delinquent debt to the 

Federal Government or no outstanding 

judgments to repay a Federal debt; 

g. Demonstrates that it possesses the 

financial, technical, and managerial 

capability to comply with Federal and 

State laws and requirements. 

2. An individual is ineligible to 

receive a Household Water Well grant. 

An individual may receive only a loan. 

B. What are the basic eligibility 

requirements for a project? 

1. Project Eligibility. To be eligible for 

a grant, the project must: 

a. Be a revolving loan fund created to 

provide loans to eligible individuals to 

construct, refurbish, and service 

individually-owned household water 

well systems (see 7 CFR 1776.11 and 

1776.12). Loans may not be provided for 

home sewer or septic system projects. 

b. Be established and maintained by 

a private, non-profit organization. 

c. Be located in a rural area. Rural 

area is defined as locations other than 

cities or towns of more than 50,000 

people and the adjacent urbanized area 

of such towns and cities. 

2. Required Matching Contributions. 

Grant applicants must provide written 


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evidence of a matching contribution of 

at least 10 percent from sources other 

than the proceeds of a HWWS grant. Inkind contributions will not be 

considered for the matching 

requirement. Please see 7 CFR 1776.9 

for the requirement. 

3. Other—Requirements 

a. DUNS Number. An organization 

must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 

number. A DUNS number will be 

required whether an applicant is 

submitting a paper application or an 

electronic application through http:// 

www.grants.gov. To verify that your 

organization has a DUNS number or to 

receive one at no cost, call the dedicated 

toll-free request line at 1–866–705–5711 

or request one on-line at http:// 

www.dnb.com. 

b. Eligibility for Loans. Individuals 

are not eligible for grants but are eligible 

for loans. To be eligible for a loan, an 

individual must: 

(1) Be a member of a household of 

which the combined household income 

of all members does not exceed 100 

percent of the median non-metropolitan 

household income for the State or 

territory in which the individual 

resides. Household income is the total 

income from all sources received by 

each adult household member for the 

most recent 12-month period for which 

the information is available. It does not 

include income earned or received by 

dependent children under 18 years old 

or other benefits that are excluded by 

Federal law. The non-metropolitan 

household income must be based on the 

most recent decennial census of the 

United States. 

USDA Rural Development publishes a 

list of income exclusions in 7 CFR 

3550.54(b). Also, a list of federally 

Mandated Exclusions from Income, 

published by the Department of Housing 

and Urban Development may be found 

in the Federal Register, April 20, 2001 

at 66 FR 20318. 

(2) Own and occupy the home being 

improved with the proceeds of the 

Household Water Well loan or be 

purchasing the home to occupy under a 

legally enforceable land purchase 

contract which is not in default by 

either the seller or the purchaser. 

(3) Own the home in a rural area. 

(4) Not use the loan for a water well 

system associated with the construction 

of a new dwelling. 

(5) Not use the loan to substitute a 

well for water service available from 

collective water systems. (For example, 

a loan may not be used to restore an old 

well that was abandoned when a 

dwelling was connected to a water 

district’s water line.) 

(6) Not be suspended or debarred 

from participation in Federal programs. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

A. Where To Get Application 

Information 

The application guide, copies of 

necessary forms and samples, and the 

HWWS Grant regulation are available 

from these sources: 

1. On-line for electronic copies: 

http://www.grants.gov or http:// 

www.usda.gov/rus/water/well.htm, and 

2. USDA Rural Development for paper 

copies: USDA Rural Development 

Utilities Programs, Water Programs 

Division, Room 2234 South, Stop 1570, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–1570, 

Telephone: (202) 720–9589; Fax: (202) 

690–0649. 

B. Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

1. Rules and Guidelines 

a. Detailed information on each item 

required can be found in the Household 

Water Well System Grant Program 

regulation and the Household Water 

Well System Grant Application Guide. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

read and apply both the regulation and 

the application guide. This Notice does 

not change the requirements for a 

completed application for any form of 

HWWS financial assistance specified in 

the regulation. The regulation and 

application guide provide specific 

guidance on each of the items listed. 

b. Applications should be prepared in 

conformance with the provisions in 7 

CFR part 1776, subpart B, and 

applicable USDA regulations including 

7 CFR parts 3015 and 3019. Applicants 

should use the Household Water Well 

System Grant Application Guide which 

contains instructions and other 

important information in preparing their 

application. Completed applications 

must include the items found in the 

checklist in the next paragraph. 

2. Checklist of Items in Completed 

Application Packages 

The forms in items 1 through 6 must 

be completed and signed where 

appropriate by an official of your 

organization who has authority to 

obligate the organization legally. The 

forms may be found on-line at the 

USDA Rural Development Web site: 

http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ 

wwforms.htm. See section V, 

‘‘Application Review Information,’’ for 

instructions and guidelines on 

preparing Items 7 through 13. 

Application Items 

1. SF–424, ‘‘Application for Federal 

Assistance’’. 

2. SF–424A, ‘‘Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs’’. 

3. SF–424B, ‘‘Assurances—NonConstruction Programs’’. 

4. SF–LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying 

Activity’’. 

5. Form RD 400–1, ‘‘Equal Opportunity 

Agreement’’. 

6. Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance 

Agreement (Under Title VI, Civil 

Rights Act of 1964). 

7. Project Proposal: 

Project Summary. 

Needs Assessment. 

Project Goals and Objectives. 

Project Narrative. 

8. Work Plan. 

9. Budget and Budget Justification. 

10. Evidence of Legal Authority and 

Existence. 

11. Documentation of non-profit status 

and IRS Tax Exempt Status. 

12. List of Directors and Officers. 

13. Financial Information and 

Sustainability (narrative). 

14. Assurances and Certifications of 

Compliance with Other Federal 

Statutes. 

3. Compliance With Other Federal 

Statutes. The applicant must provide 

evidence of compliance with other 

Federal statutes and regulations, 

including, but not limited to, the 

following: 

a. 7 CFR part 15, subpart A—

Nondiscrimination in Federally 

Assisted Programs of the Department of 

Agriculture—Effectuation of Title VI of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

b. 7 CFR part 3015—Uniform Federal 

Assistance Regulations. 

c. 7 CFR part 3017—Governmentwide 

Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement). 

d. 7 CFR part 3018—New Restrictions 

on Lobbying. 

e. 7 CFR part 3021—Governmentwide 

Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace 

(Financial Assistance). 

f. Executive Order 13166, ‘‘Improving 

Access to Services for Persons with 

Limited English Proficiency.’’ For 

information on limited English 

proficiency and agency-specific 

guidance, go to www.LEP.gov. 

g. Federal Obligation Certification on 

Delinquent Debt. 

C. How Many Copies of an Application 

Are Required? 

1. Applications Submitted on Paper. 

Submit one signed original and two 

additional copies. The original and each 

of the two copies must include all 

required forms, certifications, 


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assurances, and appendices, be signed 

by an authorized representative, and 

have original signatures. Do not include 

organizational brochures or promotional 

materials. 

2. Applications Submitted 

Electronically. The additional paper 

copies are unnecessary if the 

application is submitted electronically 

through http://www.grants.gov. 

D. How and Where to Submit an 

Application 

1. Submitting Paper Applications 

a. For paper applications mail or 

ensure delivery of an original paper 

application (no stamped, photocopied, 

or initialed signatures) and two copies 

by the deadline date to: USDA Rural 

Development Utilities Programs, Water 

Programs Division, Room 2234 South, 

Stop 1570, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC 20250–1570. 

b. Applications must show proof of 

mailing or shipping by one of the 

following: 

(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 

(USPS) postmark; 

(2) A legible mail receipt with the 

date of mailing stamped by the USPS; or 

(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or 

receipt from a commercial carrier. 

c. If a deadline date falls on a 

weekend, it will be extended to the 

following Monday. If the date falls on a 

Federal holiday, it will be extended to 

the next business day. 

d. Due to screening procedures at the 

Department of Agriculture, packages 

arriving via the USPS are irradiated, 

which can damage the contents. USDA 

Rural Development encourages 

applicants to consider the impact of this 

procedure in selecting an application 

delivery method. 

2. Submitting Electronic Applications 

a. Applications will not be accepted 

via facsimile machine transmission or 

electronic mail. 

b. Electronic applications for grants 

will be accepted if submitted through 

Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov. 

c. Applicants who apply through 

Grants.gov should submit their 

applications before the deadline. 

d. Grants.gov contains full 

instructions on all required passwords, 

credentialing, and software. Follow the 

instructions at Grants.gov for registering 

and submitting an electronic 

application. USDA Rural Development 

may request original signatures on 

electronically submitted documents 

later. 

e. To use Grants.gov: 

(1) Follow the instructions on the 

Web site to find grant information. 

(2) Download a copy of an application 

package. 

(3) Complete the package off-line. 

(4) Upload and submit the application 

via the Grants.gov Web site. 

f. You must be registered with 

Grants.gov before you can submit a 

grant application. 

(1) You will need a DUNS number to 

access or register at any of the services. 

In addition to the DUNS number 

required of all grant applicants, your 

organization must be listed in the 

Central Contractor Registry (CCR). If you 

have not used Grants.gov before, you 

will need to register with the CCR and 

the Credential Provider. Setting up a 

CCR listing (a one-time procedure with 

annual updates) takes up to five 

business days. USDA Rural 

Development recommends that you 

obtain your organization’s DUNS 

number and CCR listing well in advance 

of the deadline specified in this notice. 

(2) The CCR registers your 

organization, housing your 

organizational information and allowing 

Grants.gov to use it to verify your 

identity. You may register for the CCR 

by calling the CCR Assistance Center at 

1–888–227–2423 or you may register 

online at http://www.ccr.gov. 

(3) The Credential Provider gives you 

or your representative a username and 

password, as part of the Federal 

Government’s e-Authentication to 

ensure a secure transaction. You will 

need the username and password when 

you register with Grants.gov or use 

Grants.gov to submit your application. 

You must register with the Central 

Provider through Grants.gov at https:// 

apply.grants.gov/OrcRegister. 

(4) If a system problem or technical 

difficulty occurs with an electronic 

application, please use the customer 

support resources available at the 

Grants.gov Web site. 

E. Deadlines 

The deadline for paper and electronic 

submissions is May 31, 2007. Paper 

applications must be postmarked and 

mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no 

later than the closing date to be 

considered for FY 2007 grant funding. 

Electronic applications must have an 

electronic date and time stamp by 

midnight of May 31, 2007, to be 

considered on time. USDA Rural 

Development will not accept 

applications by fax or e-mail. 

Applications that do not meet the 

criteria above are considered late 

applications and will not be considered. 

USDA Rural Development will notify 

each late applicant that its application 

will not be considered. 

F. Funding Restrictions 

1. Eligible Grant Purposes 

a. Grant funds must be used to 

establish and maintain a revolving loan 

fund to provide loans to eligible 

individuals for household water well 

systems. 

b. Individuals may use the loans to 

construct, refurbish, rehabilitate, or 

replace household water well systems 

up to the point of entry of a home. Point 

of entry for the well system is the 

junction where water enters into a home 

water delivery system after being 

pumped from a well. 

c. Grant funds may be used to pay 

administrative expenses associated with 

providing Household Water Well loans. 

2. Ineligible Grant Purposes 

a. Administrative expenses incurred 

in any calendar year that exceed 10 

percent of the HWWS loans made 

during the same period do not qualify 

for reimbursement. 

b. Administrative expenses incurred 

before USDA Rural Development 

executes a grant agreement with the 

recipient do not qualify for 

reimbursement. 

c. Delinquent debt owed to the 

Federal Government. 

d. Grant funds may not be used to 

provide loans for household sewer or 

septic systems. 

e. Household Water Well loans may 

not be used to pay the costs of water 

well systems for the construction of a 

new house. 

f. Household Water Well loans may 

not be used to pay the costs of a home 

plumbing system. 

V. Application Review Information 

A. Criteria 

This section contains instructions and 

guidelines on preparing the project 

proposal, work plan, and budget 

sections of the application. Also, 

guidelines are provided on the 

additional information required for 

USDA Rural Development to determine 

eligibility and financial feasibility. 

1. Project Proposal. The project 

proposal should outline the project in 

sufficient detail to provide a reader with 

a complete understanding of the loan 

program. Explain what will be 

accomplished by lending funds to 

individual well owners. Demonstrate 

the feasibility of the proposed loan 

program in meeting the objectives of 

this grant program. The proposal should 

include the following elements: 

a. Project Summary. Present a brief 

project overview. Explain the purpose of 

the project, how it relates to USDA 


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Rural Development’s purposes, how the 

project will be executed, what the 

project will produce, and who will 

direct it. 

b. Needs Assessment. To show why 

the project is necessary, clearly identify 

the economic, social, financial, or other 

problems that require solutions. 

Demonstrate the well owners’ need for 

financial and technical assistance. 

Quantify the number of prospective 

borrowers or provide statistical or 

narrative evidence that a sufficient 

number of borrowers will exist to justify 

the grant award. Describe the service 

area. Provide information on the 

household income of the area and other 

demographical information. Address 

community needs. 

c. Project Goals and Objectives. 

Clearly state the project goals. The 

objectives should clearly describe the 

goals and be concrete and specific 

enough to be quantitative or observable. 

They should also be feasible and relate 

to the purpose of the grant and loan 

program. 

d. Project Narrative. The narrative 

should cover in more detail the items 

briefly described in the Project 

Summary. Demonstrate the grant 

applicant’s experience and expertise in 

promoting the safe and productive use 

of individually-owned household water 

well systems. The narrative should 

address the following points: 

(1) Document the grant applicant’s 

ability to manage and service a 

revolving fund. The narrative may 

describe the systems that are in place for 

the full life cycle of a loan from loan 

origination through servicing. If a 

servicing contractor will service the 

loan portfolio, the arrangement and 

services provided must be discussed. 

(2) Show evidence that the 

organization can commit financial 

resources the organization controls. This 

documentation should describe the 

sources of funds other than the HWWS 

grant that will be used to pay your 

operational costs and provide financial 

assistance for projects. 

(3) Demonstrate that the organization 

has secured commitments of significant 

financial support from other funding 

sources, if appropriate. 

(4) List the fees and charges that 

borrowers will be assessed. 

2. Work Plan. The work plan or scope 

of work must describe the tasks and 

activities that will be accomplished 

with available resources during the 

grant period. It must include who will 

carry out the activities and services to 

be performed and specific timeframes 

for completion. Describe any unusual or 

unique features of the project such as 

innovations, reductions in cost or time, 

or extraordinary community 

involvement. 

3. Budget and Budget Justification. 

Both Federal and non-Federal resources 

shall be detailed and justified in the 

budget and narrative justification. 

‘‘Federal resources’’ refers only to the 

HWWS grant for which you are 

applying. ‘‘Non Federal resources’’ are 

all other Federal and non-Federal 

resources. 

a. Provide a budget with line item 

detail and detailed calculations for each 

budget object class identified in section 

B of the Budget Information form (SF–

424A). Detailed calculations must 

include estimation methods, quantities, 

unit costs, and other similar quantitative 

detail sufficient for the calculation to be 

duplicated. Also include a breakout by 

the funding sources identified in Block 

15 of the SF–424. 

b. Provide a narrative budget 

justification that describes how the 

categorical costs are derived for all 

capital and administrative expenditures, 

the matching contribution, and other 

sources of funds necessary to complete 

the project. Discuss the necessity, 

reasonableness, and allocability of the 

proposed costs. Consult OMB Circular 

A–122: ‘‘Cost Principles for Non-Profit 

Organizations’’ for information about 

appropriate costs for each budget 

category. 

c. If the grant applicant will use a 

servicing contractor, the fees may be 

reimbursed as an administrative 

expense as provided in 7 CFR 1776.13. 

These fees must be discussed in the 

budget narrative. If the grant applicant 

will hire a servicing contractor, it must 

demonstrate that all procurement 

transactions will be conducted in a 

manner to provide, to the maximum 

extent practical, open and free 

competition. Recipients must justify any 

anticipated procurement action that is 

expected to be awarded without 

competition and exceed the simplified 

acquisition threshold fixed at 41 U.S.C. 

403(11) (currently set at $100,000). 

d. The indirect cost category should 

be used only when the grant applicant 

currently has an indirect cost rate 

approved by the Department of 

Agriculture or another cognizant 

Federal agency. A grant applicant that 

will charge indirect costs to the grant 

must enclose a copy of the current rate 

agreement. If the grant applicant is in 

the process of initially developing or 

renegotiating a rate, the grant applicant 

shall submit its indirect cost proposal to 

the cognizant agency immediately after 

the applicant is advised that an award 

will be made. In no event, shall the 

indirect cost proposal be submitted later 

than three months after the effective 

date of the award. Consult OMB 

Circular A–122 for information about 

indirect costs. 

4. Evidence of Legal Authority and 

Existence. The applicant must provide 

satisfactory documentation that it is 

legally recognized under State and 

Federal law as a non-profit organization. 

The documentation also must show that 

it has the authority to enter into a grant 

agreement with USDA Rural 

Development and to perform the 

activities proposed under the grant 

application. Satisfactory documentation 

includes, but is not limited to, 

certificates from the Secretary of State, 

or copies of State statutes or laws 

establishing your organization. Letters 

from the IRS awarding tax-exempt status 

are not considered adequate evidence. 

5. List of Directors and Officers. The 

applicant must submit a certified list of 

directors and officers with their 

respective terms. 

6. IRS Tax Exempt Status. The 

applicant must submit evidence of tax 

exempt status from the Internal Revenue 

Service. 

7. Financial Information and 

Sustainability. The applicant must 

submit pro forma balance sheets, 

income statements, and cash flow 

statements for the last three years and 

projections for three years. Additionally, 

the most recent audit of the applicant’s 

organization must be submitted. 

B. Evaluation Criteria 

Grant applications that are complete 

and eligible will be scored 

competitively based on the following 

scoring criteria: 

Scoring criteria Points 

Degree of expertise and experience in promoting the safe and productive use of individually-owned household water well 

systems and ground water.

Up to 30 points. 

Degree of expertise and successful experience in making and servicing loans to individuals ................................................. Up to 20 points. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 60 / Thursday, March 29, 2007 / Notices 14775 

Scoring criteria Points 

Percentage of applicant contributions. Points allowed under this paragraph will be based on written evidence of the availability of funds from sources other than the proceeds of a HWWS grant to pay part of the cost of a loan recipient’s 

project. In-kind contributions will not be considered. Funds from other sources as a percentage of the HWWS grant and 

points corresponding to such percentages are as follows: 

0 to 9 percent ....................................................................................................................................................................... Ineligible. 

10 to 25 percent ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 points. 

26 to 30 percent ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 points. 

31 to 50 percent ................................................................................................................................................................... 15 points. 

51 percent or more .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 points. 

Extent to which the work plan demonstrates a well thought out, comprehensive approach to accomplishing the objectives 

of this part, clearly defines who will be served by the project, and appears likely to be sustainable.

Up to 20 points. 

Lowest ratio of projected administrative expenses to loans advanced ...................................................................................... Up to 10 points. 

Administrator’s discretion, taking into consideration such factors as: ........................................................................................ Up to 10 points. 

Creative outreach ideas for marketing HWWS loans to rural residents; 

Amount of funds requested in relation to the amount of needs demonstrated in the proposal; 

Excellent utilization of a previous revolving loan fund; and 

Optimizing the use of agency resources. 

Description of the service area, particularly the range of the area: 

State ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 points. 

Regional ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15 points. 

National ................................................................................................................................................................................ 20 points. 

Extent to which the problem or issue being addressed in the Needs Assessment is defined clearly and supported by data Up to 15 points. 

Extent to which the goals and objectives are clearly defined, tied to the need as defined in the Needs Assessment, and 

are measurable.

Up to 15 points. 

Extent to which the evaluation methods are specific to the program, clearly defined, measurable, with expected program 

outcomes.

Up to 20 points. 

C. Review Standards 

1. Incomplete applications as of the 

deadline for submission will not be 

considered. If an application is 

determined to be incomplete, the 

applicant will be notified in writing and 

the application will be returned with no 

further action. 

2. Ineligible applications will be 

returned to the applicant with an 

explanation. 

3. Complete, eligible applications will 

be evaluated competitively by a review 

team, composed of at least two USDA 

Rural Development employees selected 

from the Water Programs Division. They 

will make overall recommendations 

based on the program elements found in 

7 CFR part 1776 and the review criteria 

presented in this notice. They will 

award points as described in the scoring 

criteria in 7 CFR 1776.9 and this notice. 

Each application will receive a score 

based on the averages of the reviewers’

scores and discretionary points awarded 

by the Rural Utilities Service 

Administrator. 

4. Applications will be ranked and 

grants awarded in rank order until all 

grant funds are expended. 

5. Regardless of the score an 

application receives, if USDA Rural 

Development determines that the 

project is technically infeasible, USDA 

Rural Development will notify the 

applicant, in writing, and the 

application will be returned with no 

further action. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

USDA Rural Development will notify 

a successful applicant by an award letter 

accompanied by a grant agreement. The 

grant agreement will contain the terms 

and conditions for the grant. The 

applicant must execute and return the 

grant agreement, accompanied by any 

additional items required by the award 

letter or grant agreement. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

1. This notice, the 7 CFR part 1776, 

and Household Water Well System 

Grant Program Application Guide 

implement the appropriate 

administrative and national policy 

requirements. Grant recipients are 

subject to the requirements in 7 CFR 

part 1776. 

2. Direct Federal grants, sub-award 

funds, or contracts under the HWWS 

Program shall not be used to fund 

inherently religious activities, such as 

worship, religious instruction, or 

proselytization. Therefore, organizations 

that receive direct USDA assistance 

should take steps to separate, in time or 

location, their inherently religious 

activities from the services funded 

under the HWWS Program. USDA 

regulations pertaining to the Equal 

Treatment for Faith-based 

Organizations, which includes the 

prohibition against Federal funding of 

inherently religious activities, can be 

found either at the USDA Web site at 

http://www.usda.gov/fbci/finalrule.pdf 

or 7 CFR part 16. 

C. Reporting 

1. Performance Reporting. All 

recipients of HWWS Grant Program 

financial assistance must provide 

quarterly performance activity reports to 

USDA Rural Development until the 

project is complete and the funds are 

expended. A final performance report is 

also required. The final report may serve 

as the last annual report. The final 

report must include an evaluation of the 

success of the project. 

2. Financial Reporting. All recipients 

of Household Water Well System Grant 

Program financial assistance must 

provide an annual audit, beginning with 

the first year a portion of the financial 

assistance is expended. The grantee will 

provide an audit report or financial 

statements as follows: 

a. Grantees expending $500,000 or 

more Federal funds per fiscal year will 

submit an audit conducted in 

accordance with OMB Circular A–133. 

The audit will be submitted within 9 

months after the grantee’s fiscal year. 

Additional audits may be required if the 

project period covers more than one 

fiscal year. 

b. Grantees expending less than 

$500,000 will provide annual financial 

statements covering the grant period, 

consisting of the organization’s 

statement of income and expense and 

balance sheet signed by an appropriate 

official of the organization. Financial 

statements will be submitted within 90 

days after the grantee’s fiscal year. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
14776 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 60 / Thursday, March 29, 2007 / Notices 

VII. Agency Contacts 

A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/ 

water. The USDA Rural Development’s 

web site maintains up-to-date resources 

and contact information for the 

Household Water Well program. 

B. Phone: 202–720–9589. 

C. Fax: 202–690–0649. 

D. E-mail: 

cheryl.francis@wdc.usda.gov. 

E. Main point of contact: Cheryl 

Francis, Loan Specialist, Water and 

Environmental Programs, Water 

Programs Division, USDA Rural 

Development Utilities Programs, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture. 

Dated: March 12, 2007. 

James M. Andrew, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–5751 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35). 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: NOAA Community-based 

Restoration Program Progress Reports. 

Form Number(s): None. 

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0329. 

Type of Request: Regular submission. 

Burden Hours: 36. 

Number of Respondents: 6. 

Average Hours per Response: 30 

minutes. 

Needs and Uses: The foreign fishing 

vessels engaged in processing and 

support of U.S. fishing vessels within 

the internal waters of a state, in 

compliance with the terms and 

conditions set by the authorizing 

governor, are required to report the 

tonnage and location of fish received 

from U.S. vessels. This reporting is 

required by the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act. Weekly reports are submitted to the 

NMFS Regional Administrator to allow 

monitoring of the quantity of fish 

received by foreign vessels. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Frequency: Weekly. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Manadatory. 

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, 

(202) 395–3897. 

Copies of the above information 

collection proposal can be obtained by 

calling or writing Diana Hynek, 

Departmental Paperwork Clearance 

Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of 

Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 

DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 

dHynek@doc.gov). 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to David Rostker, OMB Desk 

Officer, FAX number (202) 395–7285, or 

David_Rostker@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: March 23, 2007. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E7–5722 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35). 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: Regional Economic Data 

Collection Program for Southwest 

Alaska. 

Form Number(s): None. 

OMB Approval Number: None. 

Type of Request: Regular submission. 

Burden Hours: 207. 

Number of Respondents: 623. 

Average Hours per Response: 

Fishermen’s surveys, 20 minutes; local 

business surveys, 15 minutes; and fish 

processor surveys, 40 minutes. 

Needs and Uses: The data to be 

collected via this project will be used 

for developing regional economic 

models for Southwest Alaska fisheries. 

Much of the data required for regional 

economic analysis associated with 

Southwest Alaska fisheries are either 

unavailable or unreliable. The accurate 

fishery-level data on employment, labor 

income, and expenditures in the 

Southwest Alaska fishery and related 

industries are not currently available 

but are needed to estimate the effects of 

fisheries on the economy of Southwest 

Alaska. In this survey effort, data on 

these important regional economic 

variables will be collected and used to 

develop models that will provide more 

reliable estimates and significantly 

improve policymakers’ ability to assess 

policy effects on fishery-dependent 

communities in Southwest Alaska. The 

respondents in this survey will be the 

owners of the vessels landing fish at 

ports in Southwest Alaska. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Frequency: One-time only. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. 

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, 

(202) 395–3897. 

Copies of the above information 

collection proposal can be obtained by 

calling or writing Diana Hynek, 

Departmental Paperwork Clearance 

Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of 

Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 

DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 

dHynek@doc.gov). 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to David Rostker, OMB Desk 

Officer, FAX number (202) 395–7285, or 

David_Rostker@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: March 23, 2007. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E7–5723 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce (DOC) 

will submit to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provision of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. 

Bureau: International Trade 

Administration. 

Title: U.S. Government Trade Event 

Information Request. 

OMB Number: 0625–0238. 

Agency Form Number: ITA–4136P. 

Type of Request: Regular submission. 

Burden: 20 hours. 

Number of Respondents: 20. 

Average Hours per Response: 1 hour. 

Needs and Uses: The International 

Trade Administration’s Advocacy 

Center marshals federal resources to 

assist U.S. firms competing for foreign 

government procurements worldwide. 

The Advocacy Center works closely 

with the Trade Promotion Coordination 

Committee (TPCC), which is chaired by 

the Secretary of Commerce and includes 

19 federal agencies involved in export 

promotion. Advocacy assistance is wide 

and varied, but most often is employed 

to assist U.S. commercial interests that 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES