Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 2024 / Notices 13035 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request; Reinstatement 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and reinstatement under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments are 

requested regarding: whether the 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of burden including 

the validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; ways to enhance the 

quality, utility and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and ways to 

minimize the burden of the collection of 

information on those who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques and other forms of 

information technology. 

Comments regarding this information 

collection received by March 22, 2024 

will be considered. Written comments 

and recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be 

submitted within 30 days of the 

publication of this notice on the 

following website www.reginfo.gov/ 

public/do/PRAMain. Find this 

particular information collection by 

selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day 

Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or 

by using the search function. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) 

Title: Conservation Effects 

Assessment Project (CEAP) Survey. 

OMB Control Number: 0535–0245. 

Summary of Collection: General 

authority for these data collection 

activities is granted under U.S. Code 

title 7, section 2204 which specifies that 

‘‘The Secretary of Agriculture shall 

procure and preserve all information 

concerning agriculture which he can 

obtain . . . by the collection of statistics 

. . .’’. The primary objective of the 

National Agricultural Statistics Service 

(NASS) is to provide data users with 

timely and reliable agricultural 

production and economic statistics, as 

well as environmental and specialty 

agricultural related statistics. To 

accomplish this objective, NASS relies 

on the use of diverse surveys that show 

changes within the farming industry 

over time. 

The goal of this information collection 

is to obtain land management 

information that will assist the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service in 

assessing environmental benefits 

associated with implementation and 

installation of associated conservation 

practices of various conservation 

programs such as the Environmental 

Quality Incentives Program, the 

Conservation Reserve Program, the 

Wetland Reserve Program, and other 

conservation programs. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

survey will utilize personal interviews 

to administer a questionnaire that is 

designed to obtain from farm operators 

field-specific data associated with 

selected National Resources Inventory 

sub-sample units in the contiguous 48 

States. Data collected in this survey will 

be used in conjunction with previously 

collected data on soils, climate, and 

cropping history to model impacts of 

conservation practices on the larger 

environment. USDA needs updated 

scientifically credible data on residue 

and tillage management, nutrient 

management, and conservation practices 

in order to quantify and assess current 

impacts of farming practices and to 

document changes. 

Description of Respondents: Farms 

and Ranches. 

Number of Respondents: 20,000. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 17,173. 

Levi S. Harrell, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03487 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

[Docket Number: RUS–23–Telecom–0022] 

Notice of Funding Opportunity for the 

Rural eConnectivity Program for Fiscal 

Year 2024 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of funding opportunity. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS, Agency), a Rural Development 

(RD) agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

announces acceptance of applications 

under the Rural eConnectivity 

(ReConnect) program for fiscal year (FY) 

2024. These loan and grant funds will 

be awarded to qualified applicants to 

fund the costs of construction, 

improvement, or acquisition of facilities 

and equipment needed to provide 

broadband service. 

DATES: Beginning on March 22, 2024, 

applications can be submitted through 

the RUS on-line application portal until 

11:59 a.m. Eastern on April 22, 2024. 

Late or incomplete applications will not 

be accepted. 

ADDRESSES: Applications must be 

submitted electronically through the 

RUS Application Intake System located 

at usda.gov/reconnect. A synopsis of 

this notice of funding opportunity 

(NOFO) will be made available on 

grants.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

general inquiries regarding the 

ReConnect Program, contact Laurel 

Leverrier, Assistant Administrator, 

Telecommunications Program, Rural 

Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), email: 

laurel.leverrier@usda.gov, telephone: 

(202) 720–9554. 

For inquiries regarding eligibility 

concerns, please contact the ReConnect 

Program Staff at usda.gov/reconnect/ 

contact-us. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Awarding Agency Name: 

Rural Utilities Service. 

Funding Opportunity Title: Rural 

eConnectivity (ReConnect) Program. 

Announcement Type: Notice of 

Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 

Funding Opportunity Number: RUS– 

REC–2024–1. 

Assistance Listing: 10.752. 

Dates: Beginning on March 22, 2024, 

applications can be submitted through 

the RUS on-line application portal until 

11:59 a.m. Eastern on April 22, 2024. 

Rural Development Key Priorities: The 

Agency encourages applicants to 

consider projects that will advance the 

following key priorities (more details 

available at rd.usda.gov/priority-points): 

• Assisting rural communities recover 

economically through more and better 

market opportunities and through 

improved infrastructure; 

• Ensuring all rural residents have 

equitable access to Rural Development 

(RD) programs and benefits from RD 

funded projects; and 

• Reducing climate pollution and 

increasing resilience to the impacts of 


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climate change through economic 

support to rural communities. 

A. Program Description 

1. Purpose of the Program. The 

ReConnect program provides loans, 

grants, and loan/grant combinations to 

facilitate broadband deployment in rural 

areas. In facilitating the expansion of 

broadband services and infrastructure, 

the program will fuel long-term rural 

economic development and 

opportunities in rural America. 

2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority. 

The ReConnect program is authorized 

under the Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115–141), which 

directs the program to be conducted 

under the Rural Electrification Act of 

1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.). The 

ReConnect program is implemented by 

the ReConnect Regulations at 7 CFR part 

1740. Applicants should carefully 

review those rules in conjunction with 

this notice. 

3. Definitions. The definitions 

applicable to this NOFO are published 

at 7 CFR 1740.2 and as provided below. 

Alaska Native Corporation means an 

Alaska Native Regional Corporation or 

an Alaska Native Village Corporation 

pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims 

Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1602(g) and 

(j). 

Enforceable commitment means a 

legally enforceable obligation by any 

federal, state, or local agency, utilizing 

Federal Funds, to provide broadband 

service with speeds of at least 100 

megabits per second (Mbps) 

downstream and 20 (Mbps) upstream. 

Enforceable commitments do not negate 

the Agency’s intention to coordinate 

and communicate with federal partners 

before extending an offer to ensure 

awards made under this round do not 

duplicate awards made by other federal 

and state partners. USDA will 

coordinate with the National 

Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA), states, and 

grantees to ensure that ReConnect and 

the Broadband Equity, Access, and 

Deployment (BEAD) Program 

complement one another. To that end, 

RUS will notify NTIA and the state at 

least 30 days in advance of any award 

in that state and request that the state 

notify RUS of an objection based on any 

pending subgrantees. In such cases, if 

the objection is not resolved, it may 

result in the rejection of the ReConnect 

application to avoid duplication of 

funding. USDA is committed to work 

with ReConnect applicants and its 

federal and state partners to ensure 

awards can still be made as part of this 

coordinated effort, and expects that 

ReConnect funds will largely be 

directed to those states and territories in 

which there is the greatest need. 

Federal Funds means any federally 

appropriated funds, and subsidies and 

fees managed by the Federal 

Communications Commission (FCC), to 

promote universal access and any 

Federal Broadband Support Program, as 

defined by the ACCESS BROADBAND 

Act. 

Local government means the 

administration of a particular town, 

county, or district, with representatives 

elected by those who live there. 

Persistent Poverty County is defined 

as any county with 20 percent or more 

of its population living in poverty over 

the past 30 years, as measured by the 

1990 and 2000 decennial censuses, and 

the 2007–2011 American Community 

Survey 5-year average, or any territory 

or possession of the United States. 

Premises, as defined in the ReConnect 

Regulation at 7 CFR 1740.2(a), means 

households, farms, and businesses. 

Socially Vulnerable Community 

means a community or area identified in 

the Center for Disease Control’s Social 

Vulnerability Index with a score of .75 

or higher. For the purposes of this 

notice, Puerto Rico, Guam, American 

Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, 

Palau, the Marshall Islands, the 

Federated States of Micronesia, the U.S. 

Virgin Islands, and Hawaiian Census 

Tribal areas are considered to be 

Socially Vulnerable Communities. A 

Geographic Information System (GIS) 

layer identifying the Socially Vulnerable 

Communities can be found at usda.gov/ 

reconnect. 

Sufficient access to broadband means 

any rural area in which households 

have wired or licensed terrestrial fixed 

wireless broadband service defined as 

25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps 

upstream. 

System requirements. Facilities 

proposed to be constructed with 

ReConnect award funds must be capable 

of delivering 100 Mbps symmetrical 

service to every premises at the same 

time in the Proposed Funded Service 

Area (PFSA). 

Tribal Government means the 

governing body of an Indian or Alaska 

Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, 

village, or community listed pursuant to 

the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe 

List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. 5130. 

Tribal Land means any area identified 

by the United States Department of 

Interior as tribal land over which a 

Tribal Government exercises 

jurisdiction. A GIS layer of most Tribal 

Lands can be found on the RUS 

mapping tool located at usda.gov/ 

reconnect. 

4. Application of Awards. The Agency 

will review and evaluate applications 

received in response to this notice based 

on the program regulations at 7 CFR 

1740. Grant and combination loan/grant 

applications will be scored and awarded 

on a competitive basis using the criteria 

in section E.1 of this notice. Awards in 

the 100 percent loan category will be 

made on a first-come, first-served basis 

after the application window closes. 

The Agency advises all interested 

parties that each applicant bears the full 

burden of preparing and submitting an 

application in response to this notice. 

B. Federal Award Information 

1. Type of Award. Loan, grant, or 

loan/grant combination. 

2. Fiscal Year Funds. Funding 

includes carryover funds from previous 

Fiscal Years and any additional funds 

received during Fiscal Year 2024. 

3. Available Funds. 

a. RUS may at its discretion, increase 

the total level of funding available in 

this funding round or in any category in 

this funding round from any available 

source provided the awards meet the 

requirements of the statute which made 

the funding available to the Agency. 

b. For categories that do not receive 

applications that request the full 

amount of allocated funds, excess funds 

may be directed to another funding 

category at RUS’s discretion, including 

but not limited to eligible applications 

not funded in FY 2023 (Round 4). 

Additionally, if RUS does not make 

awards in the full amount allocated to 

a category, RUS may, at its discretion, 

direct such excess funds to another 

category or round of funding. 

c. 100 Percent Loan. Up to 

$200,000,000 is available for loans. 

d. 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant 

Combination. Up to $100,000,000 is 

available for loans and up to 

$100,000,000 is available for grants. 

Loan and grant amounts will always be 

equal. 

e. 100 Percent Grant. Up to 

$150,000,000 is available for grants. 

f. 100 Percent Grant for Alaska Native 

Corporations, Tribal Governments, 

Colonias, Persistent Poverty Areas and 

Socially Vulnerable Communities. Up to 

$150,000,000 is available for grants. 

4. Funding categories, interest rates 

and terms. Funding parameters are 

outlined in 7 CFR 1740.3. Funding 

categories and any required match are 

outlined below. 

a. 100 Percent Loan. Applications will 

be processed and awarded on a rolling 

basis. In the event two loan applications 

are received for the same PFSA, the 

application submitted first will be 

considered first. The interest rate for a 


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100 percent loan will be set at a fixed 

2 percent. Principal and interest 

payments will be deferred for three 

years. The amortization period will be 

based on the composite economic life of 

the assets funded plus three years. 

b. 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant 

Combination. The interest rate for the 50 

percent loan component will be set at 

the Treasury rate for the remaining 

amortization period at the time of each 

advance of funds. The latest Treasury 

rates for the ReConnect program can be 

found under U.S. government securities, 

available at federalreserve.gov/releases/ 

h15/. RUS also provides the latest 

information on interest rates at 

rd.usda.gov/page/rural-utilities-loaninterest-rates#BaseRates. Loans shall 

bear interest equal to the cost of 

borrowing to the Department of 

Treasury for obligations of comparable 

maturity. Principal and interest 

payments will be deferred for three 

years. The amortization period will be 

based on the composite economic life of 

the assets funded plus three years. 

Applicants may propose substituting 

cash for the loan component at the time 

of application and funds must be 

available in the applicant’s operating 

accounts at the closing of the award. 

c. 100 Percent Grant. Applicants must 

provide a matching contribution of cash 

equal to at least 25 percent of the cost 

of the overall project. The applicant 

must clearly identify the source of the 

matching funds even if the match is 

provided from the applicant’s operating 

accounts. All matching funds must be 

deposited into the applicant’s operating 

accounts. 

i. RUS has agreed to modify the grant 

agreement to permit awardees to deposit 

the required matching and other 

required funds into the Pledged Deposit 

Account (PDA) on a rolling basis as 

needed. 

ii. If the matching funds are provided 

by a third party, a commitment letter 

from the third party must be submitted 

indicating that the funds will be 

available as needed to support the 

deposit of funds into the PDA. If the 

applicant elects to initiate a loan to 

satisfy the matching requirement, 

documentation must be included as part 

of the application indicating the terms 

and conditions for the loan and that the 

grant funded assets cannot be used as 

collateral for the matching funds loan. 

The loan funds must be transferred into 

the applicant’s accounts by the closing 

of the award. 

iii. The matching contribution can be 

used only for eligible purposes. 

d. 100 Percent Grant for Alaska 

Native Corporations, Tribal 

Governments, Colonias, Persistent 

Poverty Areas and Socially Vulnerable 

Communities. For any application 

submitted under this funding category 

that meet one of the following criteria, 

no matching funds will be required: 

i. Alaska Native Corporations may 

submit applications to provide service 

on land owned by the corporation. 

ii. Tribal Governments may submit 

applications to provide service on: 

Tribal Lands as defined in section 

A(3)(j) of this notice; lands subject to 

restrictions on alienation imposed by 

the United States on Indian Lands; or 

land that they own, provide services to, 

or administer. Applicants must submit 

documentation supporting land 

ownership, services, or administration. 

iii. Projects where 75 percent of the 

applicant’s PFSA(s) are located in areas 

recognized as Colonia as of October 1, 

1989. Colonias are identified using the 

GIS layer (Colonia Areas) in the RUS 

mapping tool located at 

reconnect.usda.gov. 

iv. Projects where 75 percent of the 

applicant’s PFSA(s) is located in 

persistent poverty counties. 

v. Projects where 75 percent of the 

area of an applicant’s PFSA(s) consists 

of Socially Vulnerable Communities 

identified on the GIS layer (Socially 

Vulnerable Communities) included in 

the RUS mapping tool located at 

reconnect.usda.gov. 

5. Award Amounts. Maximum and 

minimum funding amounts are 

provided below for each funding 

category. 

a. Minimum Award Amount. The 

minimum amount that can be requested 

in any funding category is $100,000. 

b. 100 Percent Loan. The maximum 

amount that can be requested in an 

application is $50,000,000. 

c. 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant 

Combination. The maximum amount 

that can be requested in an application 

is $25,000,000 for the loan and 

$25,000,000 for the grant. Amounts 

requested for loans and grants must 

always be equal. 

d. 100 Percent Grant. The maximum 

amount of grant funds that can be 

requested in an application is 

$25,000,000. 

e. 100 Percent Grant for Alaska Native 

Corporations, Tribal Governments, 

Colonias, Persistent Poverty Areas and 

Socially Vulnerable Communities. The 

maximum amount of grant funds that 

can be requested in an application is 

$25,000,000. 

6. Anticipated Award Date. By the 

end of the 2024 fiscal year. 

7. Performance Period. The activity 

financed by a ReConnect award must be 

fully completed within five years of the 

date the funds are released for advance. 

8. Renewal or Supplemental Awards. 

None. 

9. Type of Assistance Instrument. 

Direct loan, grant, or combination loan/ 

grant. 

C. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants. Eligible 

applicants must meet the requirements 

of 7 CFR 1740.9. 

2. Other. 

a. Eligibility requirements for the 

ReConnect Program not addressed in 

this notice are found at 7 CFR 1740 

subpart B. 

b. Eligible service areas. Eligible 

service areas requirements are 

addressed in 7 CFR 1740.11(a) and 

below: 

i. For a PFSA to be eligible for 

funding under this notice, at least 90 

percent of the households in the PFSA 

must lack sufficient access to broadband 

as defined in this notice. In addition to 

identifying areas that lack sufficient 

access to broadband, applicants must 

submit evidence that sufficient access to 

broadband does not exist for 90 percent 

of the households in the PFSA, identify 

all existing providers in the PFSA, and 

indicate what level of service is being 

provided. Applicants are required to use 

the FCC’s Broadband Funding Map as 

part of this process. If these areas are 

found to have sufficient service beyond 

the threshold, the application may be 

rejected. 

ii. Areas that have an Enforceable 

Commitment at the time of publication 

of this notice are ineligible for 

ReConnect funds. However, if an 

applicant submits evidence that the 

entity that received the Enforceable 

Commitment has not deployed 

broadband service as required by the 

awarding Agency’s regulations or award 

documents, the Agency may consider 

such area eligible for funding after 

consultation with the awarding agency. 

Areas with Enforceable Commitments 

are identified in a GIS layer located in 

the RUS mapping tool and on the FCC’s 

National Broadband Funding Map. 

iii. Areas with current broadband 

service from only satellite or unlicensed 

wireless facilities, or which have an 

enforceable commitment associated 

with only satellite or unlicensed 

wireless facilities, are eligible for 

funding under this notice. 

c. Awardees that receive both other 

Federal or State funds and ReConnect 

funding must submit a statement 

certifying that the funds requested from 

ReConnect have not been and will not 

be reimbursed by another Federal or 

State award, nor used to reimburse 

another Federal or State award, and that 

the Awardee will keep separate 


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accounts for each source of funding to 

track the uses of the funding to support 

the certification statement submitted 

with the ReConnect application. 

d. Cybersecurity risk management. It 

is the policy of the United States to 

strengthen the security and resilience of 

its critical infrastructure against both 

physical and cyber threats. Applicants 

selected for Federal funding under this 

notice must demonstrate, prior to the 

signing of the award agreement, a 

concerted effort to consider and address 

cybersecurity risks consistent with the 

cybersecurity performance goals for 

critical infrastructure and control 

systems directed by the National 

Security Presidential Memorandum on 

Improving Cybersecurity for Critical 

Infrastructure Control Systems, or the 

current draft of these goals, found at 

cisa.gov/control-systems-goals-andobjectives. 

e. Applicants that are receiving 

Enhanced Alternative Connect America 

Cost Model (E–ACAM) funding are only 

eligible for a ReConnect 100 percent 

loan but not grant funding. RUS will 

determine the eligibility of applicants 

that are recipients of other FCC 

Universal Service Fund High-Cost 

support programs on a case-by-case 

basis in accordance with the applicable 

High-Cost support program rules. 

f. RUS, at its sole discretion, may 

require adjusting the PFSA and the 

amount requested in funding if the 

Agency determines that the service area, 

or a portion of thereof, has sufficient 

access to broadband or an enforceable 

commitment in place, consistent with 

Section C(2)(b)(iii) of this notice, which 

was not identified on the application 

mapping tool or on the FCC’s National 

Broadband Funding Map at the time the 

application was submitted or if relevant 

information regarding the service area is 

provided to RUS by a federal, FCC, 

state, or Tribal entity. 

D. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address to Request Application 

Package. The ReConnect Program 

Guide, copies of necessary forms and 

samples, the RUS Application Intake 

System User Guide, and the ReConnect 

program regulation are available at 

usda.gov/reconnect. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission. 

a. An application must contain all 

required elements outlined in 7 CFR 

1740.60 and below. The ReConnect 

Program Guide provides in-depth 

information on the required elements. 

The Application Intake System User 

Guide provides comprehensive 

information on how to assemble and 

provide all required elements of a 

complete application. Carefully review 

this notice, the regulations, and the 

guides. 

b. Tribal entities proposing broadband 

service on Tribal Lands may self-certify 

that sufficient access to broadband does 

not exist on the Tribal Lands covered 

under the PFSA; however, the RUS will 

still perform a service area validation to 

determine whether sufficient access to 

broadband exists, as required by the 

ReConnect authorizing statute. 

c. For this notice only, Tribal entities 

applying for 100 percent grants that are 

willing to guarantee that the proposed 

project will be constructed do not have 

to submit the five-year pro forma 

financial projections or maps of any 

Non Funded Service Areas (NFSA). 

However, Tribal entities must submit 

audited financials that demonstrate the 

Tribe’s ability to financially guarantee 

the completion of the project. Tribal 

entities that propose a guarantee will 

not be required to provide an 

irrevocable letter of credit (ILOC); 

however an ILOC remains an option for 

Tribal entities that cannot provide the 

required lien on grant assets. 

d. For this notice only, entities 

applying for a 100 percent grant that can 

demonstrate that their last rating from 

either Fitch, Standard and Poor’s or 

Moody’s from the date the application is 

a AAA bond rating do not have to 

submit the five-year pro forma 

projections or information on NFSAs. 

Evidence of the bond rating must be 

included in the application. The date 

the rating is issued must be within one 

year from the date the application is 

submitted. Please note that audited 

financial statements are still required to 

be submitted with the application and 

as required for the award. 

e. For this notice only, applicants that 

can demonstrate a current ratio of 2 or 

higher, a times interest earned ratio 

(TIER) of 2 or higher, a debt service 

coverage ratio of 2 or higher, and a Net 

Worth of 45% or more for the previous 

two years from the date the application 

is submitted do not have to submit the 

5-year pro forma projections or 

information on NFSAs. Audited 

financial statements submitted with the 

application must support the necessary 

current ratio, TIER, debt service 

coverage ratios, and the Net Worth 

percentage. If an applicant has no 

outstanding debt, then only the current 

ratio and Net Worth requirements apply. 

f. Each grant and loan/grant 

combination application must address 

the scoring criteria presented in section 

E(1) of this notice. 

g. Tribal Government Resolution of 

Consent. Pursuant to 7 CFR 

1740.60(c)(19), a certification from the 

appropriate Tribal official is required if 

service is being proposed over or on 

Tribal Lands. The appropriate 

certification is a Tribal Government 

Resolution of Consent. The appropriate 

Tribal official is the Tribal Council of 

the Tribal Government with jurisdiction 

over the Tribal Lands at issue. 

Resolutions of Tribal Consent will be 

required where Tribal lands are 

identified in the ReConnect mapping 

tool. Resolutions of Tribal Consent are 

not required when a Federally 

Recognized Tribe is the applicant on its 

own Tribal Land. Any non-Tribal 

applicant that fails to provide a 

certification to provide service on the 

Tribal Lands identified in the PFSA will 

not be considered for funding. The 

intent of the Tribal Consent is to ensure 

upfront that Federally Recognized 

Tribes being served by a non-tribal 

applicant authorize the application in a 

legally-binding manner AND the 

construction of broadband infrastructure 

on their lands if an award is made. It is 

not intended to limit participation of 

Tribes in other Federal broadband 

programs that complement a USDA 

funded project. However, all 

environmental, permitting and rights of 

way requirements must still be 

completed, and adhered to, by 

applicants prior to initiating 

construction on Tribal Lands. Therefore, 

ongoing communication and 

collaboration will be required to ensure 

the timely, and mutually agreeable, 

build out of the funded infrastructure. 

As appropriate, during the application 

review process, USDA staff may contact 

applicants and Tribes to confirm Tribal 

consent. Applicants and Tribes that 

have questions regarding this process 

are encouraged to contact Telecom 

Program staff, USDA Rural 

Development’s Tribal Relations Team or 

USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations. 

3. System for Award Management and 

Unique Entity Identifier. 

a. At the time of application, each 

applicant must have an active 

registration in the System for Award 

Management (SAM) before submitting 

its application in accordance with 2 

CFR part 25. In order to register in SAM, 

entities will be required to obtain a 

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). 

Instructions for obtaining the UEI are 

available at sam.gov/content/entityregistration. 

b. Applicants must maintain an active 

SAM registration, with current, accurate 

and complete information at all times 

during which they have an active 

Federal award, or an application under 

consideration by a Federal awarding 

agency. 


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c. Applicants must ensure they 

complete the Financial Assistance 

General Certifications and 

Representations in SAM. 

d. Applicants must provide a valid 

UEI in its application, unless 

determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110. 

e. The Agency will not make an award 

until the applicant has complied with 

all SAM requirements including 

providing the UEI. If an applicant has 

not fully complied with the 

requirements by the time the Agency is 

ready to make an award, the Agency 

may determine that the applicant is not 

qualified to receive a Federal award and 

use that determination as a basis for 

making a Federal award to another 

applicant. 

4. Submission Dates and Times. 

a. Beginning on March 22, 2024, 

applications can be submitted through 

the RUS on-line application portal until 

11:59 a.m. Eastern on April 22, 2024. 

b. If the submission deadline falls on 

Saturday, Sunday, or a federal holiday, 

the application is due the next business 

day. Late or incomplete applications 

will not be accepted. 

c. The Agency will not solicit or 

consider new scoring or eligibility 

information that is submitted after the 

application deadline. However, RUS 

reserves the right to ask applicants for 

clarifying information and additional 

verification of assertions in the 

application. 

5. Intergovernmental Review. 

Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, 

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs,’’ applies to this program. This 

E.O. requires that Federal agencies 

provide opportunities for consultation 

on proposed assistance with State and 

local governments. Many states have 

established a Single Point of Contact 

(SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. 

For a list of States that maintain a SPOC, 

please see the White House website: 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ 

management/office-federal-financialmanagement/. If your State has a SPOC, 

you may submit a copy of the 

application directly for review. Any 

comments obtained through the SPOC 

must be provided to your State Office 

for consideration as part of your 

application. If your state has not 

established a SPOC, you may submit 

your application directly to the Agency. 

Applications from Federally recognized 

Indian Tribes are not subject to this 

requirement. The Agency will ensure 

compliance with the Executive Order 

14112 ‘‘Reforming Federal Funding and 

Support for Tribal Nations to Better 

Embrace our Trust Responsibility and 

Promote the Next Era of Tribal SelfDetermination’’. 

6. Funding Requirements. 

a. Eligible cost requirements are 

outlined in 7 CFR 1740.12. 

Additionally, award funds may be used 

for the following purposes: 

i. To fund reasonable preapplication 

expenses in an amount not to exceed 

five percent of the award. The costs 

associated with satisfying the 

environmental review requirements are 

also eligible for reimbursement as preapplication expenses. Up to three 

percent of the requested award funds 

can be used for this purpose. Please note 

that any environmental expenses will 

count as part of the overall five percent 

that is allowable for pre-application 

expenses. If an applicant applied for 

funding in ReConnect Round Four, 

preapplication expenses may be eligible 

for reimbursement if these expenses 

support the application in response to 

this notice, such as engineering design, 

market survey, and subscriber 

projections. Note, however, that RUS, in 

its sole discretion, reserves the right to 

accept or reject expenses associated 

with round four. Otherwise, 

preapplication expenses may only be 

reimbursed if they are incurred after the 

publication date of this notice and are 

properly documented. Preapplication 

expenses must be included in the first 

request for award funds and will be 

funded with either grant or loan funds. 

If the funding category applied for has 

a grant component, then grant funds 

will be used for this purpose. 

ii. To fund up to three percent of the 

requested amount for post-award 

monitoring expenses that may be 

required to mitigate the environmental 

effects of the project, as long as such 

costs are capitalized as part of the 

project. These costs must be specified in 

the Professional Services section of 

Capital Investment Workbook included 

as part of the application system. 

iii. To fund pole attachment fees 

associated with the construction of the 

project throughout the five-year 

construction period. In addition, if the 

pole owner requires that a pole be 

replaced to support the broadband 

facilities, such costs shall be eligible. 

b. Use of funds for this program shall 

comply with requirements outlined in 

the Secure and Trusted 

Communications Networks Act of 2019, 

Public Law 116–124. Listed equipment 

and services covered by Section 2 of 

The Secure and Trusted 

Communications Networks Act are 

prohibited. See fcc.gov/supplychain/ 

coveredlist for details. 

c. Ineligible cost requirements are 

outlined in 7 CFR 1740.12. 

Additionally, award funds may not be 

used for the following purposes: 

i. To fund projects proposing to use 

unlicensed wireless facilities. 

ii. To fund grant costs of a vendor that 

has both designed and is to construct 

the proposed project. If the project has 

already been designed, then only such 

costs will be eligible for that vendor and 

the applicant must procure construction 

from another entity not related to the 

vendor. If an applicant is applying for 

a 100% loan and wishes to use the same 

vendor for design and construction, 

supporting documentation must be 

provided that demonstrates that this 

arrangement is the most economical 

way to get the broadband facilities 

constructed. Note, however, that the 

agency reserves the right not to accept 

such documentation, and as a result, the 

applicant must procure construction 

from another entity not related to the 

vendor. An applicant applying for a 

loan, grant, or a combination loan-grant, 

can use qualified in-house staff for both 

the design and construction of the 

broadband facilities. 

3. Other Submission Requirements. 

a. Applications must be submitted 

through the Agency’s online application 

system located on the ReConnect web 

page, usda.gov/reconnect. All materials 

required for completing an application 

are included in the online system. 

Please note there are a number of 

supporting documents that will need to 

be uploaded through the application 

system. 

b. Applicants can submit only one 

application. Applicants may start 

multiple applications in the system but 

only one can be submitted. 

c. A parent company that has 

subsidiaries applying for funding based 

on the parent’s audited financials can 

only guarantee one application for 

funding under this notice. If multiple 

subsidiaries apply based on the same 

parent audited financial statement, at 

the agency’s discretion, only one 

application can be funded. 

d. Applications and supporting 

documents will not be accepted through 

mail or courier delivery, in-person 

delivery, fax, or electronic mail. 

e. Applicants who believe that nonrural areas within their proposed service 

territory are ‘‘rural in character’’ must 

follow 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(D) in order 

for such areas to be considered eligible. 

Note that such a determination takes 

time, so applicants are encouraged to 

start this process immediately. 

f. For this notice only, applicants are 

not required to submit a legal opinion 

as part of the application. Applicants 

that receive an award must still provide 

the legal opinion as part of closing the 

award. 


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1This means that all laborers and mechanics 

employed by contractors and subcontractors in the 

performance of such project are paid wages at rates 

not less than those prevailing, as determined by the 

U.S. Secretary of Labor in accordance with 

subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United 

States Code (commonly known as the ‘‘Davis-Bacon 

Act’’) or, for the corresponding classes of laborers 

and mechanics employed on projects of a character 

similar to the contract work in the civil subdivision 

of the State (or the District of Columbia) in which 

the work is to be performed, or by the appropriate 

state entity pursuant to a corollary state prevailingwage-in-construction law (commonly known as 

‘‘baby Davis-Bacon Acts’’). 

g. Applicants that use alternative 

household data in the online mapping 

tool must provide supporting 

documentation to justify the use of such 

data, so that the number of households 

within the PFSA can be verified by 

USDA. 

h. For corporations and limited 

liability entities, awards with a loan 

component must be secured by all assets 

of the Awardee. As a result, applicants 

must submit a certification that their 

existing lender or lienholder on any of 

its asset has already agreed to sign the 

RUS’ standard intercreditor agreement 

or co-mortgage found on the Agency’s 

web page at usda.gov/reconnect. 

E. Application Review Information 

1. Evaluation Criteria 

a. Application for a 100 percent loan. 

One hundred (100) percent loan 

applications are not scored or ranked 

competitively. Applications will be 

processed and awarded on a rolling 

basis. In the event two loan applications 

are received for the same PFSA, the 

application submitted first will be 

considered first. 

b. Application for 100 percent grants 

and loan/grant Combinations. One 

hundred (100) percent grant 

applications and combination loan/ 

grant applications will be scored based 

on the following criteria: 

i. Rurality of PFSA (25 Points). Points 

will be awarded for serving the least 

dense rural areas as measured by the 

population of the PFSA per square mile 

or if the PFSA is located at least one 

hundred miles from a city or town that 

has a population of greater than 50,000 

inhabitants. If multiple service areas are 

proposed, the density calculation will 

be made on the combined areas as if 

they were a single area and not the 

average densities. For population 

densities of 6 or less or if the PFSA is 

located one hundred miles from a city 

or town of 50,000, 25 points will be 

awarded. 

ii. Economic need of the community 

(20 Points). Economic need is based on 

the county poverty percentage of the 

PFSA in the application. The 

percentages must be determined by 

utilizing the United States Census Small 

Area Income and Poverty Estimates 

(SAIPE) Program. For applications 

where 75 percent of the PFSA(s) are 

proposing to serve communities with a 

SAIPE score of 20 percent or higher, 20 

points will be awarded. Tribal 

applicants can request alternative 

scoring consideration by submitting 

more granular Tribal specific census 

data using the census.gov/tribal tool. 

Proposed funded service areas located 

in geographic areas for which no SAIPE 

data exist will be determined to have an 

average SAIPE poverty percentage of 30 

percent. Such geographic areas may 

include territories of the United States 

or other locations eligible for funding 

through the ReConnect Program. A GIS 

layer identifying SAIPE areas can be 

found in the RUS mapping tool located 

at usda.gov/reconnect. 

iii. Affordability (20 Points). 

Applications can receive 20 points if, in 

their service offerings, they include at 

least one low-cost option offered at 

speeds that are sufficient for a 

household with multiple users to 

simultaneously telework and engage in 

remote learning. 

iv. Labor Standards (20 points). It is 

important that necessary investments in 

broadband infrastructure be carried out 

in ways that produce high-quality 

infrastructure, avert disruptive and 

costly delays, and promote efficiency. 

The Agency understands the importance 

of promoting workforce development 

and encourages recipients to ensure that 

broadband projects use strong labor 

standards, consistent with Tribal laws 

when projects propose to build 

infrastructure on Tribal Lands. Using 

these practices in construction projects 

not only promotes effective and efficient 

delivery of high-quality infrastructure 

and supports the economic recovery 

through employment opportunities for 

workers but may also help to ensure a 

reliable supply of skilled labor that 

would minimize disruptions, such as 

those associated with labor disputes or 

workplace injuries. Applicants should 

include in their applications a 

description of whether and, if so, how 

the project will incorporate three 

categories of strong labor standards and 

protections: 

(1) Strong labor standards: whether 

workers (including employees of 

contractors and subcontractors) will be 

paid wages at or above the prevailing 

rate; 1 whether the project will be 

covered by a project labor agreement; 

and/or whether the project will use a 

unionized project workforce; 

(2) Demonstrated compliance with 

and plans for future compliance with 

labor and employment laws: whether 

the applicant, has any violations of 

tribal, state or federal labor, workplace 

safety and health, or employment laws 

within the last five years; and/or 

whether the applicant, its contractors, or 

subcontractors will commit to union 

neutrality; and/or whether the 

applicant, its contractors, or 

subcontractors will commit to 

permitting workers to create worker-led 

health and safety committees that 

management will meet with upon 

reasonable request; and 

(3) A plan to recruit and support an 

appropriately skilled, trained and 

credentialed workforce (including by 

contractors and subcontractors): 

whether work will be performed by a 

directly employed workforce or whether 

the employer has policies and practices 

in place to ensure employees of 

contractors and subcontractors are 

qualified; how the applicant will ensure 

use of an appropriately skilled 

workforce (e.g., through Registered 

Apprenticeships or other joint labormanagement training programs that 

serve all workers, particularly those 

underrepresented or historically 

excluded); how the applicant will 

ensure use of an appropriately 

credentialed workforce (i.e., satisfying 

requirements for appropriate and 

relevant pre-existing occupational 

training, certification, and licensure); 

and/or whether a locally-based 

workforce will be used. In addition, the 

plan should include whether there are 

any partnerships with training 

providers, unions, or community 

colleges to support the recruitment and 

training of the workforce. 

(4) For applicants that commit to 

strong labor standards, consistent with 

Tribal Laws when the project proposes 

to build infrastructure on Tribal Lands, 

20 points will be awarded. An applicant 

requesting these points must 

incorporate components from each of 

the three categories above. Projects that 

propose to build infrastructure on Tribal 

Lands must follow Tribal Laws such as 

Tribal Employment Rights Ordinances 

to be in compliance with a ReConnect 

award, regardless of receiving points 

under this standard. The Agency 

reserves the right to adjust award 

amounts for unforeseen circumstances. 

v. Tribal areas (15 Points). For 

applicants that are Tribal Governments 

or Tribal Government wholly-owned 

entities and, at least 75 percent of the 

geographical area of the PFSA(s) is on 

Tribal Lands, 15 points shall be 

awarded. For non-tribal governmental 

entities where at least 50 percent of the 

geographical area of the PFSA(s) is on 

Tribal Lands, 10 points shall be 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 2024 / Notices 13041 

awarded. Tribal Lands will be analyzed 

using the GIS layers (Tribal Area (BIA 

LAR); Tribal Supplemental Area (BIA 

LAR); and Tribal Statistical Area (BIA)) 

in the RUS mapping tool located at 

reconnect.usda.gov. For applicants that 

are ANCs or Alaska Native Tribal 

Governments where at least 50 percent 

of the geographical area of the PFSA(s) 

is on Census Tribal areas in Alaska, 15 

points shall be awarded. For non-ANC 

or non-Alaska Native Tribal 

Government entities where at least 50 

percent of the geographical area of the 

PFSA(s) is on Census Tribal areas in 

Alaska, 10 points shall be awarded. 

Census Tribal areas in Alaska will be 

analyzed using the GIS layer (Alaska 

Census Tribal Areas) layer in the RUS 

mapping tools located at usda.gov/ 

reconnect. 

vi. Local governments, non-profits, 

and cooperatives (15 points). 

Applications submitted by local 

governments, non-profits, or 

cooperatives (including for projects 

involving public-private partnerships 

where the local government, non-profit, 

or cooperative is the applicant) will be 

awarded 15 points. 

vii. Socially Vulnerable Communities 

(15 points). For applications where at 

least 75 percent of the PFSA(s) are 

proposing to serve Socially Vulnerable 

Communities, as defined in this notice, 

15 points will be awarded. 

viii. Net neutrality (10 points). For 

applicants that commit to net neutrality 

principles, 10 points will be awarded. A 

board resolution or its equivalent must 

be submitted in the application 

committing that the applicant’s 

networks shall not (a) block lawful 

content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices, subject to reasonable 

network management; (b) impair or 

degrade lawful internet traffic on the 

basis of internet content, application, or 

service, or use of a non-harmful device, 

subject to reasonable network 

management; and (c) engage in paid 

prioritization, meaning the management 

of a broadband provider’s network to 

directly or indirectly favor some traffic 

over other traffic, including through use 

of techniques such as traffic shaping, 

prioritization, resource reservation, or 

other forms of preferential traffic 

management, either (1) in exchange for 

consideration (monetary or otherwise) 

from a third party, or (2) to benefit an 

affiliated entity. 

ix. Most Unserved Locations Per 

Square Mile (up to 10 points). In order 

to ensure the Agency prioritizes funding 

to States with the highest concentrations 

of Unserved Broadband Serviceable 

Locations (UBSLs) (by percentage and 

area), projects located in states that meet 

these criteria will receive 5 or 10 points. 

For this notice only, UBSLs are 

Broadband Serviceable Locations 

contained in the FCC’s Broadband 

Serviceable Location Fabric that do not 

have access to a wired or licensed 

terrestrial fixed wireless broadband 

service at speeds of at least 25 Mbps 

downstream and 3 Mbps upstream. The 

states eligible for these points were 

determined by ranking states based 

upon the following criteria: 

(1) The state percentage of UBSLs. 

(2) The average area per UBSL in each 

state in square miles. 

Projects in which at least 75% of the 

PFSA is located in states ranked 1 

through 5 will receive 10 points. Those 

states are Alaska, Idaho, Montana, New 

Mexico, and Wyoming. Projects in 

which at least 75% of the PFSA is 

located in states ranked 6 thru 10 will 

receive 5 points. Those states are 

Arkansas, Mississippi, Nevada, South 

Dakota, and West Virginia. For projects 

in which 75% of the PFSA is located in 

more than one of these states, the 

application will receive the points 

associated with the highest scoring 

state. 

2. Review Process 

The Agency may contact service 

providers that submit a Public Notice 

Response (PNR) to validate their 

submission. Service providers should be 

prepared to: (1) Provide additional 

information supporting that the area in 

question has sufficient access to 

broadband service; (2) have a technician 

on site during the field validation by 

RUS staff; (3) run on-site tests with RUS 

personnel being present, if requested; 

and (4) provide copies of any test results 

that have been conducted in the last six 

months. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

1. Federal Award Notices. 

a. General. RUS will notify applicants 

whose projects are selected for awards 

by sending out an award letter. The 

Agency reserves the right to offer 

applicants less than the funding 

requested. After an applicant accepts 

the offer, the Agency will send 

appropriate award documents 

(agreement and security document, note 

and mortgage for a loan) that contains 

all the terms and conditions for the 

award. An applicant must execute and 

return the award documents within the 

number of days specified in the award 

letter. The standard agreement 

documents are available on the 

ReConnect website Forms and 

Resources page: usda.gov/reconnect/ 

forms-and-resources. 

b. Advance of funds. For this notice, 

the advance of funds for a 50/50 loan/ 

grant combination will be as follows: 

funds substituted for the loan 

component, if any, will be advanced 

first; loan funds will be advanced 

second; and grant funds will be 

advanced third. The advance of funds 

for 100 percent grants with a matching 

component will require the expenditure 

of a prorated amount of matching funds 

with respect to the amount of the 

advance request. As an example, a 

request for ten (10) percent of the grant 

funds will require evidence of the 

expenditure of ten (10) percent of the 

matching requirement. 

c. Affordable Connectivity Program. 

To ensure that all Americans can access 

reliable, high-speed internet, this vital 

service must also be affordable. The 

FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program 

(ACP) is a benefit program that helps 

households afford the broadband service 

they need for work, school, healthcare, 

civic engagement, and economic 

opportunity. To make the ACP benefit 

available to eligible households, internet 

providers also need to participate in the 

program. Therefore, to ensure that rural 

households can take advantage of the 

ACP benefit, applicants selected for 

Federal funding under this notice will 

be required to apply to participate in the 

ACP before award funds are disbursed 

if additional funding is appropriated by 

Congress to continue the program, or 

any successor program. This 

requirement will also apply to any 

successor program to the ACP. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements. In addition to USDA’s 

standard administrative and policy 

requirements outlined in the standard 

award agreements, mortgages, and notes 

for ReConnect awards, the following 

applies to awards under this notice: 

a. Cybersecurity risk management. It 

is the policy of the United States to 

strengthen the security and resilience of 

its critical infrastructure against both 

physical and cyber threats. Applicants 

selected for Federal funding under this 

notice must demonstrate, prior to the 

signing of the award agreement, a 

concerted effort to consider and address 

cybersecurity risks consistent with the 

cybersecurity performance goals for 

critical infrastructure and control 

systems directed by the National 

Security Presidential Memorandum on 

Improving Cybersecurity for Critical 

Infrastructure Control Systems, or the 

current draft of these goals, found at 

cisa.gov/control-systems-goals-andobjectives. 

b. Reporting. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
13042 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 21, 2024 / Notices 

i. All applications are subject to the 

requirements contained in 7 CFR 1740 

subpart F. 

ii. If the awardee is a non-Federal 

entity as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, the 

awardee shall provide an audit in 

accordance with 2 CFR 200 subpart F. 

iii. If the awardee is a for-profit entity, 

an electric or telecommunications 

cooperative, or any other entity not 

covered by the definition of non-Federal 

entity in 2 CFR 200.1, the awardee shall 

provide an independent audit report in 

accordance with Agency guidelines and 

the award agreement. 

iv. Awardees must report their 

broadband availability data to the FCC’s 

Broadband Data Collection once the 

awarded project begins to offer service. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For general inquiries regarding the 

ReConnect Program, contact Laurel 

Leverrier, Assistant Administrator, 

Telecommunications Program, Rural 

Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), email: 

laurel.leverrier@usda.gov, telephone: 

(202) 720–9554. 

H. Build America, Buy America 

1. Funding to Non-Federal Entities. 

Funding to Non-Federal Entities, 

defined pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1 as any 

State, local government, Indian tribe, 

Institution of Higher Education, or 

nonprofit organization, shall be 

governed by the requirements of Section 

70914 of the Build America, Buy 

America Act (BABAA) within Public 

Law 117–58. Section 70914 of BABAA 

requires all federal agencies, including 

USDA, to ensure that none of the funds 

provided under this program may be 

used for a project for infrastructure 

unless the iron and steel, manufactured 

products, and construction materials 

used in that infrastructure are produced 

in the United States. For more 

information on these requirements, see 

USDA Implementation of the BABA Act. 

2. Funding to Entities that are not 

Non-Federal Entities. Funding to any 

entity that is not a Non-Federal entity 

shall be governed by the Agency’s Buy 

American requirement at 7 CFR 1787. 

I. Other Information 

1. Paperwork Reduction Act. In 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 

chapter 35), the information collection 

requirements associated with the 

ReConnect Program, as covered in this 

notice, have been approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) under OMB Control Number 

0572–0152. This funding announcement 

does not create any new information 

collection requirements, nor does it 

change existing information collection 

requirements. 

2. National Environmental Policy Act. 

All recipients under this notice are 

subject to the requirements of 7 CFR 

part 1970. 

3. Civil Rights Act. All awards made 

under this notice are subject to Title VI 

of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as 

required by the USDA (7 CFR part 15, 

subpart A and Section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VIII of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title IX, 

Executive Order 13166 (Limited English 

Proficiency), Executive Order 11246, 

and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 

1974. 

4. Nondiscrimination Statement. In 

accordance with Federal civil rights 

laws and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, 

employees, and institutions 

participating in or administering USDA 

programs are prohibited from 

discriminating based on race, color, 

national origin, religion, sex, gender 

identity (including gender expression), 

sexual orientation, disability, age, 

marital status, family/parental status, 

income derived from a public assistance 

program, political beliefs, or reprisal or 

retaliation for prior civil rights activity, 

in any program or activity conducted or 

funded by USDA (not all bases apply to 

all programs). Remedies and complaint 

filing deadlines vary by program or 

incident. Program information may be 

made available in languages other than 

English. Persons with disabilities who 

require alternative means of 

communication to obtain program 

information (e.g., Braille, large print, 

audiotape, American Sign Language) 

should contact the responsible Mission 

Area, agency, or staff office or the 711 

Relay Service. To file a program 

discrimination complaint, a 

complainant should complete a Form 

AD–3027, USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, which 

can be obtained online at https://

www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ 

documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any 

USDA office, by calling (866) 632–9992, 

or by writing a letter addressed to 

USDA. The letter must contain the 

complainant’s name, address, telephone 

number, and a written description of the 

alleged discriminatory action in 

sufficient detail to inform the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about 

the nature and date of an alleged civil 

rights violation. The completed AD– 

3027 form or letter must be submitted to 

USDA by: 

a. Mail: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; or 

b. Fax: (833) 256–1665 or (202) 690– 

7442; or 

c. Email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Andrew Berke, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA 

Rural Development. 

[FR Doc. 2024–03484 Filed 2–20–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS 

Notice of Public Meeting of the Georgia 

Advisory Committee to the U.S. 

Commission on Civil Rights 

AGENCY: U.S. Commission on Civil 

Rights. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, 

pursuant to the provisions of the rules 

and regulations of the U.S. Commission 

on Civil Rights (Commission) and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act, that 

the Georgia Advisory Committee 

(Committee) to the U.S. Commission on 

Civil Rights will hold a public meeting 

via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting 

is to discuss the post-report activities of 

the Committee’s recent civil rights 

project on civil asset forfeiture in 

Georgia. 

DATES: Tuesday, March 19, 2024, from 

12 p.m.–1 p.m. Eastern Time. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via Zoom. 

Registration Link (Audio/Visual): 

https://bit.ly/3SDmAid. 

Join by Phone (Audio Only): 1–833– 

435–1820 USA Toll-Free; Webinar ID: 

160 234 0393#. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melissa Wojnaroski, Designated Federal 

Officer (DFO), at mwojnaroski@

usccr.gov or 1–202–618–4158. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

Committee meeting is available to the 

public through the registration link 

above. Any interested member of the 

public may attend this meeting. An 

open comment period will be provided 

to allow members of the public to make 

oral statements as time allows. Pursuant 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 

public minutes of the meeting will 

include a list of persons who are present 

at the meeting. If joining via phone, 

callers can expect to incur regular 

charges for calls they initiate over 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES