[Federal Register: March 7, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 44)] [Notices] [Page 11376-11379] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr07mr06-37] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels 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 additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funding available through its Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program (TAT). An additional $500,000 in emergency funding will be made available, pursuant to the Secretary's determination of extreme need, to conduct Water Resource Studies in the states affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and/or Wilma (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). DATES: You may submit completed applications for the Water Resource Studies grant(s) from the date of announcement to 30 days after this announcement appears in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: You may obtain application guides and materials for the Water Resource Studies grants the following ways:The Internet at USDA Rural Development Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/water/ . You may also request application guides and materials by contacting the USDA Rural Development, WEP at (202) 720-9586. You may submit: Completed paper applications for Water Resource Studies grants to the USDA Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 2233, STOP 1570, Washington, DC 20250-1570. Applications should be marked ``Attention: Assistant Administrator, Water and Environmental Programs.'' Electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov), following the instructions you find on that Web site. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita O'Brien, Loan Specialist, Water Program Division, USDA Rural Development, telephone: (202) 690-3789, fax: (202) 690-0649. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Overview Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service. Funding Opportunity Title: Water Resource Studies Grants. Announcement Type: Funding Level Announcement and Solicitation of Applications. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(14); Pub.L. 109-97, 119 Stat. 2120. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.761. Dates: You may submit completed application for a TAT grant from the date of announcement to 30 days after this announcement appears in the Federal Register. Reminder of competitive grant application deadline: Applications must be mailed, shipped or submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 30 days after this announcement appears in the Federal Register to be eligible for funding. Items in Supplementary Information I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the Water Resource Studies Grants; II. Award Information: Available funds, maximum amounts; 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; and, items that are eligible; V. Application Review Information: Considerations and preferences; scoring criteria; review standards; and selection information; VI. Award Administration Information: Award notice information and award recipient reporting requirements; VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, email, and contact name. I. Funding Opportunity Drinking water systems are basic and vital to both health and economic development. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma severely damaged water systems in the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Without dependable water supply, rural communities in these states will not attract families and businesses to return and invest in the hurricane damaged communities. USDA Rural Development supports the sound development of rural communities and the growth of our economy without endangering the environment. It 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. The additional funding for Water Resource Studies will allow rural communities to better plan and secure dependable water supplies for rebuilding their community's health and economic development. Qualified private non-profit organizations may apply to receive a grant to conduct Water Resource Studies to evaluate sources of dependable water supplies for communities in the hurricane affected states. II. Award Information Available funds: $500,000 is available for Water Resource Study grants in FY 2006. III. Eligibility Information A. What are the basic eligibility requirements for applying? The applying entity (Applicant) must: 1. Be a private, non-profit organization that has tax-exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS); 2. Be legally established and located within one of the following: a. A state within the United States. b. The District of Columbia. c. The Commonwe