Rural Development

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 makes significant investments in, and improvements to our rural development programs, allocating an unprecedented $1 billion in mandatory funding.

 

NEW!  More Vermont Communities Qualify for Assistance:  Expands definition of rural areas eligible to receive assistance under USDA Rural Development programs. For Business Programs (B&I guaranteed and direct loans, RBEGs, and RBOGs) the terms >rural' and >rural area' means any area other than a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants (including the urbanized areas contiguous and adjacent to such a city or town). For Water and Waste Disposal Programs (grants, direct and guaranteed loans) the terms >rural' and >rural areas' mean a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population of no more than 10,000 inhabitants. For Community Facility Programs (grants, direct and guaranteed loans, extreme unemployment grants, and out-migration grants) the terms >rural' and >rural areas' mean a city, town, or unincorporated area that has a population of no more than 20,000 inhabitants.

 

T       Water and Waste Water Grants: The farm bill authorizes $1.5 billion in funding for rural water and waste disposal systems.  Mandatory funding of $360 million is targeted to address the backlog of pending waste water grants currently held in each state.  Vermont applications for water and waste water grants and loans still pending at the end of this fiscal year will be eligible for these funds.

 

T                 Local-to-Local Television:   This provision provides $80 million to further implement the LOCAL TV Act sponsored by Senator Leahy and enacted in 2000.  The new law is likely to finance the construction of two satellites designed to offer local network television to satellite dish owners in addition to offering all other program packages.  The provision is targeted to rural residents who do not currently have access to local television stations.

 

NEW!  Broadband Service: for rural areas has been a great concern to many individuals living in rural America. Leahy worked with conferees to include a total of $100 million to provide loans and loan guarantees to allow rural consumers to receive high-speed, high-quality broadband services. 

 

NEW!  Rural Business Investment Program: provides $280 million in guarantees for rural business investment companies to provide equity investments for businesses in rural areas.

 

NEW!  Rural Strategic Investment Program: provides $100 million in planning and innovation grants of up to $3 million to assist certified Regional Investment Boards, develop and implement a rural strategic and economic development plan for a particular rural area. Regional Boards will be certified and regional plans will be approved by the National Board on Rural America.

 

NEW!  Rural Firefighters and Emergency Personnel Grant Program: will provide $50 million in grants to train rural firefighters and emergency personnel and improve training facilities.

 

NEW! Rural E-Commerce Extension Program: Establishes a program to expand and enhance electronic commerce practices and technology for use by small businesses and micro-enterprises in rural areas.  This provision was authored jointly by Senators Leahy and Bingaman (D-N.M.).

 

T       Children's Day Care Facilities:  Creates a 10 percent set-aside for child care facilities under the Community Facilities program to remain available until April 1 of each fiscal year.

 

NEW!  SEARCH Grants for Small Communities: Establishes a new grant program administered by Rural Development State Directors utilizing the advice of an independent citizens' council. Use limited to small communities with populations under 2,500 for the purpose of providing assistance with initial feasibility and environmental compliance for rural development projects. Up to $1,000,000 would be available to each State for SEARCH grants.

 

T       Expansion of 911 Access: Provides telephone loans to State and local governments, Indian

tribes, and other public entities for facilities and equipment to expand 911 access and integrated emergency communications systems in rural areas.

 

NEW!  Multi-jurisdictional Regional Planning Organizations:  Establishes a program to provide grants to multijurisdictional regional planning and development organizations to pay the Federal share of the cost of providing assistance to local governments to improve the infrastructure, services, and business development capabilities of local governments and local economic development organizations.

 

T       Grants for NOAA Weather Radio Transmitters: Provides grants to public and nonprofit entities, and to RUS borrowers, for the Federal share of the cost of acquiring transmitters to increase weather radio coverage of rural areas.