Memo

USDA

iiiiiii
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Farm and Foreign
Agricultural
Services
Farm Service
Agency
1400 Independence
Avenue , SW
Stop 0540
Washington , DC
20250-0540

DATE:

June 5, 2014

TO:

Vlad Dorjets
OMB Desk Officer

THROUGH: Ruth Brown
USDA Information Collection Officer

~~

FROM:

Val ·Dolcini
FSA Administrator

SUBJECT:

Request for Emergency Approval for a New Information Collection
Request- Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) Grants to States

This request is for OMB review and emergency approval of a collection of information
necessary for a Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) Grants to States. The Farm
Service Agency (FSA) is expecting to publish the Notice of Funds Availability (NOF A)
in the Federal Register on or around June 10, 2015. FSA is expecting to have the
grantees submit applications no later than July 10, 2015 . Therefore, we are requesting
emergency approval of the new information collection package no later than June 10,
2015. In the NOFA, FSA is requesting comments on the BIP information collection
request in order to submit the regular request to get a 3-year approval from OMB after
receiving the 6-month OMB emergency approval.
FSA is announcing the availability of competitive grants to fund States, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., with respect to activities designed
to expand the infrastructure for renewable fuels . The Commodity Credit Corporation
(CCC) funded grant. BIP grantees must provide matching contributions with a goal of a
one-to-one basis to the CCC funds. The funds may be used to pay a portion of the costs
related to the installation of fuel pumps and related infrastructure dedicated to the
distribution of higher ethanol blends, for example "El5" and "E85," at local fueling
stations, convenience stores (CS), hypermarket fueling stations (HFS), or fleet facilities .
The matching contributions may be used for these items as well as for additional related
costs such as marketing, additional infrastructure to support pumps, education, and
administrative costs associated with the application process.
This information collection is needed for FSA to identify eligible States for
blender pump funding to encourage increased ethanol use. FSA requires each State to
submit an application to FSA on a form specified by FSA. States will be required to
USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

report on the funding distribution, which may require third party reporting depending on
how the States distribute the funds. FSA expects to transfer funds to the selected State
applicants before September 30, 2015. The grants announced in the NOFA will not be
subject to sequestration if the funds are obligated by CCC during fiscal year 2015 .
Funds for BIP are limited to $100 million.
If there are any questions or concerns, please call Deirdre Holder at 202-205-5851 or
Mary Ann Ball at 202-720-4283 .