The Rural Energy for America Program,
which supersedes the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency
Improvements Program under Title IX, Section 9006 of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, is designed to help
agricultural producers and rural small business reduce energy cost
and consumption, develop new income streams, and help meet the
nation's critical energy needs by requiring the Secretary of
Agriculture to provide grants and/or guaranteed loans for several
types of projects as follows: • Grants and grants and loan
guarantees (combined funding) to agricultural producers and rural
small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make
energy efficiency improvements. • Grants to eligible entities to
provide energy audits and renewable energy development assistance
to enable agricultural producers and rural small businesses to
become more energy efficient and to use renewable energy
technologies and resources. Entities eligible to receive grants
under this program are State, tribal and local governments;
land-grant colleges and universities or other institutions of
higher learning; rural electric cooperatives; public power
entities; Resource Conservation and Development Councils and
instrumentalities of local, state, and federal governments. These
grant funds may be used to conduct and promote energy audits;
provide recommendations and information on how to improve the
energy efficiency of the operations of the agricultural producers
and rural small businesses; and provide recommendations and
information on how to use renewable energy technologies and
resources in the operations. No more than five (5) percent of the
grant can be used for administrative purposes. Agricultural
producers and rural small businesses for which a grantee is
conducting an energy audit must pay at least 25 percent of the cost
of the energy audit.
Application for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency
Improvement Projects - Total Project Costs of $80,000 or Less ,
Application for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy
Efficiency Improvement Projects - Total Project Costs of Less than
$200,000, but more than $80,000 , Application for Renewable
Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects - Total
Project Costs of $200,000 and Greater , Project Performance
Certification
Application for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency
Improvement Projects - Total Project Costs of Less than $200,000,
but more than $80,000 , Application for Renewable Energy
Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvement Projects - Total Project
Costs of $200,000 and Greater , Project Performance
Certification , APPLICATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TOTAL PROJECT COSTS OF
$80,000 OR LESS , Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Assistance Agreement
Letter of Intent , Loan Note Guarantee Report of Loss ,
APPLICATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TOTAL PROJECT COSTS OF $200,000 AND
GREATER , CERTIFICATION REGARDING DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE
REQUIREMENTS (GRANTS) , Rural Business and Cooperative
Service Grant Agreement , Application for Loan Guarantee ,
Application for Loan Guarantee - One Doc and 9006 Program ,
Conditional Commitment , Lender's Agreement ,
Assignment Guarantee Agreement , Certification Regarding
Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters - Primary
Covered Transactions , Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion - Lower Tier
Covered Transactions , Unconditional Guarantee ,
APPLICATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TOTAL PROJECT COSTS OF $80,000 OR LESS ,
APPLICATION FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TOTAL PROJECT COSTS OF LESS THAN
$200,000, BUT MORE THAN $80,000 , Compliance Statement ,
Lender's Guaranteed Loan Payment to the Agency ,
Request for Obligation of Funds , Assurance Agreement ,
Equal Opportunity Agreement , Certificate of
Contractor's Release , Release by Claimants ,
Guaranteed Loan Closing Report , Guaranteed Loan Status
Report , Guaranteed Loan Borrower Deliquent Status
Total Request
Previously Approved
Change Due to New Statute
Change Due to Agency Discretion
Change Due to Adjustment in
Estimate
Change Due to Potential Violation of
the PRA
Annual Number of Responses
40,561
40,217
0
344
0
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
85,178
109,986
0
-24,808
0
0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Yes
Changing
Regulations
Yes
Changing
Regulations
The decrease in responses is
due to the removal of the guaranteed loan portion from 7 CFR 4280-B
as that is now in 7 CFR 5001. The reason for the increase in burden
hours is do to the time it takes applicants to complete the
required SAM.gov registration process.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
REAP - Private