Rural Utilities Service

Rural Utilities Service RURAL WATER AND WASTE DISPOSAL PROGRAM ACCOUNT (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees, and grants for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal, and solid waste management programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, and 310B and described in sections 306C(a)(2), 306D, and 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, $562,565,000, to remain available until expended, of which not to exceed $500,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act, and of which not to exceed $1,000,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program described in section 306E of such Act: Provided, That $65,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for water and waste disposal systems grants authorized by 121 STAT. 1867 306C(a)(2)(B) and 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and Native Americans authorized by 306C(a)(1): Provided further, That the Secretary shall allocate the funds described in the previous proviso in a manner consistent with the historical allocation for such populations under these authorities: Provided further, That not to exceed $18,500,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for technical assistance grants for rural water and waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act, unless the Secretary makes a determination of extreme need, of which $5,600,000 shall be made available for a grant to a qualified non-profit multi-state regional technical assistance organization, with experience in working with small communities on water and waste water problems, the principal purpose of such grant shall be to assist rural communities with populations of 3,300 or less, in improving the planning, financing, development, operation, and management of water and waste water systems, and of which not less than $800,000 shall be for a qualified national Native American organization to provide technical assistance for rural water systems for tribal communities: Provided further, That not to exceed $13,750,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be for contracting with qualified national organizations for a circuit rider program to provide technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided further, That not to exceed $12,700,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be available through June 30, 2008, for authorized empowerment zones and enterprise communities and communities designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as Rural Economic Area Partnership Zones for the rural utilities programs described in section 381E(d)(2) of such Act: Provided further, That $20,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be transferred to, and merged with, the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Cost Grants Account to provide grants authorized under section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 918a): Provided further, That any prior year balances for high cost energy grants authorized by section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901(19)) shall be transferred to and merged with the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy Costs Grants Account: Provided further, That section 381E–H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not applicable to the funds made available under this heading: Provided further, That any prior balances in the Rural Development, Rural Community Advancement Program account programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, and 310B and described in sections 306C(a)(2), 306D, and 381E(d)(2) of such Act be transferred and merged with this account and any other prior balances from the Rural Development, Rural Community Advancement Program account that the Secretary determines is appropriate to transfer. Rural Electrification and Telecommunications Loans Program Account (including transfer of funds) The principal amount of direct and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 305 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935) shall be made as follows: 5 percent rural electrification loans, $100,000,000; loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural electric, $6,500,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans 121 STAT. 1868 pursuant to section 313A, $500,000,000; 5 percent rural telecommunications loans, $145,000,000; cost of money rural telecommunications loans, $250,000,000; and for loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act, rural telecommunications loans, $295,000,000. For the cost, as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, including the cost of modifying loans, of direct and guaranteed loans authorized by sections 305 and 306 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 935 and 936), as follows: cost of rural electric loans, $120,000, and the cost of telecommunications loans, $3,620,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, borrower interest rates may exceed 7 percent per year. In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $38,623,000 which shall be transferred to and merged with the appropriation for “Rural Development, Salaries and Expenses”. Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program For the principal amount of broadband telecommunication loans, $300,000,000. For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq., $35,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That $5,000,000 shall be made available to convert analog to digital operation those noncommercial educational television broadcast stations that serve rural areas and are qualified for Community Service Grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396(k) of the Communications Act of 1934, including associated translators and repeaters, regardless of the location of their main transmitter, studio-to-transmitter links, and equipment to allow local control over digital content and programming through the use of high-definition broadcast, multi-casting and datacasting technologies. For the cost of broadband loans, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., $6,450,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the cost of direct loans shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. In addition, $13,500,000, to remain available until expended, for a grant program to finance broadband transmission in rural areas eligible for Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program benefits authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa.