Notice2023-00597
Inflation Reduction Act Discussion Sessions
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 12, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentRural Utilities Service
Abstract
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 created several new clean energy provisions to be administered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Following formal listening sessions, Tribal consultation, and a written comment period in November and December of 2022 regarding these IRA RUS clean energy provisions, RUS will host a series of virtual roundtables in January of 2023 to gain additional individual input from stakeholders regarding the design of IRA sections 22001 and 22004, with the intention of releasing a funding opportunity announcement in the first half of 2023.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2064-2065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00597]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket #RUS-22-Electric-0060]
Inflation Reduction Act Discussion Sessions
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice of roundtable discussion sessions.
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SUMMARY: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 created several new
clean energy provisions to be administered by the Rural Utilities
Service (RUS), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area of
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Following formal
listening sessions, Tribal consultation, and a written comment period
in November and December of 2022 regarding these IRA RUS clean energy
provisions, RUS will host a series of virtual roundtables in January of
2023 to gain additional individual input from stakeholders regarding
the design of IRA sections 22001 and 22004, with the intention of
releasing a funding opportunity announcement in the first half of 2023.
DATES: Thirteen virtual roundtable discussions are planned for the
following dates and times. In an effort to create a smaller setting for
individual representatives to share their input, roundtables are
organized by stakeholder groups, although all discussions will be open
to any member of the public who expresses interest in joining, with the
goal of being inclusive and hearing from all stakeholders wishing to
provide further input. Registration links for the sessions below are
available at: <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act">https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act</a>.
January 17--10 a.m. Eastern Time (ET)--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA
Roundtable aimed at Electrical Generation & Transmission (G&T) entities
RUS Region 1 which includes entities in the following states: AL, CT,
DE, FL, GA, KY, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA,
WV
January 17--4 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Rural Mayors and Other Sub-national Leaders
January 18--10 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable
aimed at Labor Stakeholders
January 18--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Environmental Stakeholders
January 19--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Clean Energy Developers
January 20--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable
aimed at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 1 which includes
entities in the following states: AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, ME, MD, MA,
NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV
January 20--3:30 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable
aimed at Electrical G&T entities in RUS Region 2 which includes
entities in the following states: AK, AR, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI,
MS, MO, NE, OK, TX
January 23--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable
aimed at Engineering Firms with Expertise in Rural Energy and Rural
Energy Systems
January 23--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Electrical G&T entities in RUS Region 3 which includes entities in
the following states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT,
WA, WI, WY and all Territories
January 24--11 a.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable
aimed at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 2 which includes
entities in the following states: AK, AR, HI, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI,
MS, MO, NE, OK, TX
January 24--3 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at promoting renewable energy development in tribal communities through
Tribes, Tribal Utilities and Tribal Organizations and Entities
January 25--1 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Equity Stakeholders
January 26--4 p.m. ET--USDA Rural Development, RUS IRA Roundtable aimed
at Distribution Cooperatives in RUS Region 3 which includes entities in
the following states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, MN, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT,
WA, WI, WY and all Territories
ADDRESSES: If you have an interest in attending any roundtable
discussion session, please register at <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act">https://www.rd.usda.gov/inflation-reduction-act</a>. Given limited capacity and the goal of
creating smaller settings to hear from as diverse and broad a set of
stakeholders as possible, we encourage stakeholders to only register
for the session most focused on their interest. Additional information
about RD and its programs is available on the internet at <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov">https://www.rd.usda.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Louise Torrez at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#135f7c667a60763d477c6161766053666077723d747c65"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c08cafb5a9b3a5ee94afb2b2a5b380b5b3a4a1eea7afb6">[email protected]</span></a>. Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication (Braille, large print,
[[Page 2065]]
audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-
2600 (voice and TDD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Rural Development is an advocate for rural America, administering a
multitude of programs, ranging from housing and community facilities to
infrastructure and business development. The Agency's mission is to
increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in rural
communities by providing the leadership, infrastructure, capital, and
technical support that enables rural communities to prosper. To achieve
its mission, the Agency provides financial support, including loan
guarantees, direct loans and grants, and technical assistance to
enhance the quality of life and provide the foundation for economic
development in rural areas.
The RUS received significant funding through the IRA of 2022,
Public Law 117-169. This funding is a historic opportunity to provide
financial assistance for renewable and zero-emission projects and
energy systems, including energy storage and enabling infrastructure,
that will support the long-term resilience, reliability, and
affordability of rural electric systems and achieve greenhouse gas
emission reductions.
Section 22001 of the IRA provides $1 billion in budget authority
for loans for solar, hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass projects, as
required by Section 317 of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C.
940g), and for energy storage associated with renewable energy
projects. Up to 50 percent of such loans will be forgiven if the loan
terms and conditions are satisfied; however, the Secretary shall also
establish criteria to go beyond the 50 percent limitation.
Section 22004 of the IRA provides $9.7 billion in budget authority
for loans, grants, loan modifications and other financial assistance to
support the purchase of renewable energy, renewable energy systems,
zero-emissions, and carbon capture systems and to deploy such systems
or to make energy efficiency improvements to generation and
transmission systems of eligible entities to achieve the greatest
reduction in carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions
associated with rural electric systems. An eligible entity is defined
as an electric cooperative described in section 501(c)(12) or
1381(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is or has been a
Rural Utilities Service electric loan borrower pursuant to the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936 or serving a predominantly rural area or a
wholly or jointly owned subsidiary of such electric cooperative.
RUS aims to release a Funding Opportunity Announcement for both
sections 22001 and 22004 in the first half of 2023. The RUS is
developing processes and tools that will be used to deliver this
important funding to rural areas and stakeholder feedback is vital in
developing financial assistance products that will be integral to
ensuring this funding reaches the intended customers.
Roundtable Discussion Sessions
The RUS will hold the roundtable discussions on the dates listed in
DATES section of this notice to provide an additional opportunity for
the public, particularly those who may not have participated in or
commented through previously announced opportunities, about their needs
and interests regarding sections 22001 and 22004 of the IRA. RUS will
use the Zoom platform to host and record the virtual roundtable
discussions. Each roundtable session will begin with brief opening
remarks from RUS leadership. Participants will be able to provide input
verbally or through the chat feature in Zoom. Individual speakers
providing input will be asked for succinct remarks. Due to time and
attendance constraints, the agency reserves the right to announce a
time limitation at the beginning of each session.
The discussions will vary and be driven in large part by
participants, but will focus on IRA sections 22001 and 22004 and input
regarding, but not limited to, topics such as community needs,
concerns, and opportunities regarding renewable energy development;
specific financing and market needs to make renewable energy and zero
emission projects and energy systems viable, affordable and reliable
for rural communities; equity concerns and specific thoughts on how to
include and address equity considerations; and metrics and the benefits
and/or limitations of existing publicly available government tools to
assess the greenhouse gas emissions of renewable energy projects and
energy systems.
Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00597 Filed 1-10-23; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
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