
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC1926a]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
                     CHAPTER 50--AGRICULTURAL CREDIT
 
                     SUBCHAPTER I--REAL ESTATE LOANS
 
Sec. 1926a. Emergency community water assistance grant program


(a) In general

    The Secretary shall provide grants in accordance with this section 
to assist the residents of rural areas and small communities to secure 
adequate quantities of safe water--
        (1) after a significant decline in the quantity or quality of 
    water available from the water supplies of such rural areas and 
    small communities; or
        (2) when repairs, partial replacement, or significant 
    maintenance efforts on established water systems would remedy--
            (A) an acute shortage of quality water; or
            (B) a significant decline in the quantity or quality of 
        water that is available.

(b) Priority

    In carrying out subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary 
shall--
        (1) give priority to projects described in subsection (a)(1) of 
    this section; and
        (2) provide at least 70 percent of all such grants to such 
    projects.

(c) Eligibility

    To be eligible to obtain a grant under this section, an applicant 
shall--
        (1) be a public or private nonprofit entity; and
        (2) in the case of a grant made under subsection (a)(1) of this 
    section, demonstrate to the Secretary that the decline referred to 
    in such subsection occurred within 2 years of the date the 
    application was filed for such grant.

(d) Uses

                           (1) In general

        Grants made under this section may be used for waterline 
    extensions from existing systems, laying of new waterlines, repairs, 
    significant maintenance, digging of new wells, equipment 
    replacement, hook and tap fees, and any other appropriate purpose 
    associated with developing sources of, or treating, storing, or 
    distributing water, and to assist communities in complying with the 
    requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 
    1251 et seq.) or the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et 
    seq.).

                         (2) Joint proposals

        Nothing in this section shall preclude rural communities from 
    submitting joint proposals for emergency water assistance, subject 
    to the restrictions contained in subsection (e) of this section. 
    Such restrictions should be considered in the aggregate, depending 
    on the number of communities involved.

(e) Restrictions

                  (1) Maximum population and income

        No grant provided under this section shall be used to assist any 
    rural area or community that--
            (A) includes any area in any city or town with a population 
        in excess of 10,000 inhabitants according to the most recent 
        decennial census of the United States; or
            (B) has a median household income in excess of the State 
        nonmetropolitan median household income according to the most 
        recent decennial census of the United States.

                (2) Set-aside for smaller communities

        Not less than 50 percent of the funds allocated under this 
    section shall be allocated to rural communities with populations 
    that do not exceed 3,000 inhabitants.

(f) Maximum grants

    Grants made under this section may not exceed--
        (1) in the case of each grant made under subsection (a)(1) of 
    this section, $500,000; and
        (2) in the case of each grant made under subsection (a)(2) of 
    this section, $75,000.

(g) Full funding

    Subject to subsection (e) of this section, grants under this section 
shall be made in an amount equal to 100 percent of the costs of the 
projects conducted under this section.

(h) Application

           (1) Nationally competitive application process

        The Secretary shall develop a nationally competitive application 
    process to award grants under this section. The process shall 
    include criteria for evaluating applications, including population, 
    median household income, and the severity of the decline in quantity 
    or quality of water.

                             (2) Timing

        The Secretary shall make every effort to review and act on 
    applications within 60 days of the date that such applications are 
    submitted.

(i) Authorization of appropriations

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1996 through 2002.

(Pub. L. 87-128, title III, Sec. 306A, as added Pub. L. 101-82, title V, 
Sec. 501(a), Aug. 14, 1989, 103 Stat. 584; amended Pub. L. 104-127, 
title VII, Sec. 742, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1124.)

                       References in Text

    The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, referred to in subsec. 
(d)(1), is act June 30, 1948, ch. 758, as amended generally by Pub. L. 
92-500, Sec. 2, Oct. 18, 1972, 86 Stat. 816, which is classified 
generally to chapter 26 (Sec. 1251 et seq.) of Title 33, Navigation and 
Navigable Waters. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, 
see Short Title note set out under section 1251 of Title 33 and Tables.
    The Safe Drinking Water Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), is title 
XIV of act July 1, 1944, as added Dec. 16, 1974, Pub. L. 93-523, 
Sec. 2(a), 88 Stat. 1660, as amended, which is classified generally to 
subchapter XII (Sec. 300f et seq.) of chapter 6A of Title 42, The Public 
Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, 
see Short Title note set out under section 201 of Title 42 and Tables.


                               Amendments

    1996--Subsec. (e)(1)(A). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 742(1)(A), 
substituted ``10,000'' for ``15,000''.
    Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 742(1)(B), substituted 
``3,000'' for ``5,000''.
    Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 104-127, Sec. 742(2), added subsec. (i) and 
struck out heading and text of former subsec. (i). Text read as follows: 
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
$35,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1990 and 1991, such sums to 
remain authorized until fully appropriated.''


                             Implementation

    Section 501(b) of Pub. L. 101-82 provided that:
    ``(1) Regulations.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall publish--
        ``(A) interim final regulations to carry out section 306A of the 
    Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act [7 U.S.C. 1926a] (as 
    added by subsection (a) of this section) not later than 45 days 
    after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 14, 1989]; and
        ``(B) final regulations to carry out section 306A of such Act 
    not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
    ``(2) Funds.--
        ``(A) Obligation.--The Secretary shall designate 70 percent of 
    the funds made available for the first fiscal year for which 
    appropriations are made under section 306A(i) of the Consolidated 
    Farm and Rural Development Act not later than 5 months after the 
    date such funds are appropriated.
        ``(B) Release.--The Secretary may release funds prior to the 
    issuance of final regulations under paragraph (1)(B) for grants 
    under section 306A(a)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
    Development Act.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 917, 2009d, 6942 of this 
title.
