(a) Loans for private business enterprises; pollution abatement and control; aquaculture; solar energy; loan guarantees

The Secretary may also make and insure loans to public, private, or cooperative organizations organized for profit or nonprofit, to Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations or other federally recognized Indian tribal groups, or to individuals for the purposes of

(1)

improving, developing, or financing business, industry, and employment and improving the economic and environmental climate in rural communities, including pollution abatement and control,

(2)

the conservation, development, and use of water for aquaculture purposes in rural areas,

(3)

reducing the reliance on nonrenewable energy resources by encouraging the development and construction of solar energy systems, including the modification of existing systems, in rural areas, and

(4)

to facilitate economic opportunity for industries undergoing adjustment from terminated Federal agricultural price and income support programs or increased competition from foreign trade. For the purposes of this subsection, the term ''solar energy'' means energy derived from sources (other than fossil fuels) and technologies included in the Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5901 et seq.). Such loans, when originated, held, and serviced by other lenders, may be guaranteed by the Secretary under this section without regard to paragraphs (1) and (4) of section 1983 of this title. As used in this subsection, the term ''aquaculture'' means the culture or husbandry of aquatic animals or plants by private industry for commercial purposes including the culture and growing of fish by private industry for the purpose of creating or augmenting publicly owned and regulated stocks of fish. No loan may be made, insured, or guaranteed under this subsection that exceeds $25,000,000 in principal amount.

(b) Solid waste management grants

The Secretary may make grants to nonprofit organizations for the provision of regional technical assistance to local and regional governments and related agencies for the purpose of reducing or eliminating pollution of water resources and improving the planning and management of solid waste disposal facilities. Grants made under this paragraph for the provision of technical assistance shall be made for 100 percent of the cost of such assistance.

(c) Rural business enterprise grants

(1) In general

The Secretary may also make grants, not to exceed $50,000,000 annually, to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations for measures designed to finance and facilitate development of small and emerging private business enterprises (including nonprofit entities) or the creation, expansion, and operation of rural distance learning networks or rural learning programs that provide educational instruction or job training instruction related to potential employment or job advancement to adult students, including the development, construction or acquisition of land, buildings, plants, equipment, access streets and roads, parking areas, utility extensions, necessary water supply and waste disposal facilities, refinancing, services and fees.

(2) Passenger transportation services or facilities

The Secretary may award grants on a competitive basis to qualified nonprofit organizations for the provision of technical assistance and training to rural communities for the purpose of improving passenger transportation services or facilities. Assistance provided under this paragraph may include on-site technical assistance to local and regional governments, public transit agencies, and related nonprofit and for-profit organizations in rural areas, the development of training materials, and the provision of necessary training assistance to local officials and agencies in rural areas.

(3) Grants to aid industries in adjusting to terminated Federal agricultural programs or increased foreign competition

The Secretary may make grants under this section to facilitate economic opportunity for industries undergoing adjustment from terminated Federal agricultural price and income support programs or increased competition from foreign trade.

(d) Joint loans or grants for private business enterprises; restrictions; system of certification for expeditious processing of requests for assistance; prior approval of grant or loan; equity investment as condition for loan commitment; issuance of certificates of beneficial ownership of notes

(1)

The Secretary may participate in joint financing to facilitate development of private business enterprises in rural areas with the Economic Development Administration, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other Federal and State agencies and with private and quasi-public financial institutions, through joint loans to applicants eligible under subsection (a) of this section for the purpose of improving, developing, or financing business, industry, and employment and improving the economic and environmental climate in rural areas or through joint grants to applicants eligible under subsection (c) of this section for such purposes, including in the case of loans or grants the development, construction, or acquisition of land, buildings, plants, equipment, access streets and roads, parking areas, utility extensions, necessary water supply and waste disposal facilities, refining, service and fees.

(2)

No financial or other assistance shall be extended under any provision of this section, except for cases in which such assistance does not exceed $1,000,000 or for cases in which direct employment will not be increased by more than fifty employees, that is calculated to or is likely to result in the transfer from one area to another of any employment or business activity provided by operations of the applicant, but this limitation shall not be construed to prohibit assistance for the expansion of an existing business entity through the establishment of a new branch, affiliate, or subsidiary of such entity if the establishment of such branch, affiliate, or subsidiary will not result in an increase in unemployment in the area of original location or in any other area where such entity conducts business operations unless there is reason to believe that such branch, affiliate, or subsidiary is being established with the intention of closing down the operations of the existing business entity in the area of its original location or in any other area where it conducts such operations.

(3)

No financial or other assistance shall be extended under any provision of this section, except for cases in which such assistance does not exceed $1,000,000 or for cases in which direct employment will not be increased by more than fifty employees, which is calculated to or likely to result in an increase in the production of goods, materials, or commodities, or the availability of services or facilities in the area, when there is not sufficient demand for such goods, materials, commodities, services or facilities, to employ the efficient capacity of existing competitive commercial or industrial enterprises, unless such financial or other assistance will not have an adverse effect upon existing competitive enterprises in the area.

(4)

No financial or other assistance shall be extended under any provision of this section, except for cases in which such assistance does not exceed $1,000,000 or for cases in which direct employment will not be increased by more than fifty employees, if the Secretary of Labor certifies within 30 days after the matter has been submitted to him by the Secretary of Agriculture that the provisions of paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection have not been complied with. The Secretary of Labor shall, in cooperation with the Secretary of Agriculture, develop a system of certification which will insure the expeditious processing of requests for assistance under this section.

(5)

No grant or loan authorized to be made under this chapter shall require or be subject to the prior approval of any officer, employee, or agency of any State.

(6)

No loan commitment issued under this section shall be conditioned upon the applicant investing in excess of 10 per centum in the business or industrial enterprise for which purpose the loan is to be made unless the Secretary determines there are special circumstances which necessitate an equity investment by the applicant greater than 10 per centum.

(7)

No provision of law shall prohibit issuance by the Secretary of certificates evidencing beneficial ownership in a block of notes insured or guaranteed under this chapter or Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.); any sale by the Secretary of such certificates shall be treated as a sale of assets for the purposes of chapter 11 of title 31. Any security representing beneficial ownership in a block of notes guaranteed or insured under this chapter or Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 issued by a private entity shall be exempt from laws administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission, except sections 77q, 77v, and 77x of title 15; however, the Secretary shall require

(i)

that the issuer place such notes in the custody of an institution chartered by a Federal or State agency to act as trustee and

(ii)

that the issuer provide such periodic reports of sales as the Secretary deems necessary.

(e) Rural cooperative development grants

(1) Definitions

In this subsection:

(A) Nonprofit institution

The term ''nonprofit institution'' means any organization or institution, including an accredited institution of higher education, no part of the net earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

(B) United States

The term ''United States'' means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the other territories and possessions of the United States.

(2) Grants

The Secretary shall make grants, effective October 1, 1996, under this subsection to nonprofit institutions for the purpose of enabling the institutions to establish and operate centers for rural cooperative development.

(3) Goals

The goals of a center funded under this subsection shall be to facilitate the creation of jobs in rural areas through the development of new rural cooperatives, value added processing, and rural businesses.

(4) Application

Any nonprofit institution seeking a grant under paragraph (2) shall submit to the Secretary an application containing a plan for the establishment and operation by the institution of a center or centers for cooperative development. The Secretary may approve the application if the plan contains the following:

(A)

A provision that substantiates that the center will effectively serve rural areas in the United States.

(B)

A provision that the primary objective of the center will be to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development.

(C)

A description of the activities that the center will carry out to accomplish the objective. The activities may include the following:

(i)

Programs for applied research and feasibility studies that may be useful to individuals, cooperatives, small businesses, and other similar entities in rural areas served by the center.

(ii)

Programs for the collection, interpretation, and dissemination of information that may be useful to individuals, cooperatives, small businesses, and other similar entities in rural areas served by the center.

(iii)

Programs providing training and instruction for individuals, cooperatives, small businesses, and other similar entities in rural areas served by the center.

(iv)

Programs providing loans and grants to individuals, cooperatives, small businesses, and other similar entities in rural areas served by the center.

(v)

Programs providing technical assistance, research services, and advisory services to individuals, cooperatives, small businesses, and other similar entities in rural areas served by the center.

(vi)

Programs providing for the coordination of services and sharing of information among the center. ^[1]

(D)

A description of the contributions that the activities are likely to make to the improvement of the economic conditions of the rural areas for which the center will provide services.

(E)

Provisions that the center, in carrying out the activities, will seek, where appropriate, the advice, participation, expertise, and assistance of representatives of business, industry, educational institutions, the Federal Government, and State and local governments.

(F)

Provisions that the center will take all practicable steps to develop continuing sources of financial support for the center, particularly from sources in the private sector.

(G)

Provisions for -

(i)

monitoring and evaluating the activities by the nonprofit institution operating the center; and

(ii)

accounting for money received by the institution under this section.

(5) Awarding grants

Grants made under paragraph (2) shall be made on a competitive basis. In making grants under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall give preference to grant applications providing for the establishment of centers for rural cooperative development that -

(A)

demonstrate a proven track record in administering a nationally coordinated, regionally or State-wide operated project;

(B)

demonstrate previous expertise in providing technical assistance in rural areas;

(C)

demonstrate the ability to assist in the retention of businesses, facilitate the establishment of cooperatives and new cooperative approaches, and generate employment opportunities that will improve the economic conditions of rural areas;

(D)

demonstrate the ability to create horizontal linkages among businesses within and among various sectors in rural areas of the United States and vertical linkages to domestic and international markets;

(E)

commit to providing technical assistance and other services to underserved and economically distressed areas in rural areas of the United States; and

(F)

commit to providing greater than a 25 percent matching contribution with private funds and in-kind contributions.

(6) 1-year grants; authority to approve grant for 1 additional year without application

The Secretary shall make grants under this subsection for a period of 1 year. The Secretary shall evaluate programs receiving assistance under this subsection. If the Secretary determines it to be in the best interest of the program, the Secretary may award an additional grant to the program for the immediately succeeding year without application for the grant.

(7) Technical assistance to prevent excessive unemployment or underemployment

In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may provide technical assistance to alleviate or prevent conditions of excessive unemployment, underemployment, outmigration, or low employment growth in economically distressed rural areas that the Secretary determines have a substantial need for the assistance. The assistance may include planning and feasibility studies, management and operational assistance, and studies evaluating the need for development potential of projects that increase employment and improve economic growth in the areas.

(8) Grants to defray administrative costs

The Secretary may make grants to defray not to exceed 75 percent of the costs incurred by organizations and public bodies to carry out projects for which grants or loans are made under this subsection. For purposes of determining the non-Federal share of the costs, the Secretary shall consider contributions in cash and in kind, fairly evaluated, including premises, equipment, and services.

(9) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1996 through 2002.

(f) Grants to broadcasting systems

(1) ''Statewide'' defined

In this subsection, the term ''statewide'' means having a coverage area of not less than 90 percent of the population of a State and not less than 80 percent of the rural land area of the State (as determined by the Secretary).

(2) Grants

The Secretary may make grants to statewide private nonprofit public television systems, whose coverage area is predominately rural, for the purpose of demonstrating the effectiveness of such systems in providing information on agriculture and other issues of importance to farmers and other rural residents. Grants available under this paragraph may be used for capital equipment expenditures, start-up and program costs, and other costs necessary to the operation of such demonstrations.

(g) Loan guarantees for purchase of cooperative stock

(1) ''Farmer'' defined

In this subsection, the term ''farmer'' means any farmer that the Secretary determines is a family farmer.

(2) Loan guarantees

The Secretary may guarantee loans under this section to individual farmers for the purpose of purchasing start-up capital stock of a farmer cooperative established for the purpose of processing an agricultural commodity.

(3) Eligibility

To be eligible for a loan guarantee under this subsection, a farmer must produce the agricultural commodity that will be processed by the cooperative