USDA Grant Opportunity

Posted July 21, 2014 & filed under LHTAC News.

The USDA has the following grant opportunity:
“Assistance to High Energy Cost Rural Communities”

Eligible Applicants:	Private institutions of higher education Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Individuals City or township governments Special district governments Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) Independent school districts County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Additional Information on Eligibility:	Also open to sole proprietorships, legally-organized for-profit or nonprofit organizations such as, but not limited to, a corporation, association, partnership (including a limited liability partnership), cooperative, or trust. Applicant must be located in the United States, a U.S. Territory or other area authorized by law to participate in programs of the Rural Utilities Service or under the Rural Electrification Act.

Eligible Applicants:

Private institutions of higher education Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) State governments Individuals City or township governments Special district governments Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) Independent school districts County governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

Additional Information on Eligibility:

Also open to sole proprietorships, legally-organized for-profit or nonprofit organizations such as, but not limited to, a corporation, association, partnership (including a limited liability partnership), cooperative, or trust. Applicant must be located in the United States, a U.S. Territory or other area authorized by law to participate in programs of the Rural Utilities Service or under the Rural Electrification Act.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the availability of up to $7 million in Fiscal Year 2014 for competitive grants to assist communities with extremely high energy costs. The grant funds may be used to acquire, construct, or improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities with average annual residential expenditure for home energy exceeding 275 percent of the national average. On-grid and off-grid renewable energy projects and implementation of energy efficiency, and energy conservation projects are also eligible. Grant funds may not be used for the preparation of the grant application, or for: payment of utility bills, fuel purchases, routine maintenance or other routine operating costs, or for the purchase of any equipment, structures, or real estate not directly associated with provision of community energy services.

Click here for more details on this grant and the application package.

Current Closing Date for Applications: August 1, 2014

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=258500

Upcoming Webinar: Tribal Planning Basics

Posted July 21, 2014 & filed under T2 News.

Courtesy announcement for upcoming webinar: Tribal Planning Basics – How can tribes exercise their power to plan?

Presented by Northwest Tribal Technical Assistance Program & EWU Urban and Regional Planning Programs.

The practice of American Indian tribal planning is based on three foundations: 1) the principle of tribal sovereignty including inherent sovereignty, understood through a combination of the evolution of tribal legislation and tribal court cases that create the power to plan; 2) the application of comprehensive planning processes to the unique setting of individual tribal specific governments; and 3) the evolution and implementation of tribal planning by tribal governments in recent times—the practice of tribal planning. These three components of tribal planning, including tribal transportation planning, will be the focus of our Tribal Planning Basics class comprised of four 1.5 hour lectures. These will focus on tribal sovereignty as the basis for tribal planning; tribal court cases as the basis for the practice of tribal planning; the tribal comprehensive plan as the central component of tribal planning; and finally, the current practice of tribal planning by tribal governments through recognition of best practices. (more…)

FY15 to FY19 Draft ITIP

Posted July 2, 2014 & filed under Funding News, LHTAC News.

FY 15 to FY 19 Draft Idaho Transportation Investment Program (ITIP)

The Idaho Transportation Department is providing this draft of the FY15 to FY19 ITIP to allow transportation agencies and the public to review and provide comments on the program.

The ITIP’s federal document format meets the requirements of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), the law that provides federal funding for transportation projects to move people and freight. In compliance with MAP-21, this draft ITIP is fiscally constrained and includes at least four years of projects in compliance with 23 CFR 450.216.

FY15-19 Draft ITIP (PDF)

Comments can be emailed to comments@itd.idaho.gov or mailed to ITIP – Comments, Attn: Adam Rush, P.O. Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707-1129. Comments are being taken from July 1 through July 30, 2014.

LHTAC entered projects into the draft program based on ranking of applications and available funds. Please view the applications ranking with projects included in the draft program below:

FHWA Office of Human Environment Presents… Livability and Level of Service (LOS): Making the Connection

Posted June 26, 2014 & filed under T2 News.

Courtesy Announcement: LHTAC would like to pass on information on this upcoming Livability and Level of Service: Making the Connection Web Conference sponsored by FHWA Office of Human Environment.

The webinar will discuss the origin, evolution, and application of LOS and the need for practitioners to choose LOS goals that consider all road users, supports livable communities, and help achieve Context Sensitive Solutions. The webinar will also highlight two State Departments of Transportation programs that are balancing livability and achieving LOS, and the North American Sustainable Transportation Council STARS Program which helps planners, communities and decision-makers evaluate the impacts of transportation plans and projects, identify innovative strategies and improve decision-making.

(more…)

Roadway Safety Foundation Announces Cooperative Agreement with Federal Highway Administration to Promote Crash Countermeasures

Posted June 24, 2014 & filed under LHTAC News, T2 News, Technical Articles.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Roadway Safety Foundation (RSF) is pleased to announce that they have reached a new agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to provide educational materials to State and local transportation officials, public safety officials, community leaders, motorists and the media about innovative technologies, programs, and policies that make our nation’s roads safer. (more…)