High Energy Cost Grant Program

The Rural Utilities Service(RUS), an agency of the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture (USDA),announces the availability of up to $7.766 million in fiscal year 2013(FY13) for competitive grants to assist communities with extremely highenergy costs and, up to $1 million in FY13 for competitive grants to state entities to establish and support a revolving fund to provide a more costeffective means of purchasing fuel where the fuel cannot be shipped by means of surface transportation. The grant funds to assist communities with extremely high energy costs may be used to acquire, construct, extend, upgrade, or otherwise improve energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities in which the average residential expenditure for home energy exceeds 275 percent of the national average. The grant funds to establish and support a revolving fund must be used to facilitate cost effective fuel purchases for persons, communities, and businesses in eligible areas. This notice describes theeligibility and application requirements, the criteria that will be used by RUS to award funding, and information on how to obtain application materials.