(a) Grants may be made to the following eligible applicants:

(1) Native village in Alaska; or

(2) DEC on behalf of one or more recipient communities in Alaska; or

(3) ANTHC on behalf of one or more recipient communities in Alaska.

(b) Grants made to DEC or ANTHC may be obligated through a master letter of conditions for more than one recipient community; however, DEC or ANTHC together with each individual recipient community beneficiary shall execute a grant agreement on a project by project basis. Expenditures for projects will be based on specific scope and be requested on a project by project basis.

(c) For grants proposed to be administered directly by a community, the responsibility to meet the requirements outlined in this part will be met by the community. RUS will be the lead agency on direct administration projects.

(d) The median household income of the recipient community cannot exceed 110 percent of the statewide nonmetropolitan household income (SNMHI), according to US Census American Community Survey. Alaska census communities considered to be high cost isolated areas or “off the road systems” (i.e., communities that cannot be accessed by roads) may utilize up to 150 percent of SNMHI.

(e) For design and construction projects: A dire sanitation condition as defined in §1784.2 must exist in the village served by the proposed project. For those projects identified under paragraphs (1) and (3) of the dire sanitation definition in §1784.2, a notice of violation, consent order or other regulatory action from the appropriate regulatory agency must be provided to document the dire sanitation condition. In cases where there is scientific evidence or reports with substantiated evidence of associated health issues, documentation may be accepted from an appropriate federal agency.

(f) In individual cases where a proposed project does not meet the definition of “Dire sanitation condition” in §1784.2, an applicant may request a special review and eligibility determination from the RUS Administrator in cases where the applicant is able to satisfactorily demonstrate that a water or sewer system is deficient and negatively impacts the health or safety of the community. The decision to review an eligibility determination request and any determinations made subject to this paragraph are not subject to administrative appeal.

(g) In order for an eligible applicant to receive a grant under the Rural Alaska Village Grant program, the State of Alaska shall provide 25 percent in matching funds from non-Federal sources.

(h) In processing grants through DEC and ANTHC, a public meeting must be held to inform the general public regarding the development of any proposed project. Documentation of the public meeting must be received with construction applications.

(1) A notice of intent must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the proposed area to be served.

(2) For projects where there are no newspapers of general circulation, a posting of the notice in a community building (post office, washeteria, clinic, etc.) frequented by village residents may be used to meet the requirement. This alternative form of notice has been authorized by the RUS Administrator.

[80 FR 52609, Sept. 1, 2015, as amended at 85 FR 23212, Apr. 27, 2020]