Agenda Welcoming Remarks

Rural Development Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager

Rural Development Agency Priorities Rural Utilities Services Administrator Jonathan Adelstein Rural Business Services Administrator Judy Canales Rural Housing Services Administrator Tammye Treviño

Overview Doug O’Brien, Senior Policy Advisor to the USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack

Regulation Reform Initiative Cheryl Cook, Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary for Policy and Planning

Question and Answer Session

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• Earlier this year, President Obama signed Executive Order 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review” requiring all federal agencies to review existing regulations and determine which, if any, should be amended, supplemented, or repealed.

• Executive Order 13563 sets out principles and requirements that promote public participation in government and encourage agencies to coordinate, simplify, reduce costs and promote consistency for businesses and the public.

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• We invite you to share your insights on how Rural Development can enhance program administration and delivery to ensure that rural communities are able to access the critical programs and resources that Rural Development has to offer.

• To facilitate this webinar, we propose a discussion framework that will focus on

issues in three areas: general topics; programs that help rural communities thrive; and programs that help rural entrepreneurs create economic opportunities.

• If you have used our programs in the past, how can Rural Development improve its application processes? If not, what processes have you found most useful in other settings?

• How can Rural Development improve the application forms used for its programs?

• How can Rural Development improve the reporting process for its programs including increasing the use of electronic applications and online reporting?

• Are there better ways to encourage public participation and an open exchange of views when Rural Development engages in rulemaking?

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•Have you benefited from the existing technical assistance programs? How should Rural Development technical assistance efforts be provided in rural communities?  (Grant, Pass-Through Grant, Training from Intermediaries, etc.)

•Would a regional or community planning effort be helpful to your communities?  What role could Rural Development play in this effort?

•What role do you think Rural Development should play in supporting:

•Emergency preparedness in rural communities, such as levee reinforcement, evacuation shelters, evacuation trailers for pet/wildlife/livestock evacuation, and the like;

•Emergency response, including first responders and public safety initiatives; and long-term disaster recovery.

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• Can you tell us about barriers that may exist in accessing or obtaining affordable homeownership and rental properties, including lack of access to commercial credit, language barriers, lack of available homes or rental units, lack of home ownership credit counseling, etc.?

• What opportunities are there for Rural Development to better partner with local, state, or tribal governments? Do you have suggestions for how to better utilize those opportunities?

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• How can we improve access to capital in rural America?

• How can Rural Development better leverage current industry practices (e.g., commercial lending, construction and project development) and standards into its regulations?

• What role should Rural Development play in supporting greater investments in:

– Renewable energy programs that ensure America’s energy independence and rural economic development?

– Smart grid technologies that enhance the transmission, generation and distribution of electricity?

• What changes to Rural Development activities would promote economic growth or job creation?

Thank you for joining us. We encourage you to provide written comments by August 1st to the

following email address: rdregreform@osec.usda.gov

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