Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 116 Part 1.djvu/410

 116 STAT. 384 PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 Plains Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2661 note; Public Law 103-318)— "(1) shall serve as an independent, primary resource for the Authority on issues of concern to the region; "(2) shall advise the Authority on development of international trade; "(3) may provide research, education, training, and other support to the Authority; and "(4) may carry out other activities on its own behalf or on behalf of other entities. 7 USC 2009bb-5. " SEC. 383F. DISTRESSED COUNTIES AND AREAS AND NONDISTRESSED COUNTIES. Deadline. "(a) DESIGNATIONS. —Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this subtitle, and annually thereafter, the Authority, in accordance with such criteria as the Authority may establish, shall designate— "(1) as distressed counties, counties in the region that are the most severely and persistently distressed and underdeveloped and have high rates of poverty, unemployment, or outmigration; "(2) as nondistressed counties, counties in the region that are not designated as distressed counties under paragraph (1); and "(3) as isolated areas of distress, areas located in nondistressed counties (as designated under paragraph (2)) that have high rates of poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. " (b) DISTRESSED COUNTIES.— "(1) IN GENERAL.—The Authority shall allocate at least 75 percent of the appropriations made available under section 383M for programs and projects designed to serve the needs of distressed counties and isolated areas of distress in the region. "(2) FUNDING LIMITATIONS.—The funding limitations under section 383D(b) shall not apply to a project to provide transportation or telecommunication or basic public services to residents of 1 or more distressed counties or isolated areas of distress in the region. "(c) NONDISTRESSED COUNTIES. — "(1) IN GENERAL. — Except as provided in paragraph (2), no funds shall be provided under this subtitle for a project located in a county designated as a nondistressed county under subsection (a)(2). "(2) EXCEPTIONS. — "(A) IN GENERAL.— The funding prohibition under paragraph (1) shall not apply to grants to fund the administrative expenses of local development districts under section 383E(b). "(B) MULTICOUNTY PROJECTS.— The Authority may waive the application of the funding prohibition under paragraph (1)to— "(i) a multicounty project that includes participation by a nondistressed county; or "(ii) any other type of project; if the Authority determines that the project could bring significant benefits to areas of the region outside a nondistressed county.

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