NOTICE OF INTENT OF REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDSPublication Date: June 17, 2004City of Luverne203 East Main StreetP.O. Box 659Luverne, MN 56156507-449-2388Southwest Minnesota Housing PartnershipBarb Kirchner, Project Planner2401 Broadway AvenueSuite 4Slayton, MN 56172507-836-8673 ext 412TO ALL INTERESTED AGENCIES, GROUPS AND PERSONS:On or about June 25, 2004 the above-named City will request the Business and Community Development Division, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to release federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (P.L. 98-181) for the following project. City of Luverne Comprehensive Application for Housing & Downtown Revitalization - $1,270,580 for the rehabilitation of 25 income eligible owner-occupied properties, rehabilitation of 16 rental properties/mixed use units and the rehabilitation of 18 commercial properties. The activities proposed are categorically excluded under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act Requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) respecting this project has been made by the City named above those documents the environmental review of the project. This ERR is on file at the address above and is available for public examination and copying, upon request, weekdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.In accordance with 24 CFR Part 58.15, a tiered review process has been structured for the rehabilitation, whereby some environmental laws and authorities have been reviewed for the target area and other applicable laws and authorities will be complied with, when participating properties have been identified and projects are ripe for review. Specifically, the target area has been studied and compliance with the following laws and authorities has been established: wetland protection, sole source aquifers, endangered species, wild and scenic rivers, air quality, farmlands protection, airport runway clear zone requirements and environmental justice. Compliance with the following laws and authorities will take place once properties within the target area have been identified, but prior to the commitment of funds: historic properties, floodplain management/Flood Disaster Protection Act requirements and HUD environmental standards for hazards. Compliance documentation on the aforementioned laws and authorities will be in each individual property file, and copies will be available, once established, at Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, 2401 Broadway Avenue, Suite 4, Slayton, MN. Public Comments: Any individual, group or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, 2401 Broadway Avenue, Suite 4, Slayton, MN 56172. All comments received by June 25, 2004 will be considered by City prior to submission of a Request for Release of Funds. The City of Luverne will undertake the project described above with Block Grant funds from the Business and Community Development Division, under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The City of Luverne and Chief Executive Officer in his official capacity as Mayor consent to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to environmental reviews, decision making and action; and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The legal effect of the certification is that with approval, the City may use the Block Grant funds, and BCD and HUD will have satisfied their responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Objections to Release of Funds: BCD will accept objections to its approval of the release of funds and acceptance of the certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only for one of the following reasons: (a) that the certification was not in fact executed by the Chief Executive Officer or other officers of the grantee approved by BCD; (b) that the grantee’s ERR for the project indicates omission of a required decision, finding or step applicable to the project in the environmental review process: (c) the grant recipient has incurred costs not authorized at 24 CFR Part 58.22 before approval of a release of funds by BCD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 24 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58), and may be addressed to Small Cities Development Program, MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development, Business and Community Development Division, 500 Metro Square, 121 7th Place East, St. Paul, MN 55101-2146. BCD will not consider objections to the release of funds for reasons other than those stated above. Potential objectors should contact BCD at 651-296-7057 to verify the actual last day of the objection period. (6-17)
