PUBLIC LAW 107-171—MAY 13, 2002 116 STAT. 423 (e) APPLICATIONS. —To be eligible to receive a SEARCH grant, a small community in a State shall submit to the State rural development director of the State an application that includes— (1) a description of the proposed environmental project (including an explanation of how the project would assist the small community in complying with a Federal or State environmental law (including a regulation); (2) an explanation of why the project is important to the small community; (3) a description of all actions taken with respect to the project as of the date of the application, including any attempt to secure funding; and (4) a description of demonstrated need for funding for the project. (f) AWARDS.— (1) IN GENERAL.— Not later than May 1 of each fiscal year, a State rural development director, in coordination with the council and the environmental protection director of the State, shall— (A) review all applications received by the State rural development director under subsection (e); and (B) award SEARCH grants to small communities based on— (i) an evaluation of whether the proposed project meets the eligibility criteria under subsection (d); and (ii) the content of the application. (2) ADMINISTRATION.— In awarding a SEARCH grant, a State rural development director— (A) shall award the funds for any recommended environmental project in a timely and expeditious manner; and (B) shall not award a SEARCH grant to a grantee or project in violation of any Federal or State law (including a regulation). (3) MATCHING REQUIREMENT. —^A small community that receives a SEARCH grant under this section may be required to provide matching funds. (g) UNEXPENDED FUNDS. — (1) IN GENERAL. —If, for any fiscal year, any unexpended funds remain after SEARCH grants are awarded by a State rural development director under subsection (f), the State rural development director, in coordination with the environmental protection director of the State, may repeat the application and review process so that any remaining funds are recommended for award, and awarded, not later than July 30 of the fiscal year. (2) RETENTION OF FUNDS. — (A) IN GENERAL. —Any unexpended funds that are not awarded under subsection (f) or paragraph (1) shall be retained by the State rural development director for award during the following fiscal year. (B) LIMITATION.— A State SEARCH account that accumulates a balance of unexpended funds described in subparagraph (A) in excess of $2,000,000 shall be ineligible to receive additional funds for SEARCH grants until such time as the State rural development director awards grants in the amount of the excess. Deadline. Deadline. 99-194O-03 -15:QL3Part1
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