Subpart A-Introduction

#301.1 Purpose.

The purpose of the Economic Development Administration is to provide assistance in economically distressed areas and regions in order to alleviate conditions of substantial and persistent unemployment and underemployment and to establish stable and diversified economies.

§ 301.2 Definitions.

“Act” used in this chapter means the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended.

"Administration," “Agency,” or “EDA" means the Economic Development Administration.

"Advisory Committee" means the Committee on Regional Economic Development appointed by the Secretary in accordance with section 602 of the Act.

“Alaskan Native Village" means a town or village site occupied and used by natives of Alaska-Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts pursuant to the 1926 Native Townsite Act or recognized as a native village under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, together with any contiguous corporate boundary adjustments thereof under the laws of the State of Alaska and such additional lands as are authorized to be included within the meaning of “Indian reservation" and "trust or restricted Indian-owned land areas" by Pub. L. 92-203, section 2, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 688, 43 U.S.C. 1601.

"ARA" means the Area Redevelopment Administration (now expired) which was an experimental program designed to cope with the problems of long-term unemployment and underemployment.

"Assistant Secretary" means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.

"Community development corporation" means: (a) Any public organization or association created under the authority of State or local law to further the development of the area but which has no power of taxation; and

(b) Any private nonprofit organization whose purpose is to further the development of the area.

"Designated Area" means any area or center which has been determined by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to sections 401 or 403 of the Act as eligible to apply for financial assistance.

"Designation" means the act of the Assistant Secretary whereby a geographic area, district or economic development center is determined to be eligible to apply for assistance under the Act.

"Disaster Area" means areas designated under title IV of the Act and designated by the President under the Disaster Relief Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-606) or Disaster Relief Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-288). The disaster area shall remain such for as long a period as it retains both EDA and Disaster designations, and such concurrent designations have not exceeded 1 year in duration.

"Economic Development District" means a geographic area composed of adjoining and economically related areas which are of proper size to permit effective economic planning, including at least one redevelopment area and one or more economic growth center(s) and which has been designated by the Assistant Secretary.

"Economic growth center" means an economic development center or redevelopment center, designated or recognized by the Assistant Secretary, whose growth may be reasonably expected to contribute significantly to the alleviation of distress in the district's redevelopment areas.

"Indian tribe" means the governing body of a tribe, nonprofit Indian corporation (restricted to Indians), Indian authority or other tribal organization or entity or Alaskan Native Village.

"Local Government” means any municipality, county, town, parish, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State.

"OEDP" means an Overall Economic Development Program (or orderly plan of action) pertaining to an area or district.

"Planning Grants" means grants for administrative expenses to eligible applicants under section 301(b) of the Act for planning purposes.

"Public Works Impact Program Area" means any community or neighborhood (defined without regard to political or other subdivisions or boundaries) which has been designated by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to section 401(a)(6) of the Act and which is exempted from the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1)(A) and (C) of section 101 of the Act.

"Qualified Area" means an area which meet the criteria of the Act for designation as "redevelopment area”.

"Redevelopment Area" means any geographic area which has been designated by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to section 401 of the Act and is eligible for the full range of EDA assistance.

"Redevelopment center" means any geographic area constituting all or part of a redevelopment area which has been identified in an approved district overall economic development program as having sufficient size and potential to foster the economic growth activities necessary to alleviate the distress of the redevelopment areas composing the economic development district.

"Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce, the Assistant Secretary when exercising authorities delegated by the Secretary of Commerce, or any person duly authorized to act for the Secretary of Commerce in his stead.

"Section 302 Planning Grants" means economic development planning grants authorized under section 302 of the Act.

"Special Impact Area" means:

(a) Any community or neighborhood (defined without regard to political or other subdivision or boundaries) which has been designated by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to section 401(a)(6) of the Act. It does not include a Public Works Redevelopment Area which has been designated by the Assistant Secretary pursuant to section 401(a)(6) of the Act.