Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-73not60

§2009aa–5 Distressed Counties and Areas and Nondistressed Counties

Title 7 › Chapter 50— AGRICULTURAL CREDIT › Subchapter VI— DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY › § 2009aa–5

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 90 days after December 21, 2000, and every year after that, the Authority must pick which counties are "distressed" (the worst-off places with high poverty or joblessness), which are "nondistressed" (all the others), and which are "isolated areas of distress" (poor spots inside nondistressed counties). The Authority must use at least 75% of the money from section 2009aa–12 for programs serving distressed counties and isolated areas. Usually no money can go to projects in nondistressed counties, except for local development district admin grants, projects the Authority waives for (including multicounty projects that include a nondistressed county), or other waived projects. An isolated area label must be backed by the latest Federal data or, if none, the State’s latest data. At least 50% of the funds from section 2009aa–12 must go to transportation and basic public infrastructure projects, and limits in section 2009aa–3(b) do not apply to transportation or basic public service projects for distressed counties or isolated areas.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §2009aa–5

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 90 days after December 21, 2000, 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 or unemployment;

(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 or unemployment.

(b)(1)The Authority shall allocate at least 75 percent of the appropriations made available under section 2009aa–12 of this title for programs and projects designed to serve the needs of distressed counties and isolated areas of distress in the region.

(2)The funding limitations under section 2009aa–3(b) of this title shall not apply to a project providing transportation or basic public services to residents of one or more distressed counties or isolated areas of distress in the region.

(c)(1)Except as provided in this subsection, no funds shall be provided under this subchapter for a project located in a county designated as a nondistressed county under subsection (a)(2).

(2)(A)The funding prohibition under paragraph (1) shall not apply to grants to fund the administrative expenses of local development districts under section 2009aa–4(b) of this title.

(B)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;

(C)For a designation of an isolated area of distress for assistance to be effective, the designation shall be supported—

(i)by the most recent Federal data available; or

(ii)if no recent Federal data are available, by the most recent data available through the government of the State in which the isolated area of distress is located.

(d)The Authority shall allocate at least 50 percent of any funds made available under section 2009aa–12 of this title for transportation and basic public infrastructure projects authorized under paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 2009aa–2(a) of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 2009aa–5

Title 7, Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60