FEDERAL NEWS/RESOURCES
As the situation related to the spread of COVID-19 continues to change on a daily and even sometimes hourly basis, UCCI is gathering the latest information provided by federal agencies, and will continue to update information and resources as they become available.
FEDERAL RESOURCES
LATEST NEWS & INFORMATION ... CORONAVIRUS STATE & LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS
February 21, 2023 - Reopening of US Dept of Treasury's ARPA Contact Center
Update from the National Association of Counties (NACo) - The U.S. Department of Treasury's Contact Center for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) reopened on February 21. The Contact Center closed last year due to an administrative funding shortfall, which impacted Treasury's ability to provide technical assistance and support to counties that received State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Funds (LATCF), Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) funds and more. However, late last year Congress provided additional resources for the Office of Recovery Programs in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 as part of the Cornyn/Padilla amendment – NACo worked with both Congress and Treasury to ensure the inclusion of this critical amendment.
As a result, Treasury can reopen the Contact Center to better support counties by answering their phone and email inquiries. Counties can reach out to the Contact Center for questions related to recovery programs beginning Tuesday, February 21st:
• State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: SLFRF@treasury.gov or call (844) 529-9527
• Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency: LATCF@treasury.gov or call (844) 529-9527
• Emergency Rental Assistance program: EmergencyRentalAssistance@treasury.gov or 877-398-5861
• Homeowners Assistance Fund: For states and territories: HAF@treasury.gov;
for tribes: HAF_Tribal@treasury.gov: or 877-398-5861
American Rescue Plan spending guidelines from the U.S. Treasury website are available here.
- U.S. Treasury Update: New Economic Relief and Recovery Program Information (June 10, 2022)
Treasury releases updated Compliance and Reporting Guidance and Recovery Plan Performance Report template for the Coronavirus SLFRF program. These documents include updates to reflect the final rule that Treasury adopted on January 6, 2022, which took effect on April 1, 2022. These updates take effect for the next Project and Expenditure Report and Recovery Plan that certain recipients need to submit by July 31, 2022. To access and learn more, please visit https://treasury.gov/SLFRPReporting.
- RESOURCE RECOMMENDATION for Infrastructure & Funding Guidance for Counties looking for such opportunities (May 2022)
- Final Rule: FAQs (Coronavirus State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds) (April 27, 2022)
NACo UPDATE Treasury Reporting & New FAQs 'Key Takeaways for ARPA P&E Report Submission Process' (April 27, 2022)
- U.S. Treasury Final Rule for ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund (January 2022)
NACo Overview of U.S. Treasury Final Rule for ARPA Fiscal Recovery Fund (March 22, 2022 Major Update of Analysis)
NACo Preliminary Overview of Treasury's Fiscal Recovery Fund (January 13, 2022)
- U.S. Treasury 'Compliance and Reporting Guidance (State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds' (June 17, 2021 Update)
- U.S. Treasury registration portal (Request your County's funding)
- Interim Final Rule for Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
- FAQs General & Common Questions about Use of Funds (as of June 8, 2021)
- General Fact Sheet on the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
The National Association of Counties (NACo) section below provides more resources and information.
FEMA also has a rumor control page dedicated to COVID-19 here.
Your help combating disinformation campaigns is appreciated.
Dept of Homeland Security CISA Insight COVID-19 Disinformation Activity May 2020
- EPA 'COVID-19 Resources for State, Local & Tribal Governments'
- Johns Hopkins' Coronavirus Tracking Map - COVID-19 cases by city, county
- Occupational Safety & Health Administration COVID-19 website
- Small Business Administration COVID-19 Guidance & Loan Resources website
- Job-Protected Leave (Forbes Article Excerpt)
- O'Halloran, Kosoff, Geitner & Cook Law Firm 'EEOC Guidance and Other Considerations for Vaccination Policies' (December 18, 2020)
O'Halloran, Kosoff, Geitner & Cook Law Firm 'EEOC Guidance on COVID-19 Answers to FAQs'
O'Halloran, Kosoff, Geitner & Cook Law Firm 'Department of Labor Revises & Clarifies Temporary Rule Regarding Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Leave' (September 16, 2020)
O'Halloran, Kosoff, Geitner & Cook Law Firm 'UPDATE on Department of Labor Paid Leave Mandate - Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)' (April 7, 2020)
~ Chart FFCRA Paid Leave Mandate Applicable to Local Public Entities (Effective 4-1-20 through 12-31-20)
~ Memo Department of Labor Temporary Rule on FFCRA
~ FAQs Paid Leave Mandated by FFCRA
NEWS & INFORMATION
January 2021
-
The U.S. Treasury releases information for the new $25 billion emergency rental assistance program authorized under the year-end COVID-19 relief and omnibus spending package. Under the legislation, counties with populations above 200,000 residents are eligible to receive direct payments from the U.S. Treasury. Other counties may received an allocation from their state, similar to original CRF program under the CARES Act.
More information is available on this new program at the U.S. Treasury rental assistance webpage.
The following links have been provided by the National Association of Counties (NACo) for further assistance:
~ Grantee Award Terms
~ List of Eligible Local Governments
~ Copy of NACo RAF
This link will take eligible recipients to the submission process for receiving funds. The deadline to submit is January 12, 2020.
December 9, 2020
- Bipartisan Emergency COVID Relief Act of 2020. Section by section framework summary released by the Senate and House for a $908 billion COVID aid package.
October 20, 2020
October 7, 2020
September 3, 2020
August 24, 2020
- U.S. Treasury on CRF releases new interim report of costs by category incurred by state and local CRF recipients through June 30, 2020. Earlier released Treasury report, in comparison, only showed the total amount of funds incurred by CRF recipients.
April 16, 2020
March 28, 2020
March 27, 2020
March 26, 2020
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary announces one-year extension of REAL ID enforcement deadline. Read News Release (3-26-20)
March 24, 2020
- U.S. Department of Labor publishes guidance explaining paid sick leave and expands on family and medical leave under 'The Families First Coronavirus Response Act'. Read News Release (3-24-20)
- FEMA issues updated information on the federal response efforts, including support for delivery of critical goods and services, community based testing sites (CBTS), ventilator guidance, Defense Production Act, disinformation and rumor control, 'How to Help' for volunteers and the private sector, and information on the Strategic National Stockpile. Read 'FEMA COVID-19 Advisory (3-24-20)'
March 19, 2020
March 18, 2020
March 17, 2020
- National Association of Counties (NACo) briefings for local leaders on COVID-19
March 17 Quick Summary of NACo Conference Call Briefing (New Mexico Counties)
March 16, 2020
March 14, 2020
- U.S. House of Representatives Passes HR6201, 'Families First Coronavirus Response Act'- Final Adopted Version HERE.
March 12, 2020