Section 17.7 - How does the Secretary communicate with state and local officials concerning the Department's programs and activities?(a) For those programs and activities covered by a state process under § 17.6 , the Secretary, to the extent permitted by law:(1) Uses the official state process to determine views of state and local elected officials; and,(2) Communicates with state and local elected officials, through the official state process, as early in a program planning cycle as is reasonably feasible to explain specific plans and actions.(b) The Secretary provides notice to directly affected state, areawide, regional, and local entities in a state of proposed Federal financial assistance if:(1) The state has not adopted a process under the Order; or(2) The assistance involves a program or activity not selected for the state process.This notice may be made by publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER or other appropriate means, which the Department in its discretion deems appropriate.