Information Collection Activity; Comment Request, 68556-68557 [E7-23561]

Download as PDF mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES 68556 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 5, 2007 / Notices New Jersey, and New York to submit an application for designation. DATES: Applications must be postmarked or electronically dated on or before January 4, 2008. ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit applications and comments on this notice. You may submit applications and comments by any of the following methods: • To apply for designation, go to FGIS online, Web page https:// fgis.gipsa.usda.gov/ default_home_FGIS.aspx. Select Delegations/Designations and Export Registrations (DDR). You need e-authentication and a customer number prior to applying. • Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver to Karen Guagliardo, Review Branch Chief, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, Room 1647–S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250. • Fax: Send by facsimile transmission to (202) 690–2755, attention: Karen Guagliardo. • E-mail: Send via electronic mail to Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. • Mail: Send hardcopy to Karen Guagliardo, Review Branch Chief, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3604, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250– 3604. • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments and reading any comments posted online. Read Applications and Comments: All applications and comments will be available for public inspection at the office above during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Guagliardo at 202–720–7312, e-mail Karen.W.Guagliardo@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Action has been reviewed and determined not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and Departmental Regulation 1512–1; therefore, the Executive Order and Departmental Regulation do not apply to this action. Section 7(f)(1) of the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), authorizes GIPSA’s Administrator to designate a qualified applicant to provide official services in a specified area after determining that the applicant is better able than any other applicant to provide such official services. Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official agencies shall not end later than triennially and may be renewed according to the VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:05 Dec 04, 2007 Jkt 214001 criteria and procedures prescribed in section 7(f) of the Act. GIPSA is asking for applicants to provide official services in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The areas being considered for assignment to the applicant or applicants selected for designation, pursuant to section (7)(2) of the Act, are as follows: The entire state of Maryland, except those export port locations within the State which are served by GIPSA. The entire state of New Jersey, except those export port locations within the State which are served by GIPSA. The entire state of New York, except those export port locations within the State which are served by GIPSA. Opportunity for designation. Interested persons are hereby given the opportunity to apply for designation to provide official services in the geographic areas specified above under the provisions of section 7(f) of the Act and section 800.196(d) of the regulations issued thereunder. Designation in the specified geographic areas is for a period of no more than 3 years. To apply for designation, contact the Compliance Division at the address listed above for forms and information, or obtain applications at the GIPSA Web site, https://www.gipsa.usda.gov. Applications, comments, and other available information will be considered in determining which applicant will be designated. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 71–87k. Alan Christian, Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. [FR Doc. E7–23530 Filed 12–4–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–KD–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Rural Utilities Service, USDA. Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 4, 2008. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. Brooks, Acting Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 5159 South Building, Washington, DC 20250–1522. FAX: (202) 720–8435. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13) requires that interested members of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an information collection that RUS is submitting to OMB for extension. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Michele L. Brooks, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–1522. FAX: (202) 720–8435. Title: Electric Loan Application and Related Reporting Burdens. OMB Number: 0572–0032. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection. Abstract: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), as amended (RE Act) authorizes and empowers the Administrator of RUS to make and guarantee loans to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas. These loans are amortized over a period of up to 35 years and secured by the borrower’s electric assets. In the interest of protecting loan security, monitoring compliance with debt covenants, and ensuring that RUS loan funds are used for purposes authorized by law, RUS requires that borrowers prepare and submit for RUS evaluation, certain E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM 05DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 233 / Wednesday, December 5, 2007 / Notices studies and reports. Some of these studies and reports are required only once for each loan application; others must be submitted periodically until the loan is completely repaid. Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 14 hours per response. Respondents: Businesses or other for profits; not-for-profit institutions. Estimated Number of Respondents: 680. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 65,673. Copies of this information collection, and related form and instructions, can be obtained from Joyce McNeil, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 720–0812. FAX: (202) 720–8435. All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record. Dated: November 29, 2007. James Andrew, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. [FR Doc. E7–23561 Filed 12–4–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–15–P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Information Quality Guidelines U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Final Information Quality Guidelines. mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed Federal agencies to make available on their Web sites guidelines that ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical information) they disseminate. Federal agencies should also make available on their Web sites administrative mechanisms that allow affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information that the agency maintains and disseminated that does not comply with the guidelines. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) now publishes the following guidelines covering predissemination information quality control and an administrative mechanism for requests for correction of information the Commission publicly disseminates. These guidelines were published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2006 at 71 FR 41762 and provided that the Commission would receive public comments through VerDate Aug<31>2005 19:05 Dec 04, 2007 Jkt 214001 August 23, 2006 to be considered in the formulation of these final guidelines. No comments were received. OMB provided the Commission with suggested revisions, which the Commission used in preparing these final guidelines. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact David P. Blackwood, Esq., General Counsel, United States Commission on Civil Rights, 624 Ninth Street, NW., Suite 620, Washington, DC 20425, (202) 376–8351; Facsimile: (202) 376–1163. In response to the draft guidelines, the Commission received suggested revisions from OMB. The Commission changed the draft guidelines to address these suggestions as follows: 1. Commission-sponsored testimony of Commission officials is now subject to the guidelines if it contains information not previously disseminated by the agency. 2. Statements reasonably expected to become the subject of litigation or other dispute resolution proceedings are now not automatically outside the scope of the guidelines. 3. Petitions for correction of information must now describe the specific corrective action sought. 4. The Commission’s corrective actions may now take a number of forms and not simply the issuance of an errata page. 5. Postings of the quality information requests to the Commission’s Web site now include: a copy of the requests to seek and obtain correction of information, the Commission’s formal response(s), and any communications regarding appeals. All other OMB suggested changes that were accepted by the Commission were non-substantive (i.e., typographical or grammatical) in nature. The Commission also substituted the e-mail address provided in Section VII.02(c) of the draft guidelines with qualityinfo@usccr.gov and corrected section references to Administrative Instruction 1–6, National Project Development and Implementation. For the reasons discussed in the summary, the Commission proposes to issue these guidelines pursuant to Section 515 of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3502(1), et seq.). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 68557 Dated: November 29, 2007. David P. Blackwood, General Counsel, United States Commission on Civil Rights. Section I. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ Mission and Mandate .01 The Commission is an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding Federal agency of the executive branch established under the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to monitor and report on the status of civil rights in the nation. As the nation’s conscience on matters of civil rights, the Commission strives to keep the President, Congress, and the public informed about civil rights issues that deserve concerted attention. .02 The Commission is mandated to: (a) Investigate complaints alleging that citizens are being deprived of their right to vote by reason of their race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or by reason of fraudulent practices; (b) Study and collect information relating to discrimination or a denial of equal protection of the laws under the Constitution because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice; (c) Appraise Federal laws and policies with respect to discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice; (d) Serve as a national clearinghouse for information in respect to discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin; (e) Submit reports, findings, and recommendations to the President and Congress; (f) Issue public service announcements to discourage discrimination or denial of equal protection of the laws. .03 The Commission’s National Office is in Washington, DC. Its six Regional Offices are located throughout the nation: (a) The Eastern Regional Office, Washington, DC; (b) Southern Regional Office, Atlanta, Georgia; (c) Midwestern Office, Chicago, Illinois; (d) Central Regional Office, Kansas City, Kansas; (e) Rocky Mountain Office, Denver, Colorado; and (f) Western Regional Office, Los Angeles, California. .04 State Advisory Committees (SACs) are established in each State and E:\FR\FM\05DEN1.SGM 05DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68556-68557]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23561]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an 
agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 
Development Utilities Programs invites comments on this information 
collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) will be requested.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 4, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. Brooks, Acting Director, 
Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 
1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 5159 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. FAX: (202) 720-8435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) requires that interested members 
of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an information collection that RUS 
is submitting to OMB for extension.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to: Michele 
L. Brooks, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence 
Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1522. FAX: (202) 720-8435.
    Title: Electric Loan Application and Related Reporting Burdens.
    OMB Number: 0572-0032.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq.), as amended (RE Act) authorizes and empowers the Administrator of 
RUS to make and guarantee loans to furnish and improve electric service 
in rural areas. These loans are amortized over a period of up to 35 
years and secured by the borrower's electric assets. In the interest of 
protecting loan security, monitoring compliance with debt covenants, 
and ensuring that RUS loan funds are used for purposes authorized by 
law, RUS requires that borrowers prepare and submit for RUS evaluation, 
certain

[[Page 68557]]

studies and reports. Some of these studies and reports are required 
only once for each loan application; others must be submitted 
periodically until the loan is completely repaid.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 14 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profits; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 680.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 65,673.
    Copies of this information collection, and related form and 
instructions, can be obtained from Joyce McNeil, Program Development 
and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 720-0812. FAX: (202) 720-8435.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: November 29, 2007.
James Andrew,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E7-23561 Filed 12-4-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P

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