Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 5404-5405 [2019-02974]

Download as PDF 5404 Notices Federal Register Vol. 84, No. 35 Thursday, February 21, 2019 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 February 15, 2019. The Department of Agriculture will submit the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13 on or after the date of publication of this notice. Comments are requested regarding: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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 should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC; New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– 7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received by March 25, 2019. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720–8681. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:08 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 247001 An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. National Agricultural Statistics Service Title: Generic Clearance of Survey Improvement Projects. OMB Control Number: 0535–0248. Summary of Collection: The primary objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, economic and environmental statistics related to agriculture and to conduct the Census of Agriculture under the general authority of Title 7 U.S.C. 2204. The purpose of this generic clearance is to allow NASS to respond quickly to emerging issues and data collection needs. NASS will continue to develop, test, evaluate, adopt, and use state-ofthe-art techniques to cover a broad range of topics designed to improve NASS’ data collection on agriculture. Need and Use of the Information: NASS will use a number of survey improvement techniques, as appropriate to the individual project under investigation. These include focus groups, cognitive and usability laboratory and field techniques, exploratory interviews, behavior coding, respondent debriefing, pilot surveys and split-panel tests. The information gathered will be used mainly for questionnaire development and other research and evaluation. Additionally, NASS anticipates the benefit of increased response rates through improved survey design, a goal tied directly to addressing OMB requirements for higher response rates and measurement of non-response bias. Description of Respondents: Farms. Number of Respondents: 50,000. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 30,000. National Agricultural Statistics Service Title: Quick Response for Cooperative-Funded Surveys Generic Clearance. OMB Control Number: 0535–NEW. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Summary of Collection: The primary objectives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) are to prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, economic and environmental statistics related to agriculture and to conduct the Census of Agriculture under the general authority of Title 7 U.S.C. 2204. This generic clearance covers a variety of surveys that will provide valuable statistics to sponsoring cooperators. These data are needed by the cooperators in time frames that make individual clearances impractical. Need and Use of the Information: NASS would like to conduct up to 15 surveys each year in response to requests from cooperators who have data needs that cannot be met through NASS’s annual Congressional appropriations. NASS would like to include surveys that would cover topics such as: Farm management practices, food safety, workplace safety, conservation and land use practices, chemical use management practices, crop quality, agri-tourism, local foods, or other specific agricultural promotion programs. Description of Respondents: Farms. Number of Respondents: 75,000. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 37,157. Kimble Brown, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2019–02987 Filed 2–20–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–20–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request February 15, 2019. The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13. Comments are requested regarding (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of burden including E:\FR\FM\21FEN1.SGM 21FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 35 / Thursday, February 21, 2019 / Notices the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (4) 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 regarding this information collection received by March 25, 2019 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– 7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720–8958. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1 Rural Utilities Service Title: Certification of Authority. OMB Control Number: 0572–0074. Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq, as amended, (RE ACT) and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and NonTax Receivables, which states that agencies must, based on a review of a loan application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan assistance. A major factor in managing loan programs is controlling the advancement of funds. RUS Form 675 allows this control to be achieved by providing a list of authorized signatures against which signatures requesting funds are compared. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:08 Feb 20, 2019 Jkt 247001 Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to ensure that only authorized representatives of the borrower signs the lending requisition form. Without the information RUS would not know if the request for a loan advance was legitimate or not and the potential for waste, loss, unauthorized use, and misappropriation would be increased. Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Business or other forprofit. Number of Respondents: 163. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 16. Rural Utilities Service Title: 7 CFR part 1721, Extensions of Payments of Principal and Interest. OMB Control Number: 0572–0123. Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) electric program provides loans and loan guarantees to borrowers at interest rates and on terms that are more favorable than those generally available from the private sector. Procedures and conditions which borrowers may request extensions of the payment of principal and interest are authorized, as amended, in Section 12 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, and Section 236 of the ‘‘Disaster Relief Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91– 606), as amended by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103–354). As a result of obtaining federal financing, RUS borrowers receive economic benefits that exceed any direct economic costs associated with complying with (RUS) regulations and requirements. Need and Use of the Information: The collection of information occurs only when the borrower requests an extension of principal and interest. Eligible purposes include financial hardship, energy resource conservation loans, renewable energy project, and contributions-in-aid of construction. These procedures are codified at 7 CFR part 1721, subpart B. The collections are made to provide needed benefits to borrowers while also maintaining the integrity of RUS loans and their repayment of taxpayer’s monies. Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profits; Not for-profit institutions. Number of Respondents: 7. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 61. Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. In addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of RUS’ main objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is repaid. Accordingly, RUS manages loan programs in accordance with the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et.seq., as amended, (RE ACT) and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables, which states that agencies must, based on a review of a loan application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan assistance. Need and Use of the Information: RUS borrower will use form 369, Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets, to seek agency permission to sell some of its assets. The form is used to collect detailed information regarding the proposed sale of a portion of the borrowers systems. RUS will collect information to determine whether or not the agency should approve a sale and also to keep track of what property exists to secure the loan. If the information in Form 369 is not collected when capital assets are sold, the capital assets securing the Government’s loans could be liquidated and the Government’s security either eliminated entirely or diluted to an undesirable level. Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Business or other forprofit. Number of Respondents: 33. Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 99. Kimble Brown, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2019–02974 Filed 2–20–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–15–P Rural Utilities Service Title: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets. OMB Control Number: 0572–0020. PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 5405 E:\FR\FM\21FEN1.SGM 21FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5404-5405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02974]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 15, 2019.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments are requested regarding (1) 
whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of burden including

[[Page 5405]]

the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (4) 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 regarding this information collection received by March 
25, 2019 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: 
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office 
Building, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are 
encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: 
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-
8958.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Certification of Authority.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0074.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes 
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, 
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq, as amended, (RE 
ACT) and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular A-129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax 
Receivables, which states that agencies must, based on a review of a 
loan application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, 
regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan 
assistance. A major factor in managing loan programs is controlling the 
advancement of funds. RUS Form 675 allows this control to be achieved 
by providing a list of authorized signatures against which signatures 
requesting funds are compared.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to 
ensure that only authorized representatives of the borrower signs the 
lending requisition form. Without the information RUS would not know if 
the request for a loan advance was legitimate or not and the potential 
for waste, loss, unauthorized use, and misappropriation would be 
increased.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 163.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 16.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: 7 CFR part 1721, Extensions of Payments of Principal and 
Interest.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0123.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) electric 
program provides loans and loan guarantees to borrowers at interest 
rates and on terms that are more favorable than those generally 
available from the private sector. Procedures and conditions which 
borrowers may request extensions of the payment of principal and 
interest are authorized, as amended, in Section 12 of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, and Section 236 of the ``Disaster Relief 
Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-606), as amended by the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-354). As a result 
of obtaining federal financing, RUS borrowers receive economic benefits 
that exceed any direct economic costs associated with complying with 
(RUS) regulations and requirements.
    Need and Use of the Information: The collection of information 
occurs only when the borrower requests an extension of principal and 
interest. Eligible purposes include financial hardship, energy resource 
conservation loans, renewable energy project, and contributions-in-aid 
of construction. These procedures are codified at 7 CFR part 1721, 
subpart B. The collections are made to provide needed benefits to 
borrowers while also maintaining the integrity of RUS loans and their 
repayment of taxpayer's monies.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profits; Not for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 7.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 61.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0020.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes 
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, 
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. In 
addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of RUS' main 
objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is repaid. 
Accordingly, RUS manages loan programs in accordance with the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et.seq., as amended, (RE ACT) 
and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-
129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables, 
which states that agencies must, based on a review of a loan 
application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, 
regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan 
assistance.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS borrower will use form 369, 
Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets, to seek agency permission 
to sell some of its assets. The form is used to collect detailed 
information regarding the proposed sale of a portion of the borrowers 
systems. RUS will collect information to determine whether or not the 
agency should approve a sale and also to keep track of what property 
exists to secure the loan. If the information in Form 369 is not 
collected when capital assets are sold, the capital assets securing the 
Government's loans could be liquidated and the Government's security 
either eliminated entirely or diluted to an undesirable level.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 33.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 99.

Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-02974 Filed 2-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
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