80 FR 65693 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 207 (October 27, 2015)

Page Range		65693-65694
FR Document		2015-27285
Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 207 (Tuesday, October 27, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 207 (Tuesday, October 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65693-65694]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27285]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utility Service


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

October 22, 2015.
    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 regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
to be collected; (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 should 
be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 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. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 
(202) 720-8681.
    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: 250.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 25.

[[Page 65694]]

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Lien Accommodations and Subordinations 7 CFR part 1717, 
subparts R and S.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0100.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) of 
1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, authorizes and empowers the 
Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to make loans in the 
several States and Territories of the United States for rural 
electrification and the furnishing electric energy to persons in rural 
areas who are not receiving central station service. The RE Act also 
authorizes and empowers the Administrator of RUS to provide financial 
assistance to borrowers for purposes provided in the RE Act by 
accommodating or subordinating loans made by the National Rural 
Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, 
and other lending agencies.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will use the information to 
determine an applicant's eligibility for a lien accommodation or lien 
subordination under the RE Act; facilitates an applicant's solicitation 
and acquisition of non-RUS loans as to converse available Government 
funds; monitor the compliance of borrowers with debt covenants and 
regulatory requirements in order to protect loan security; and 
subsequently to granting the lien accommodation or lien subordination, 
administer each so as to minimize its cost to the Government. If the 
information were not collected, RUS would not be able to accomplish its 
statutory goals.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 15.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 290.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1717 Subpart D, Mergers and Consolidations of Electric 
Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0114.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It makes mortgage 
loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, telecommunications, 
water and waste and water facilities in rural areas. Loan programs are 
managed in accordance with the Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) of 
1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended and as prescribed by the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-129, Policies for Federal 
Credit Programs and Non-tax Receivable, states that agencies must base 
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 will collect information to 
streamline procedures and allow borrowers the flexibility to meet new 
business challenges and opportunities. The information is necessary for 
RUS to conduct business with successor entity while protecting the 
security of Government loans and avoiding defaults and to grant merger 
approval when required.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 140.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Use of Consultants Funded by Borrowers, 7 CFR 1789.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0115.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the Department of Agriculture that makes mortgage 
loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, telecommunications, and 
water and waste facilities in rural areas. The loan programs are 
managed in accordance with the Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) of 
1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, and as prescribed by Office of 
Management and Budget Circular A-129, Policies for Federal Credit 
Programs and Non-Tax Receivable, 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. RUS has the authority to use consultants 
voluntarily funded by borrowers for financial, legal, engineering, and 
other technical services. However, all RUS borrowers are eligible to 
fund consultant services but are not required to fund consultants.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to 
determine whether it is appropriate to use a consultant voluntarily 
funded by the borrower to expedite a particular borrower application. 
If the information were not submitted, RUS would be unable to determine 
if using a consultant would accelerate the specific application 
process.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 2.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-27285 Filed 10-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 207 / Tuesday, October 27, 2015 / Notices 65693

to recruit, train, and accept with regard whether the information will have (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
to Civil Service classification laws, practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
rules, or regulations, the services of agency’s estimate of the burden of the Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
individuals to serve without proposed collection of information, 7602. Comments regarding these
compensation. Subject to certain including the validity of the information collections are best assured
conditions, most volunteers may assist methodology and assumptions used; (3) of having their full effect if received
in agency programs/projects, and may ways to enhance the quality, utility, and within 30 days of this notification.
perform activities that agency clarity of the information to be Copies of the submission(s) may be
employees are allowed to perform. collected; and (4) ways to minimize the obtained by calling (202) 720–8681.
Volunteers must be at least 14 years of burden of the collection of information An agency may not conduct or
age. Persons interested in volunteering on those who are to respond, including sponsor a collection of information
must write, call, email, visit an NRCS the use of appropriate automated, unless the collection of information
office, or the NRCS Web site at http:// electronic, mechanical, or other displays a currently valid OMB control
www.nrcs.usda.gov. The forms are technological collection techniques or number and the agency informs
available electronically and can be other forms of information technology. potential persons who are to respond to
completed electronically. All responses to this notice will be the collection of information that such
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting summarized and included in the request persons are not required to respond to
burden for this collection of information for OMB approval. All comments will the collection of information unless it
is estimated to average 4 minutes per become a matter of public record. displays a currently valid OMB control
response. Signed this 16 day of October 2015, in number.
Type of Respondents: Retirees, Washington, DC.
students, teachers, or senior citizens. Jason A. Weller, Rural Utilities Service
Estimated Number of Respondents: Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Title: Certification of Authority.
200. Service.
Estimated Number of Responses: 200. OMB Control Number: 0572–0074.
[FR Doc. 2015–27286 Filed 10–26–15; 8:45 am]
Estimated Number of Responses per BILLING CODE 3410–16–P Summary of Collection: The Rural
Respondent: 1. Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit agency
Estimated Total Annual Burden on of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Respondents: 13 hours. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA). It makes mortgage loans and
Timesheet Form loan guarantees to finance electric,
Rural Utility Service telecommunications, and water and
Title: NRCS–PER–004, Timesheet waste facilities in rural areas. Rural
Form. Submission for OMB Review; Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901
OMB Number: 0578–0024. Comment Request et seq., as amended, (RE ACT) and as
Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years prescribed by Office of Management and
from approval date. October 22, 2015.
The Department of Agriculture has Budget (OMB) Circular A–129, Policies
Type of Request: Revision of a for Federal Credit Programs and Non-
currently approved collection. submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to Office of Tax Receivables, which states that
Abstract: The timesheet is an optional
Management and Budget (OMB) for agencies must, based on a review of a
form and provides the volunteer or
review and clearance under the loan application, determine that an
volunteer’s supervisor a simplified
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, applicant complies with statutory,
method for tracking the volunteer’s
Public Law 104–13. Comments regulatory, and administrative eligibility
time. The form is placed in a volunteer
regarding (a) whether the collection of requirements for loan assistance. A
‘‘case file’’ and will be destroyed 3 years
information is necessary for the proper major factor in managing loan programs
after the volunteer has completed
performance of the functions of the is controlling the advancement of funds.
service. In the event the volunteer is
agency, including whether the RUS Form 675 allows this control to be
injured while engaged in volunteer
information will have practical utility; achieved by providing a list of
activities and claims Workman’s
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate authorized signatures against which
Compensation, the ‘‘case file’’ will be
of burden including the validity of the signatures requesting funds are
transferred to an Official Personnel
methodology and assumptions used; (c) compared.
Folder.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting ways to enhance the quality, utility and Need and Use of the Information:
burden for this collection of information clarity of the information to be RUS will collect information to ensure
is estimated to average 4 minutes per collected; (d) ways to minimize the that only authorized representatives of
response. burden of the collection of information the borrower signs the lending
Type of Respondents: Retirees, on those who are to respond, including requisition form. Without the
students, teachers, or senior citizens. through the use of appropriate information RUS would not know if the
Estimated Number of Respondents: automated, electronic, mechanical, or request for a loan advance was
7,120. other technological collection legitimate or not and the potential for
Estimated Number of Responses: techniques or other forms of information waste, loss, unauthorized use, and
3,760. technology should be addressed to: Desk misappropriation would be increased.
Estimated Number of Responses per Officer for Agriculture, Office of Description of Respondents: Not-for-
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Respondent: 2. Information and Regulatory Affairs, profit institutions; Business or other for-
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Office of Management and Budget, New profit.
Respondents: 474 hours. Executive Office Building, 725—17th
Number of Respondents: 250.
Comments are invited on (1) whether Street NW., Washington, DC 20502.
the proposed collection of information Commenters are encouraged to submit Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
is necessary for the proper performance their comments to OMB via email to: On occasion.
of the functions of the agency, including OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or fax Total Burden Hours: 25.

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Document Created: 2015-12-14 15:35:48
Document Modified: 2015-12-14 15:35:48
Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
FR Citation		80 FR 65693
80 FR 65693 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURERural Utilities Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 207 (October 27, 2015)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
