[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6309-6310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3221]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Utilities Service
Farm Service Agency

7 CFR Parts 1901 and 1942


A-95 Review, Evaluation, and Coordination of Projects

AGENCIES: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 
Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule deletes the Agencies' regulation that implemented 
OMB Circular A-95 concerning review, evaluation, and coordination of 
projects. OMB Circular A-95 was revoked in compliance with Executive 
Order 12372.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 20, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan G. Wieferich, Senior 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Support Branch, 
Program Support Staff, Rural Housing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Room 6309, South Agriculture Building, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-0700; telephone (202) 
720-9619.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Classification

    This action is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 
12866 since it only involves internal Agency management. This action is 
not published for proposed rulemaking because it involves only internal 
Agency management and publication for notice and comment is 
unnecessary.

Discussion

    Executive Order 12372 terminated the Memorandum of November 8, 
1968, (56 FR 16467, November 10, 1968) and required the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget to revoke OMB Circular A-95, which was 
issued pursuant to that Memorandum. The Farmers Home Administration 
(predecessor to the Agencies issuing the rule) did not delete FmHA 
Instruction 1901-H when FmHA Instruction 1940-J, was issued December 
23, 1983, in accord with the Executive Order due to a requirement in 
section 306(a)(3) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 1926(a)(3)) that projects be reviewed under OMB Circular A-95. 
Section 2316(b) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (P.L. 101-624, November 28, 1990) amended Section 306(a)(3) to 
remove the requirement.

Programs Affected

    These programs or activities are listed in the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance under the following numbers:

10.760--Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities
10.766--Community Facilities Loans
10.770--Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants (Section 306C)

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The information collection requirements contained in this 
regulation have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under the provisions of 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35 and have been 
assigned OMB control number 0575-0094 in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3507). This final rule does not revise 
or impose any new information collection requirement from those 
previously approved by OMB.

Unfunded Mandate Reform Act

    This regulatory action is being taken as part of the National 
Performance Review program to eliminate unnecessary regulations and 
improve those that remain in force.

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 1901

    Intergovernmental relations.

7 CFR Part 1942

    Community development, Community facilities, Loan programs--Housing 
and community development, Loan security, Rural areas, Waste treatment 
and disposal--Domestic, Water supply--Domestic.

    Accordingly, under the Authority 5 U.S.C. 301, Chapter XVIII, 
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1901--PROGRAM RELATED INSTRUCTIONS

Subpart H--[Removed and Reserved]

    1. Subpart H, consisting of Secs. 1901.351-1901.360 and Exhibit A, 
is removed and reserved.

PART 1942--ASSOCIATIONS

    2. The authority citation for the part 1942 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989; 16 U.S.C. 1005.

Subpart A--Community Facility Loans

    3. In Sec. 1942.2, the introductory text of paragraph (a)(1) is 
amended in the first sentence by revising the word ``inquires'' to 
``inquiries'' and by revision of the third sentence to read as follows:


Sec. 1942.2  Processing applications.

    (a) * * *
    (1) * * * The District Director will assist applicants as needed in 
completing SF 424.2, and in filing written notice of intent and 
priority recommendation with the appropriate clearinghouse. * * *
* * * * *

Subpart C--Fire and Rescue Loans

    4. Section 1942.106 is amended in paragraph (a) by removing the 
words ``subpart H of part 1901 and'' and in 

[[Page 6310]]
paragraph (b) by removing the words ``A-95 and''.

    Dated: November 29, 1995.
Jill Long Thompson,
Under Secretary for Rural Economic and Community Development.
    Dated: January 11, 1996.
Eugene Moos,
Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services.
[FR Doc. 96-3221 Filed 2-16-96; 8:45 am]
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