[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4329-4330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2218]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Request for Revisions of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intentions of the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation) to revise a currently approved information collection for 
Landholders' Certification and Reporting Forms for Acreage Limitation. 
Because of recent changes to the Acreage Limitation Rules and 
Regulations (43 CFR Part 426), revisions are needed to the forms and 
burden hours. The revisions would be included on the forms starting 
with those distributed for the 1998 water year.
    Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
Reclamation, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of Reclamation's estimated burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (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 automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 31, 1997 to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

[[Page 4330]]

Copies of the proposed revised forms are available by submitting a 
written request to the Bureau of Reclamation, D-5200, P.O. Box 25007, 
Denver, Colorado 80225-0007 or by calling (303) 236-1061, extension 
293. Written comments are to be submitted to Reclamation at the above 
address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Landholders' Certification and Reporting Forms for Acreage 
Limitation, 43 CFR Part 426.
    OMB Approval Number: 1006-0005.
    Abstract: This information collection requires certain landholders 
(landowners and lessees) to complete forms demonstrating their 
compliance with the acreage limitation provisions of reclamation law. 
The forms establish each landholder's status with respect to 
landownership limitations, full-cost pricing thresholds, lease 
requirements, and other provisions of reclamation law. In addition, 
primarily through the submittal for these forms, Reclamation becomes 
aware of other documents to request for review from landholders and 
other parties, including but not limited to: leases, farm operating 
agreements, trusts, documents creating entities, etc. The review of 
these additional documents is performed to help determine the acreage 
limitation status and entitlements of landholders, and their westwide 
landholdings.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondents: Owners and lessees of land on Federal Reclamation 
projects whose landholding exceed specified thresholds.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.35 hours per response.
    Estimated number of Respondents: 32,100.
    Estimated number of Responses per Respondent: 1.02.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 32,750.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,500.

Specific Changes

    1. The forms submittal threshold for qualified recipients changed 
on January 1, 1997, from 40 acres to 80 or 240 acres depending on each 
district's Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA) forms submittal 
category. This change will be reflected on the instructions for the 
following forms: Forms 7-2180, 7,2180EZ, 7-2181, 7-2184, and 7-21TRUST. 
In addition, information on the RRA forms submittal threshold 
categories is presented on Form 7-21INFO. This change in the RRA forms 
submittal threshold resulted in the reduction in burden hours reflected 
above.
    2. The requirement for reporting landholding changes will be 
revised on January 1, 1998, from 15 to 30 days for district 
notification and from 30 to 60 days for the submittal of new 
certification or reporting forms. This change will be reflected on the 
following forms and associated instructions: Forms 7-2180, 7-2180EZ, 7-
2181, 7-2184, 7-2190, 7-2190EZ, 7-2191, 7-2194, 7-21PE, 7-21TRUST, and 
7-21VERIFY. In addition, this information is included on Form 7-21INFO.
    3. Nonresident aliens will be required to indicate the country of 
which they are a citizen on Forms 7-2180, 7-2180EZ, 7-2190, and 7-
2190EZ. This change to the information collection is also reflected on 
the associated instructions. Nonresident aliens will also be asked to 
provide proof of citizenship as part of their RRA forms submittal for 
the 1998 water year or on their initial submittal of RRA forms, 
whichever occurs first.
    4. Entities that have not been established under State or Federal 
law will be required to indicate the country in which they are 
established on Forms 7-2181, 7-2184, 7-2191, and 7-2194. This change to 
the information collection is also reflected on the associated 
instructions. The same requirement will be included on Form 7-21TRUST, 
for trusts that have not been established under State or Federal law. 
Foreign entities and foreign trusts will be asked to provide 
documentation verifying they are established in the country indicated 
as part of their RRA forms submittal for the 1998 water year or on 
their initial submittal of RRA forms, whichever occurs later.
    5. As of January 1, 1998, limited recipients will only need to list 
all part owners whose attribution of land from their interest in the 
limited recipient results in more than 40 acres. Currently, the actual 
level of interest owned in the entity (more than 4 percent) is also a 
criterion. This change will be reflected on Forms 7-2181 and 7-2191, 
and the associated instructions.
    6. The option for public entities to use verification forms if 
certain criteria are met will be included on the instructions for Form 
7-21PE. This was not an available option for public entities during the 
1997 water year. The note on the instructions for Form 7-21VERIFY that 
states public entities cannot use that form for the 1997 water year 
will be removed, starting with the forms for the 1998 water year.
    7. The requirement that trusts which include a class of 
beneficiaries, in addition to or instead of specifically named 
beneficiaries, cannot use the verification form (Form 7-21VERIFY) as 
their annual submittal will be included on the instructions to Form 7-
21TRUST. This requirement will also be noted on the instructions for 
Form 7-21VERIFY. Prior to January 1, 1998, trusts that included a class 
of beneficiaries were not eligible to receive Reclamation irrigation 
water.
    8. Trusts that are required to have Taxpayer Identification Numbers 
(TINs) will be required to include such on their Form 7-21TRUST. The 
instructions for that form will be changed to reflect this requirement.
    9. The instructions for Form 7-21VERIFY concerning annual leases 
will be adjusted to clarify that only renewals or extensions of annual 
leases (leases for a term of 1 year or less) are eligible to use Form 
7-21VERIFY. All other lease renewals or extensions must be reported on 
a standard certification or reporting form.
    10. Four definitions will be updated on Form 7-21INFO to reflect 
the wording used in the revised rules. They are: Contract; Landholder; 
Lease; and Legal entity or entity.
    11. The Form 7-21INFO will be revised to include information on the 
application of the administrative fee in addition to the compensation 
rate (full-cost) if Reclamation irrigation water is delivered to 
ineligible excess land.
    12. All forms and instructions will be reviewed and updated to 
ensure Code of Federal Regulations citations reflect the revised 
Acreage Limitation Rules and Regulations that become effective on 
January 1, 1998. (The current rules are entitled, Rules and Regulations 
for Projects Governed by Federal Reclamation Law.) For example, the 
section of those rules that addresses information requirements will 
change from 43 CFR 426.10 to 43 CFR 426.18 on that date.
    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: January 22, 1997
J. Austin Burke,
Director, Program Analysis Office.
[FR Doc. 97-2218 Filed 1-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M