[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7749-7750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3872]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Utilities Service
Farm Service Agency


Notice of Request for Information Collection

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

ACTION: Proposed collection; comments request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) intention to 
request an extension for a currently approved information collection in 
support of the programs for 7 CFR Part 1780, Water and Waste Loans; 7 
CFR Part 1823 Subpart N, Loans to Indian Tribes and Tribal 
Corporations; 7 CFR Part 1942 Subpart A, Community Facilities Loans; 7 
CFR Part 1948 Subpart C, Intermediary Relending Program; and 7 CFR Part 
1980 Subpart E, Business and Industry Loan Programs.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 20, 1998 to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: H. Richard Kelly, Loan Specialist, 
Operations Branch, Water Programs Division, Rural Utilities Service, 
USDA, STOP 1570, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-
1570, telephone: (202) 720-9589.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Form RD 1910-11, ``Applicant Certification, Federal 
Collection Policies for Consumer or Commercial Debts''
    OMB Number: 0575-0127
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 1997.
    Type of Request: Reinstate information collection
    Abstract: The water and waste loans, community facilities loans, 
tribe and tribal corporation loans, intermediary relending program 
loans, and business and industry direct loans are authorized by various 
sections of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, (7 U.S.C. 
1921 et seq.), as amended. The water and waste program provides loan 
funds for water and waste projects serving rural communities. Community 
facilities loans assist rural communities to develop facilities that 
are essential for their communities. Loans to Indian tribes or tribal 
corporations are offered for the acquisition of land within tribal 
reservations and Alaskan communities. The intermediary relending 
program provides loans to intermediary organizations to establish 
revolving loan funds that assist with rural economic and community 
development. The direct business and industry direct loan program 
provides funds to rural businesses that cannot get adequate financing 
from other sources.
    OMB Circular A-129, ``Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-
Tax Receivables'' requires that an agency will inform its loan 
applicants of the Federal government's debt collection policies and 
procedures prior to extending credit. The Circular states that further 
information on the implementation of credit management and debt 
collection can be found in the Treasury Financial Manual. A supplement 
to the Treasury Financial Manual requires that the Agency will ask the 
applicant to sign a debt collection certification statement to certify 
knowledge of the Government's policies. This certification statement 
details the consequences of delinquency on Federal loans.
    The Agencies will use Form RD 1910-11 to meet the requirements of 
OMB Circular A-129 and the supplement to the Treasury Financial Manual 
for the identified programs. This form will uniformly advise applicants 
of the debt collection methods that will be used in recovering 
delinquent or defaulted loans.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .167 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit organizations, not-for-
profit

[[Page 7750]]

institutions, public organizations and local or tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 135,000
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: $22,545
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Sam 
Spencer, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, Support Services 
Division, at (202) 720-9588.

Comments

    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 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 Sam 
Spencer, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, Support Services 
Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, STOP 0743, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-0743. 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 28, 1998.
Wally Beyer,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.

    Dated: January 30, 1998.
Dayton J. Watkins,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.

    Dated: February 3, 1998.
Jan E. Shadburn,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.

    Dated: February 6, 1998.
Keith Kelly,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 98-3872 Filed 2-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-U