[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37315-37316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18431]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection for the 
Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP)

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service announces its intent to seek extension of the approval 
of an existing information collection authorized under Office of 
Management and Budget number 0596-0120. Several Forest Service 
information collection forms are approved under this authorization 
number: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment; SIP 211, Power of Attorney; SIP 
211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife; and SIP 502, Payment 
Limitation Review. Non-industrial private forest owners complete these 
forms to participate in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry 
Stewardship Incentive Program.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before September 8, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: Stewardship 
Coordinator, Cooperative Forestry Staff, mail stop 1123, Forest 
Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Stein, Cooperative Forestry 
Staff, at (202) 205-0837.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is seeking extension of 
the approval of an existing information collection authorized under 
Office of Management and Budget number 0596-0120. Several Forest 
Service information collection forms are approved under this 
authorization number: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment; SIP 211, Power of 
Attorney; SIP 211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife; and SIP 
502, Payment Limitation Review. An additional form, AD-245, SIP Request 
for Cost-Shares, formerly named SIP 245, SIP Request for Cost-Shares, 
also must be completed by non-industrial private forest owners. A 
separate request for extension of approval of form AD-245 is being 
processed by the Farm Service Agency departmental request for 
extensions of information collections authorized under Office of 
Management and Budget approval number 0560-0082. The Forest Service and 
the Farm Service Agency cooperatively administer the Forest Service 
State and Private Forestry Stewardship Incentive Program.
    Non-industrial private forest owners complete these forms to 
participate in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry 
Stewardship Incentive Program. The collected information identifies 1) 
the Stewardship Incentive Program assignment of payment, 2) Internal 
Revenue Service income

[[Page 37316]]

reporting requirements for participants; and 3) the participants' 
delegated Power of Attorney.
    All collected information is used by the Forest Service and the 
Farm Service Agency to facilitate non-industrial private forest owner 
participation in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry 
Stewardship Incentive Program.
    Data gathered in this information collection is not available from 
other sources.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be extended:
    Title: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment.
    OMB Number: 0596-0120.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
    Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Non-industrial private forest owners complete SIP 36, 
Assignment of Payment, when they want to assign a cost-share payment to 
a third party. The information requested includes the payment amount 
assigned and the names, addresses, and signatures of the assignor and 
the assignee.
    Estimate of burden. 10 minutes.
    Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,333 hours.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be extended:
    Title: SIP 211, Power of Attorney.
    OMB Number: 0596-0120.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
    Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The non-industrial private forest landowner completes SIP 
211, Power of Attorney, to grant a power of attorney. The landowner 
indicates on this form whether the Power of Attorney is being granted 
for (1) all actions, (2) the signing of an application, (3) the 
receiving of payments, (4) the pledge of agreements, (5) the making of 
reports, or (6) ``other.'' It is signed by the landowner and witnesses.
    Estimate of burden: 5 minutes.
    Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,667 hours.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be extended:
    Title: SIP 211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife.
    OMB Number: 0596-0120.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
    Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Participants, who are husband and wife and who wish to 
grant each other a Power of Attorney, must complete SIP 211-1, Power of 
Attorney for Husband and Wife. Both the husband and wife print and sign 
their names on the form.
    Estimate of burden: 5 minutes.
    Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,667 hours.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be extended:
    Title: SIP 502, Payment Limitation Review.
    OMB Number: 0596-0120.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
    Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: To ensure they have not exceeded the cost-share payment 
limit for a fiscal year, non-industrial private forest owners complete 
SIP 502, Payment Limitation Review. A landowner is not allowed to 
receive more than $10,000 in Stewardship Incentive Program cost-share 
payments in a single fiscal year. Program participants provide their 
name and address, entity identification number, and the date the entity 
was formed. They also indicate whether they are an individual, an 
irrevocable trust, a revocable trust, a corporation, a limited 
partnership, a general partnership, a joint venture, an estate, or 
``other.'' Participants also list all stockholders, members, heirs, or 
beneficiaries having an interest in the entity.
    Estimate of burden: 25 minutes.
    Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1 per form.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,333 hours.

Comment is Invited

    The agency invites comments on the following: (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 the 
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 the respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

Use of comments

    All comments received in response to this notice, including name 
and address when provided, will become a matter of public record. 
Comments received in response to this notice will be summarized and 
included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: July 1, 1998.
Robert Lewis, Jr.,
Acting Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 98-18431 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 am]
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