[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43367-43368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21665]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Intent To Request a Revision of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States 
Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces 
the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) intention to 
request a revision to a currently approved information collection, 
Long-Term Contracting (7 CFR 630) Conservation Programs.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 13, 1998.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Marcella Graham, Agency OMB 
Clearance Officer, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. 
Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013-2890, (202) 720-5699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Long-Term Contracting Conservation Programs.
    OMB Number: 0578-0013.
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 1998.
    Type of Request: To continue, with change, a currently approved 
collection for which approval will expire.
    Abstract: The primary objective of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service is to work in partnership with the American people 
to conserve and sustain our natural resources. The purpose of Long-Term 
Contracting information collection is to provide for programs to extend 
cost sharing and technical assistance through Long-Term Contracts to 
landowners and others for making land use changes and to install 
measures to conserve, develop, and utilize the soil, water, and related 
natural resources on their lands. Federal financial and technical 
assistance is based on a conservation plan which is made a part of an 
agreement or contract for a period of time of no less than 5 years, nor 
anymore than 15 years. Under the terms of the agreement, the 
participant agrees to apply, or arrange to apply, the conservation 
treatment specified in the conservation plan. In return for this 
agreement, Federal cost-share payments are made to the land user, or 
third party, upon successful application of the conservation treatment.
    Information collected is used by the NRCS to ensure the proper 
utilization of program funds. The NRCS-LTP-001 or the CCC-1250 is the 
initial documents used by USDA program participants to indicate their 
desire to participate in one of the programs (7 CFR 622.20, 7 CFR 
624.9, 7 CFR 636.5, 7 CFR 752.5, and 7 CFR 1467.5). The NRCS-LTP-002 or 
the CCC-1251 is used by USDA participants to acknowledge their 
agreement to comply with the terms and conditions of the conservation 
plan for which they will receive cost-share assistance (7 CFR 622.3, 7 
CFR 624.10, 7 CFR 636.8, 7 CFR 752.8, and 7 CFR 1467.7(c)). The NRCS-
LTP-011 or CCC-1252, NRCS-LTP-11A or CCC-1252A, NRCS-LTP-11B or CCC-
1252B, NRCS-LTP-11BE, NRCS-LTP-11E, NRCS-LTP-12 or CCC-1253, and the 
NRCS-LTP-12E are used to record conservation treatment decisions made 
between eligible participants and USDA for a specified period of time, 
including practice/system operation and maintenance requirements for 
the applicable conservation program (7 CFR 622.3(c), 7 CFR 624.3(b), 7 
CFR 631.10, 7 CFR 632.21, 7 CFR 634.23, 7 CFR 636.7, 7 CFR 701.16, 7 
CFR 701.40, 7 CFR 702.7, 7 CFR 752.7, 7 CFR 1410.22, and 7 CFR 
1467.11). The NRCS-LTP-13 is used to record progress in applying the 
conservation plan, as well as needs for revision or modification of the 
conservation plan, and any need for follow-up assistance (7 CFR 
622.3(c), 7 CFR 624.4, 7 CFR 631.22, 7 CFR 632.23, 7 CFR 634.27(i), 7 
CFR 636.2(c), 7 CFR 701.24, 7 CFR 701.43, 7 CFR 702.21, 7 CFR 752.13, 7 
CFR 1410.55, and 7 CFR 1467.14). The NRCS-LTP-20 or CCC-1255, the 
Warranty Easement Deed, is the basic document used by a landowner to 
grant and convey to NRCS an easement with appurtenant rights of access 
to the easement area (7 CFR 1467.10). The NRCS-LTP-20A or the CCC-
1255A, the Option to Purchase is the equivalent of a real estate option

[[Page 43368]]

contract for purchasing land (7 CFR 1467.8). The NRCS-LTP-21 or CCC-
1256, the Subordination Agreement and Limited Lien Waiver is used to 
subordinate mortgages and obtain limited lien waivers, when applicable, 
to the United States with respect to any and all interests of the 
subordinating party in, or related to, the easement area (7 CFR 
1467.10(c). The NRCS-LTP-24 or CCC-1257, the Notification of Intent to 
Continue, is used by program applicants who have been notified of 
funding approval to indicate his/her intent to continue in the program 
(7 CFR 1467.7(b). NRCS will ask for 3-year OMB approval within 60 days 
of submitting the request.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 0.19 hours per response.
    Respondents: Farms, individuals, or households, or State, local, or 
Tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 893,770.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 170,109.
    Copies of this information collection and related instructions can 
be obtained without charge from Marcella Graham, the Agency OMB 
Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5699.
    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 the agency's estimate of 
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, such as through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technologic collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be 
sent to: Marcella Graham, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box 2890, 
Washington, DC 20013-2890.
    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.

    Signed at Washington, DC on August 6, 1998.
Gary R. Nordstrom,
Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 98-21665 Filed 8-12-98; 8:45 am]
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