[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46745-46749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23649]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 170 / Wednesday, September 2, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 46745]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 28, 1998.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (a) whether the 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 including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (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 should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to 
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are 
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of 
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling (202) 720-6746.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: 1998 Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey (FRIS) 
is an integral part of the 1997 Census of Agriculture and is conducted 
under the Authority of the Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 (Public 
Law 105-113). This law requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to conduct a Census of 
Agriculture in 1998 and every fifth year following 1998. Agricultural 
irrigation is the largest single use of available U.S. water supplies, 
accounting for more than two-thirds of all ground-water withdrawals and 
more than 84 percent of all consumptive uses. Therefore, high quality 
data on agricultural water use are needed to help public and private 
sector officials understand and manage this important national 
resource. NASS collects information using the FRIS.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information from 
the FRIS on acres irrigated by land use category, acres and yields of 
irrigated and nonirrigated crops, quantity of water applied and method 
of application to selected crops, acres irrigated and quantity of water 
used by source, acres irrigated by type of water distribution systems, 
and number of irrigation wells and pumps. The primary purpose of FRIS 
is to provide detailed data relating to on-farm irrigation activities 
for use in preparing a wide variety of water-related programs, economic 
models, legislative initiatives, market analyses, and feasibility 
studies. The absence of FRIS data would certainly affect irrigation 
policy decisions.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 14,333.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: 1998 Census of Horticultural Specialties.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The census of horticultural specialties is 
one of a series of census special studies for the Census of Agriculture 
which provides more detailed statistics relating to a specific subject. 
The census of horticultural specialties is an integral part of the 1997 
Census of Agriculture and is conducted under the authority of the 
Census of Agriculture Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-113). The law 
requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the National Agricultural 
Statistics Service (NASS) to conduct a Census of Agriculture in 1998 
and every fifth year following 1998. Horticulture is one of the fastest 
growing segments in the agriculture sector. Horticultural crops are 
high value crops which farmers could grow to diversify their farming 
operations, but more information about them is needed. Horticultural 
operations are large consumers of pesticides and other chemicals, so 
research funding is critical to this industry to develop more effective 
horticultural chemicals or plants that are resistant to common 
diseases. NASS will collect information on horticulture using data from 
the census.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information from 
the number and value of plants grown and sold, the value of land, 
buildings, machinery and equipment, selected production expenses, 
irrigation, marketing channels, hired labor, area used for production, 
and type of structure. The primary objective of the horticultural 
specialties census is to obtain a comprehensive and detailed picture of 
the horticultural sector of the economy. Without the census of 
horticultural specialties, government policy makers and planners would 
lack valuable information needed to accomplish their missions.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 47,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 48,371.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Childhood Agricultural Injury.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics 
Service's (NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue State and 
National estimates of crop and livestock production. NASS has been 
asked by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 
(NIOSH), to conduct a childhood agricultural injury study. Injuries to 
children living, working, or visiting farms are the focus of a special 
NIOSH

[[Page 46746]]

initiative directed by Congress. A major problem in planning injury 
prevention programs for these children is the lack of surveillance 
data, especially for those injuries that are nonfatal. For the study, 
an injury is defined as any condition that results in one-half day or 
more of restricted activity (child missed school, could not perform 
normal activities, missed work). A childhood agricultural injury is 
defined as any injury meeting this definition that occurred on the farm 
property (including homestead), or occurred while performing work, 
either on the farm or off the farm, associated with the farm business. 
NASS will collect information using a survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on 
the estimates of annual childhood agricultural injury incidence rates, 
annual injury frequencies, and descriptive injury information for 
children living on, working on, or visiting on farming operations in 
the United States. Data from the survey will provide a source of 
consistent information which NIOSH can effectively target funds 
appropriated by Congress for the prevention of childhood agricultural 
injuries.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 42,500.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 2,125.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: 7 CFR 319.76 Exotic Bee Diseases and Parasites, 7 CFR 322 
Honeybees and Honeybee Semen.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0072
    Summary of Collection: The Honeybee Act of 1922 (Title 7, Chapter 
11) was created to prevent the introduction and spread of diseases and 
parasites harmful to honeybees, and the introduction of genetically 
undesirable plasm of honeybees. The introduction and establishment of 
new honeybee diseases, parasites, and undesirable honeybee strains in 
the United States could cause multimillion dollar losses to American 
agriculture. Diseases and parasites can weaken or kill honeybees, 
thereby causing substantial reductions in the production of honey and 
other honeybee products, as well as a reduction in pollination 
activity. Section 281c of the Honeybee Act provides that honeybees and 
honeybee semen can only be imported into the United States under rules 
and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Anyone who seeks to 
import honeybees, honeybee semen, or articles that could harbor 
diseases or parasites of honeybees must apply to APHIS for an import 
permit. APHIS will collect various pieces of information concerning the 
nature and point of origin of the items to be imported using a number 
of forms and documents.
    Need and Use the Information: APHIS will collect information from 
importers such as name, address, telephone number; the quantity and 
kinds of articles intended for import; the amount of semen to be 
imported; the species or subspecies of honeybee from which the semen 
was collected; the country or locality or origin; the intended port of 
entry in the United States; the means of transportation; and the 
expected date of arrival. The information is needed to determine if the 
honeybee semen or restricted articles are eligible for importation into 
the United States, and under what conditions (i.e., necessary 
treatment, appropriate shipping containers, proper port of entry, 
etc.).
    Discription of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Farms; Federal Government; State, Local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 91.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 31.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Requisition for Food Coupon Books.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0022.
    Summary of Collection: The Food Stamp Act of 1977 requires the 
Secretary and the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to prescribe 
appropriate procedures for the delivery of food coupon books to coupon 
issuers and for the subsequent controls to be placed over such coupons 
by coupon issuers in order to ensure adequate accountability. The 
regulations at 7 CFR 274.7 and 274.8 require State agencies to 
establish coupon inventory management systems which include proper 
control and security procedures as well as procedures for ordering 
coupon books and shipping books within the State. These procedures also 
provide an orderly mechanism for States to order new supplies of food 
coupon books. FNS will collect information using Form FNS-260, 
Requisition of Food Coupon Books, to determine what State needs 
additional coupon books and the details of their order.
    Need and Use of the Information: FNS will collect information to 
determine how many coupon books to order, what denominations and when 
to order more coupon books in order to provide State agencies with 
inventories that will be adequate to issue program benefits to 
households on a monthly basis.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of respondents: 1,000.
    Frequency or Responses: Reporting: On Occasion.
    total Burden Hours: 3,000.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals and 
Free Milk.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0026.
    Summary of Collection: The Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Act of 1996, Public Law 104-193, was enacted on August 22, 
1996. This statute amended the National School Lunch Act to remove all 
references to the automatic free meal eligibility of children from 
assistance units receiving benefits under Aid to Families with 
Dependent Children (AFDC). In its place, Congress established automatic 
eligibility for children receiving benefits under the State program 
funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (generally 
known as Temporary Assistance of Needy Families (TANF)), provided that 
the eligibility criteria for the State's TANF program are comparable to 
or more restrictive than the standards for the AFDC program it 
replaced. Because States have latitude in the way they administer TANF, 
the Secretary is requesting State agencies, in cooperation with the 
agency administering TANF, to make comparison and inform the Secretary 
of their determination.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Food and Nutrition Service 
(FNS) is requiring each State agency to notify the appropriate FNS 
regional office, in writing, whether the TANF program in their State is 
comparable to or more restrictive than their AFDC program, and indicate 
the information used to make the comparison. This information is 
required in order to facilitate the delivery of the Federal benefits to 
eligible beneficiaries.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Not-for-
profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 4,260,648.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Biennially; 
Annually; Other (Triennially).
    Total Burden Hours: 1,028,149.

Risk Management Agency

    Title: Multiple Peril Crop Insurance.
    OMB Control Number: 0563-0053.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation 
(FCIC) provides for a nationwide crop insurance program. The Federal 
Crop

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Insurance Act, as amended in 1994 and 1996, established the crop 
insurance program to be the principal tool for risk management by 
producers of farm products. The current regulations and insurance 
provisions require the collection of a wide range of information 
through various forms that are categorized as either sales documents or 
notices of damage and claim. The information collected is used in part 
to establish insurance coverage, premiums, payments, indemnities and 
allow for other program and administrative operations. The Risk 
Management Agency (RMA) on behalf of FCIC is proposing to modify 
regulations implementing the Grape Crop Insurance Provisions. The 
proposed changes will (1) Allow grape producers in Idaho, Oregon, and 
Washington to select one price election and one coverage level for each 
varietal group specified in the Special Provisions; and (2) provide 
year-round coverage in California, Idaho, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas 
and Washington for insureds with no break in coverage from the prior 
crop year. No changes are proposed to the existing forms and no 
additional burden is anticipated due to these proposed changes.
    Need and Use of the Information: The current regulations and 
insurance provisions require the collection of a wide range of 
information that is used to in part to establish insurance coverage, 
premiums, payments, indemnities and allow for other program and 
administrative operations. This information is also used to create an 
information data base to support continued development and improvements 
in crop insurance products available to producers and to strengthen the 
insurance program overall.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 4,514.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,092,849.

Risk Management Agency

    Title: Multiple Peril Crop Insurance.
    OMB Control Number: 0563-0053.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation 
(FCIC) provides for a nationwide crop insurance program. The Federal 
Crop Insurance Act, as amended in 1994 and 1996, established the crop 
insurance program to be the principal tool for risk management by 
producers of farm products. The current regulations and insurance 
provisions require the collection of a wide range of information 
through various forms that are categorized as either sales documents or 
notices of damage and claim. The information collected is used in part 
to establish insurance coverage, premiums, payments, indemnities and 
allow for other program and administrative operations. The Risk 
Management Agency (RMA) on behalf of FCIC is proposing to modify 
regulations implementing the Cotton and ELS Cotton Crop Insurance 
Provisions. The proposed changes will (1) Provide a replant payment; 
(2) revise the provision used to determine the amount of production to 
count for cotton and ELS cotton that is eligible for quality 
adjustments; and (3) provide a prevented planting coverage level of 50 
percent for cotton and ELS cotton for the 1999 and subsequent crop 
years. The burden associated with this collection will decrease due to 
fewer insured and respondents.
    Need and Use of the Information: The current regulations and 
insurance provisions require the collection of a wide range of 
information that is used in part to establish insurance coverage, 
premiums, payments, indemnities and allow for other program and 
administrative operations. This information is also used to create an 
information data base to support continued development and improvements 
in crop insurance products available to producers and to strengthen the 
insurance program overall.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,599,244.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,126,103.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Wildlife Damage.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0217.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics 
Service's (NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue current 
official state and national estimates of crop and livestock production, 
disposition, and prices. Auxiliary services such as statistical 
consultation, data collection, summary tabulation, and analysis are 
performed for other Federal and state agencies on a reimbursable basis 
as the need arises. NASS has entered into an agreement with the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) to conduct nationwide 
sample surveys of selected fruit, nut and berry producers for the 
purpose of assessing the true incidence, extent, specific cause, and 
monetary value of agricultural product and resource losses caused by 
vertebrate wildlife. APHIS and NASS have entered into this agreement in 
direct response to specific recommendations to APHIS by the National 
Animal Damage Control Advisory Committee (NADCAC) in recognition of the 
present lack of current information available to the APHIS' Wildlife 
Service, for use in strategic planning. NASS will collect information 
using a sampling survey.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on 
the development of valid statistical data reflecting the percentage of 
fruit, nut, and berry growers experiencing losses of products or 
resources and the total dollar losses at the national level caused by 
vertebrate wildlife. Goals of the survey are to assess the agricultural 
community's use and name recognition of the Wildlife Service program at 
a regional level, and provide accurate measurement of wildlife damage 
to agricultural products for use in long range planning and fund 
allocation.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 15,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 1,875.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Implementation of Preferred Lender Program and Streamlining 
of Guaranteed Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0155.
    Summary of Collection: The Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (CONACT) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make and 
service loans guaranteed by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to eligible 
farmers and ranchers. The Secretary is authorized to define the 
character, scope, and frequency of information required to be 
collected. The law requires that certain policies be verified by FSA to 
assure that farmers and ranchers, joint operators, farm cooperatives, 
private domestic corporations and partnerships that are controlled by 
farmers and ranchers engaged primarily and directly in farming or 
ranching in the United States comply with such policies in order to 
obtain the requested assistance. FSA will use several forms to collect 
information from lenders and loan applicants.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information on 
the characteristics of the borrower, the purpose for which loan funds 
will be sued, the proposed security for the loan, and the proposed 
terms and conditions of the loan request, verification of debt and 
income, cash flow, financial and production history. This information 
collection pertains primarily to the gathering of data to secure and

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document decisions regarding FSA guaranteed farm loans.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 16,750.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Semi-annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 197,962.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Mink Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0212.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics 
Service's (NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue state and 
national estimates of crop and livestock production. Statistics on mink 
production are published for the 15 major states that account for 95 
percent of the U.S. production. Estimates for the remaining States are 
published in a combined ``all other states'' category. There is no 
other source for this type of information. General authority for these 
data collection activities is granted under U.S. Code Title 7, Section 
2204. This statute specifies that ``The Secretary of Agriculture shall 
procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture which can 
be obtain * * * by the collecting of statistics * * * and shall 
distribute them among agriculturists''. NASS will use a survey to 
collect information.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collect information on 
mink pelts produced by color, number of females bred to produce kits 
the following year, number of mink farms, average marketing price, and 
the value of pelts produced. The data is disseminated by NASS in the 
Mink Report and is used by the U.S. Government and other special 
interest groups.
    Description of Respondents: Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 425.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 71.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

    Title: Livestock Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0535-0005.
    Summary of Collection: The National Agricultural Statistics 
Service's (NASS) primary function is to prepare and issue current 
official State and National estimates of crop and livestock production. 
General authority for data collection is granted under U.S. Code, Title 
7, Section 2204. This statute specifies that ``The Secretary of 
Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning 
agriculture which can be obtain * * * by the collection of statistics * 
* * and shall distribute them among agriculturists.'' The Livestock 
survey is conducted annually to estimate livestock totals at state and 
county levels. Information from federally and non-federally inspected 
slaughter plants is used to estimate total red meat production. NASS 
will use a survey to collect information.
    Need and Use of the Information: NASS will collection information 
on the number of head slaughtered plus live and dressed weights of 
beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, goats, and equine. Accurate and timely 
livestock estimates provide USDA and the livestock industry with basic 
data to project future meat supplies and producer prices. Agricultural 
economists in both the public and private sectors use this information 
in economic analysis and research.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Not for profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 43,184.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Weekly; Monthly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 21,659.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Certification of Use or Nonuse of Insecticide/Herbicide or 
Other Growth Regulators on Peanuts.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Provisions of the peanut poundage quota 
program are issued in accordance with the Agricultural Adjustment Act 
of 1938 and are applicable to the 1996 through 2002 crops of peanuts. 
In accordance with program provisions found at 7 CFR Part 729, peanut 
producers must certify if growth regulators has been used on the crop 
of peanuts planted. FSA will collect information regarding this 
certification using form FSA 1016.
    Need and Use of the Information: FSA will collect information to 
monitor and enforce the requirements for entering peanuts into the 
domestic edible market. The information collected will be used by FSA 
State and County office personnel as proof of use or nonuse of growth 
regulators on peanuts. In the event a violation occurs where the 
producer certifies to not using the growth regulators and the peanuts 
are later discovered to have been produced in violation of the 
certification, the completed (certified) form will be sued by FSA, the 
Agricultural Marketing Service, and the Applicable Peanut Area 
Associations, which are contractors of the agency, to determine penalty 
amounts, if applicable, or any other appropriate actions. Producers 
found in violation of the certification will not be eligible for price 
support and the subject peanuts will not be allowed to enter the 
domestic edible market.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 59,437.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 10,104.
    Emergency approval for this information collection has been 
requested by August 31, 1998.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Verification of Debts and Assets.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0166.
    Summary of Collection: The Federal Claims Collection Standards (4 
CFR part 101 through 105) in conjunction with the provisions of 7 CFR 
part 1956, subpart B, provide authority for the Farm Service Agency 
(FSA) to access confidential financial data to document the propriety 
of the agency's decision to forgive debt. The Office of the Inspector 
General (OIG) has noted that FSA debt settlement policies and 
procedures do not address the verification of cash, bank deposits, 
investments and other current assets. 7 CFR part 1956 subpart B 
requires a borrower that has requested debt settlement to provide 
accurate and complete financial information. Accordingly, FSA form 440-
32 has been modified to collect this information.
    Need And Use Of The Information: FSA will collect information using 
form FSA 440-32 to verify assets in consideration of requests for debt 
forgiveness. The local servicing officials who are preparing the debt 
settlement application and its supporting documents will include the 
information provided on this form, if any, in their analysis of the 
validity of the borrower's settlement offer. This will reduce the 
likelihood of the government forgiving debt when the debtor has the 
ability to pay a portion.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms; 
Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 43,310.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 11,411.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

    Title: Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate 
Fellowships Grants Program Application Guidelines.
    OMB Control Number: 0524-0024.
    Summary of Collection: The Office of Higher Education Programs 
(HEP), Science and Education Resources Division (SERD), Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), conducts a 
program of competitive institutional graduate fellowships grants to 
help meet the Nation's needs for food and agricultural

[[Page 46749]]

scientific and professional expertise. These fellowships are intended 
to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete a graduate 
degree in an area of the food and agricultural sciences for which 
development of scientific expertise is designated by HEP-CSREES as a 
national need. This program is authorized by section 1417(b)(6) of the 
National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977. CSREES will collect information using several forms before grants 
can be awarded.
    Need And Use Of The Information: CSREES will collect information on 
the identification of the national needs to be addressed, description 
of the fellow's proposed program study, description of the 
institution's academic and research competencies, plans for recruiting 
fellows, pertinent faculty vitae, a budget request, and other relevant 
information. The purposes of the information requested are for USDA 
recordkeeping, proposal evaluation, and administration of the National 
Needs Graduate Fellowships Grants Programs. Some of the information 
will be used to respond to inquiries from Congress, other Government 
agencies, and the grantee community.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; 
Individuals or households; State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 400.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 9,458.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Environment Monitoring Form.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0117.
    Summary of Collection: The mission of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) is to provide leadership in ensuring the 
health and care of animals and plants, to improve agricultural 
productivity and competitiveness, and to contribute to the national 
economy and the public health. The National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq, and the regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality, which implements the procedural aspects of NEPA 
(40 CFR 1500-1508) requires APHIS to implement environmental monitoring 
for certain activities conducted for pest and disease, control and 
eradication programs. APHIS Form 2060, Environmental Monitoring Form, 
will be used to collect information concerning the effects of pesticide 
use in sensitive habitats.
    Need And Use Of The Information: APHIS will collect information on 
the kind of pesticide used, the date of application, the location where 
samples are collected, a description of the samples, and the 
environmental conditions at the collection site including wind speed 
and direction, temperature, humidity, amount of rainfall, and 
topography. The supporting information contained on the APHIS Form 2060 
is vital for interpreting the laboratory test APHIS conducts on 
collected samples. Also if a given sample was not accompanied by the 
form, APHIS would have no way of knowing which site the sample was 
taken.
    Description of Respondents: Federal Government; Individual or 
households; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 15.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 150.
Nancy B. Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-23649 Filed 9-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M