[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 179 (Wednesday, September 16, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49542-49543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24766]


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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 
 appearing in this section.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 179 / Wednesday, September 16, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49542]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

September 11, 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, D.C. 20503 and to 
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
D.C. 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.

Rural Development

    Title: Rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities 
(Application Process).
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0026.
    Summary of Collection: The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 amended the 
Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretaries of the Housing Urban 
Development (HUD) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to designate, 
respectively, 15 more urban and 5 more rural empowerment zones. Two 
sets of data are needed to comply with the statutory requirements; 
application data and ongoing reporting data. Rural Development (RD) 
will collect information using several reports.
    Need and Use of the Information: RD will collect information on 
poverty by census tract, unemployment and economic/social distress, 
overall population by tract, and geographic data as to size and 
configuration from applicants as a means of evaluating and selecting 
potential empowerment zones and enterprise communities. Applying for 
designation as an empowerment zone or enterprise community is a one-
time process.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 75.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (One time).
    Total Burden Hours: 3,750.

Rural Development

    Title: Rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities (Ongoing 
Reporting Requirements).
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0027.
    Summary of Collection: The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 amended the 
Internal Revenue Code to authorize the Secretaries of the Housing Urban 
Development (HUD) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to designate, 
respectively, 15 more urban and 5 more rural empowerment zones. Two 
sets of data are needed to comply with the statutory requirements; 
application data and ongoing reporting data. Rural Development (RD) 
will collect information using several reports.
    Need and Use of the Information: Once selected, the designees' 
progress reports provide management information for USDA, oversight 
information for the Vice President's Community Empowerment Board, and 
status reporting for Congress. The periodic reviews also provide the 
basis for USDA to continue or revoke a designation during the 10-year 
life of the federal program.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 38.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Semi-annually; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 761.

Agricultural Research Service

    Title: Patent License Application.
    OMB Control Number: 0518-0003.
    Summary of Collection: The USDA Patent Licensing Program grants 
patent licenses to qualified businesses and individuals who wish to 
commercialize inventions arising from federally supported research. The 
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) oversees licensing of federally 
owned inventions which must be done in accordance with the terms, 
conditions, and procedures prescribed under 37 CFR Part 404. 
Application information must be collected to identify the business or 
individual desiring the patent license along with a plan for the 
development and marketing of the invention and a description of the 
applicant's ability to fulfill the plan.
    Need and Use of the Information: ARS will collect identifying 
information on the applicant, identifying information for the business, 
and a detailed description for development and/or marketing of the 
invention using form AD-761. The information collected is used to 
determine whether the applicant has both a complete and sufficient plan 
for developing and marketing the invention and the necessary 
manufacturing, marketing, technical, and financial resources to carry 
out the submitted plan.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households: Not-for-profit institutions; Farms; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 75.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 225.

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

    Title: Guidelines for Preparation of Research Proposal.
    OMB Control Number: 0580-0014.

[[Page 49543]]

    Summary of Collection: The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration (GIPSA) is responsible for establishment of grain 
standards which accurately describe the quality of grain being traded 
and for the uniform application of these standards in a nationwide 
inspection system. This authority is provided under Section 4a of the 
U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). GIPSA maintains an external research 
program under which research scientists are invited to submit research 
grant proposals which include the objectives of the proposed work; 
application of the proposed work to the grain inspection system; the 
procedures, equipment, personnel, etc., that will be used to reach the 
project objectives; the cost of the project; a schedule for completion; 
qualifications of the investigator and the grantee organization; and a 
listing of all other sources of financial support for the project. 
GIPSA will collect information from research grant proposals.
    Need and Use of the Information: GIPSA collects information on the 
technical capabilities of project personnel and the submitting 
organization, past experience of project personnel and the submitting 
organization, clarity of the proposal, technical feasibility of the 
solution to the problem, ease of application of the solution to use in 
the grain inspection system and the cost effectiveness of the research 
approach.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government; 
Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 3.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 60.
Nancy Sternberg,
Departmental Information Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-24766 Filed 9-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M