[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 159 (Friday, August 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53560-53561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-20804]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends 
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 15, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Lamont Heppe, Jr., Director, 
Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 
1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 4036, South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-9550. Fax: (202) 720-
4120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) requires that interested members 
of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping activities [see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)]. This notice identifies an information collection that RUS 
is submitting to OMB for extension.
    Comments are invited on : (a) Whether this 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 
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 respondents, 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 F. Lamont Heppe, Jr., Director, 
Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Fax: (202) 720-4120.
    This Notice covers two information collection packages which RUS 
proposes to combine into one collection. The collection will then be 
revised to include additional items that have been identified as burden 
on the public. The two collections are summarized as follows:
    Title: Financial Requirements and Expenditure Statement, Electric.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0015.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This collection is necessary to comply with the 
applicable provisions of the RUS loan contract. Borrowers submit 
requisitions to RUS for funds for project costs incurred. Insured loan 
funds will be advanced only for projects which are included in the RUS 
approved borrower's construction workplan or approved amendment and in 
an approved loan, as amended. The process of loan advances establishes 
the beginning of the audit trail of the use of loan funds which is 
required for subsequent RUS compliance audits.
    The RUS Form 595 is used as a requisition for advances of funds. 
The form helps to assure that loan funds are advanced only for the 
budget purposes and amount approved by RUS. According to the applicable 
provisions of the RUS loan contract, borrowers must certify with each 
request for funds to be approved for advance, that such funds are for 
projects previously approved.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 11 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for 
profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 880.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 29,040 hours.
    Title: Inventory of Work Orders.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0019.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: When a prospective borrower requests and is granted an 
RUS loan, a loan contract is established between the Federal 
government, acting through the RUS Administrator, and the borrower. At 
the time this contract is entered into, the borrower must provide RUS 
with a list of projects for which loan funds will be spent, along with 
an itemized list of the estimated costs of these projects. Thus, the 
borrower receives a loan based upon estimated cost figures. RUS Form 
219, Inventory of Work Orders, is one of the documents

[[Page 53561]]

the borrower submits to RUS to support actual expenditures and an 
advance of loan funds. The form also serves as a connecting link and 
provides an audit trail that originates with the advance of funds and 
terminates with evidence supporting the propriety of expenditures for 
construction or retirement projects.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for 
profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 758.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,233 hours.
    As previously discussed, the Agency intends to combine these two 
information collections into one collection as follows:
    Title: Advance of Loan Funds and Budgetary Control and Other 
Related Burdens.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0015.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 4 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for 
profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 700.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 11.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 32,550 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Michele 
Brooks, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 690-1078. 
Fax: (202) 720-4120.
    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: August 9, 2002.
Hilda Gay Legg,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 02-20804 Filed 8-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P