[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27587-27588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12538]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of renewal of currently approved collection (OMB No. 
1006-0005).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment: Individual Landholder's and 
Farm Operator's Certification and Reporting Forms for Acreage 
Limitation, 43 CFR part 426 and 43 CFR part 428, OMB Control Number: 
1006-0005. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection 
and its expected cost and burden.

DATES: Your comments must be received on or before June 19, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any 
other aspect of the information collection, including suggestions for 
reducing the burden, to the Desk Officer for the Department of the 
Interior at the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, via facsimile at (202) 395-5806 or e-mail at 
[email protected]. A copy of your comments should also be 
directed to the Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: D-5200, PO Box 25007, 
Denver, CO 80225-0007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or a copy of 
the proposed forms contact Stephanie McPhee, D-5200, PO Box 25007, 
Denver, CO 80225-0007; or by telephone: (303) 445-2897.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Individual Landholder's and Farm Operator's Certification 
and Reporting Forms for Acreage Limitation, 43 CFR part 426 and 43 CFR 
part 428.
    Abstract: This information collection requires certain landholders 
(direct or indirect landowners or lessees) and farm operators to 
complete forms demonstrating their compliance with the acreage 
limitation provisions of Federal reclamation law. These forms are 
submitted to districts who use the information to establish each 
landholder's status with respect to landownership limitations, full-
cost pricing thresholds, lease requirements, and other provisions of 
Federal reclamation law. In addition, forms are submitted by certain 
farm operators to provide information concerning the services they 
provide and the nature of their farm operating arrangements.
    All landholders whose entire westwide landholdings total 40 acres 
or less are exempt from the requirement to submit Reclamation Reform 
Act of 1982 (RRA) forms. Landholders who are ``qualified recipients'' 
have RRA forms submittal thresholds of 80 acres or 240 acres depending 
on the district's RRA forms submittal threshold category where the land 
is held. Only farm operators who provide multiple services to more than 
960 acres held in trusts or by legal entities are required to submit 
forms. This collection of information allows the Bureau of Reclamation 
(we, our, or us) to establish landholders' compliance with Federal 
reclamation law.

[[Page 27588]]

Changes to the RRA Forms and the Instructions to Those Forms.

    Several proposed changes were made to the current RRA forms and the 
instructions to those forms prior to the 60-day comment period 
initiated by the notice published in the Federal Register on December 
27, 2002 (67 FR 79144, Dec. 27, 2002). Those changes were designed to 
increase the respondents' understanding of the forms, instructions to 
the forms, and what information is required to be submitted with the 
forms to the districts. Comments resulting from the 60-day comment 
period consisted of minor language additions, deletions, and revisions 
to specific areas of certain RRA forms. Such additions, deletions, and 
revisions reflected language found in current RRA directives and/or in 
other places within the current RRA forms. Changes based on the 
comments received were made when the changes resulted in increased 
clarity and increased correctness of the RRA forms and the 
corresponding instructions. All other changes that were made are 
editorial or typographical in nature. The proposed revisions to the RRA 
forms will be included starting in the 2004 water year.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Respondents: Landholders and farm operators of certain lands in our 
projects, whose westwide landholdings exceed specified RRA forms 
submittal thresholds.
    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 18,272.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.02.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 18,638.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 13,902 hours.
    Estimate of Burden for Each Form:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      Burden
                                     Estimated     Frequency of    Total annual    estimate per    Total burden
            Form No.                 number of       response        reponses        form  (in         hours
                                    respondents                                      minutes)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form 7-2180.....................           5,019            1.02           5,119              60           5,119
Form 7-2180EZ...................             503            1.02             513              45             385
Form 7-2181.....................           1,620            1.02           1,652              78           2,148
Form 7-2184.....................              38            1.02              39              45              29
Form 7-2190.....................           1,845            1.02           1,882              60           1,882
Form 7-2190EZ...................             109            1.02             111              45              83
Form 7-2191.....................             880            1.02             898              78           1,167
Form 7-2194.....................               4            1.02               4              45               3
Form 7-21PE.....................             188            1.02             192              66             211
Form 7-21PE-IND.................               5            1.02               5              12               1
Form 7-21TRUST..................           1,083            1.02           1,105              60           1,105
Form 7-21VERIFY.................           6,375            1.02           6,503              12           1,301
Form 7-21FC.....................             243            1.02             248              30             124
Form 7-21XS.....................             164            1.02             167              30              84
Form 7-21FARMOP.................             196            1.02             200              78             260
                                 -----------------
    Total.......................          18,272            1.02          18,638  ..............          13,902
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comments

    Comments are invited on:
    (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of our functions, including whether the 
information will have practical use;
    (b) The accuracy of our burden estimate for the proposed collection 
of information;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. Reclamation will display a valid 
OMB control number on the RRA forms. A Federal Register notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published in the Federal Register on December 27, 2002 
(67 FR 79144, Dec. 27, 2002). A list of the comments received and our 
responses to those comments will be sent to: (1) All districts, (2) all 
commenters, and (3) OMB with the ICR; it is also available from us upon 
request.
    OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove this information 
collection, but may respond after 30 days; therefore, public comment 
should be submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to assure maximum 
consideration.
    Department of the Interior practice is to make comments, including 
names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review. 
Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home address 
from public disclosure, which we will honor to the extent allowable by 
law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold a 
respondent's identity from public disclosure, as allowable by law. If 
you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all 
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.

    Dated: April 2, 2003.
Richard Rizzi,
Acting Director, Office of Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-12538 Filed 5-19-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P