[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 83 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 25564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6521]


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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 an agency 
delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development 
Utilities Programs, invites comments on this information collection for 
which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be 
requested.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 30, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard C. Annan, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural Development, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 5818 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202)720-0784. Fax: (202)720-
8435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR 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 USDA 
Rural Development is submitting to OMB for extension.
    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 the 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, 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: Richard 
C. Annan, Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA 
Rural Development, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, 
DC 20250-1522. FAX: (202)720-8435.
    Title: 7 CFR Part 1717, Settlement of Debt Owed by Electric 
Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0116.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection package.
    Abstract: USDA Rural Development, through the Rural Utilities 
Service, makes mortgage loans and loan guarantees to electric systems 
to provide and improve electric service in rural areas pursuant to the 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) 
(RE Act). This information collection requirement stems from passage of 
Public Law 104-127, on April 4, 1996, which amended section 331(b) of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) 
to extend to USDA Rural Development the Secretary of Agriculture's 
authority to settle debts with respect to loans made or guaranteed by 
USDA Rural Development. Only those electric borrowers that are unable 
to fully repay their debts to the Government and who apply to USDA 
Rural Development for relief will be affected by this information 
collection.
    The collection will require only that information which is 
essential for determining: the need for debt settlement; the amount of 
relief that is needed; the amount of debt that can be repaid; the 
scheduling of debt repayment; and, the range of opportunities for 
enhancing the amount of debt that can be recovered. The information to 
be collected will be similar to that which any prudent lender would 
require to determine whether debt settlement is required and the amount 
of relief that is needed. Since the need for relief is expected to vary 
substantially from case to case, so will the required information 
collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3,000 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions and other businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 3,000 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Joyce 
McNeil, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis at (202)720-0812. 
FAX: (202)720-8435.
    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: April 24, 2006.
James M. Andrew,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-6521 Filed 4-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P