[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 130 (Friday, July 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38600-38601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6031]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Rural Utilities Service

Farm Service Agency


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCIES: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 
Rural Utilities Service, and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed collection: comments request.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) and 
Rural Development, henceforth collectively known as Rural Development, 
or individually as Housing and Community Programs, Business and 
Cooperative Programs, Utility Programs, to request an extension for a 
currently approved information collection in support of compliance with 
applicable acts for planning and performing construction and other 
development work.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 5, 2006 to 
be assured consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry B. Fleming, Architect, Program 
Support Staff, RHS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 0761, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0761, Telephone (202) 
720-8547 or (202) 720-9619 or via e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: RD 1924-A, ``Planning and Performing Construction and Other 
Development''.
    OMB Number: 0575-0042.
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2006.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The information collection under OMB Number 0575-0042 
enables the Agencies to effectively administer the policies, methods, 
and responsibilities in the planning and performing of construction and 
other development work for the related construction programs.
    Section 501 of Title V of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended, 
authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to extend financial assistance 
to construct, improve, alter, repair, replace, or rehabilitate 
dwellings; farm buildings; and/or related facilities to provide decent, 
safe, and sanitary living conditions and adequate farm buildings and 
other structures in rural areas.
    Section 506 of the Act requires that all new buildings and repairs 
shall be constructed in accordance with plans and specifications as 
required by the Secretary and that such construction be supervised and 
inspected.
    Section 509 of the Act grants the Secretary the power to determine 
and prescribe the standards of adequate farm housing and other 
buildings. The Housing and Urban Rural Recovery Act of 1983 amended 
section 509(a) and section 515 to require residential buildings and 
related facilities comply with the standards prescribed by the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the standard prescribed by the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development, or the standards prescribed in any of 
the nationally recognized model building codes.
    Similar authorizations are contained in sections 303, 304, 306, and 
339 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, as amended, 
which authorized loans and grants for essential community services.
    In several sections of both acts, loan limitations are established 
as percentages of development costs, requiring careful monitoring of 
those costs. Also, the Secretary is authorized to prescribe regulations 
to ensure that Federal funds are not wasted or dissipated and that 
construction will be undertaken in an economic manner and will not be 
of elaborate or extravagant design or materials.
    The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is the credit Agency for rural 
water and wastewater development within Rural Development of the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Rural-Business-Cooperative 
Service (RBS) is the credit Agency for rural business development 
within Rural Development of USDA. These Agencies adopted use of forms 
in RD Instruction 1924-A. Information for their usage is included in 
this report.
    Other information collection is required to conform to numerous 
Public Laws applying to all Federal agencies, such as: Civil Rights 
Acts of 1964 and

[[Page 38601]]

1968, Davis-Bacon Act, Historic Preservation Act, Environmental Policy 
Act, and to conform to Executive Orders governing use of Federal funds. 
This information is cleared through the appropriate enforcing Agency or 
other executive Department.
    The Agencies provide forms and/or guidelines to assist in the 
collection and submission of information; however, most of the 
information may be collected and submitted in the form and content 
which is accepted and typically used in normal conduct of planning and 
performing development work in private industry when a private lender 
is financing the activity. The information is usually submitted via 
hand delivery or U.S. Postal Service to the appropriate Agency office. 
Electronic submittal of information is also possible through e-mail or 
USDA's Service Center eForms Web site.
    The information is used by the Agencies to determine whether a 
loan/grant can be approved, to ensure that the Agency has adequate 
security for the loans financed, to provide for sound construction and 
development work, and to determine that the requirements of the 
applicable acts have been met. The information is also used to monitor 
compliance with the terms and conditions of the Agencies' loan/grant 
programs and to monitor the prudent use of Federal funds.
    If the information were not collected and submitted, the Agencies 
would not have control over the type and quality of construction and 
development work planned and performed with Federal funds. The Agencies 
would not be assured that the security provided for loans is adequate, 
nor would the Agencies be certain that decent, safe, and sanitary 
dwelling or other adequate structures were being provided to rural 
residents as required by the different acts.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average .33 hours per response.
    Respondents: Individuals or households, farms, business or other 
for-profit, non-profit institutions, and small businesses or 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25,340.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 15.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 368,980.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 118,438 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Brigitte 
Sumter, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, at (202) 692-0042.

Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of 
the Agencies, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agencies' estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
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 Brigitte 
Sumter, Regulations and Paperwork Management Branch, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Stop 0742, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0742. 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: June 30, 2006.
Russell T. Davis,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.

    Dated: June 30, 2006.
David Rouzer,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.

    Dated: June 30, 2006.
Curtis Anderson,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.

    Dated: June 30, 2006.
John Williams,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 06-6031 Filed 7-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P