[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 251 (Wednesday, December 31, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80361-80362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-31143]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 251 / Wednesday, December 31, 2008 / 
Notices  

[[Page 80361]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Notice of Intent To Revise a Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 
CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44977, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service's (CSREES) 
intention to revise a currently approved information collection 
entitled, ``Reporting Requirements for State Plans of Work for 
Agricultural Research and Extension Formula Funds.'' The only proposed 
change to the information collection is that the initial five year plan 
of work will no longer be required.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by March 2, 
2009 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket ID 
CSREES--FRDOC--0001, by any of the following methods: Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: http://regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments.
    E-mail: [email protected];
    Mail: Bart Hewitt, USDA/CSREES/OPA, STOP 2214, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2214;
    Fax: (202) 720-7714.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bart Hewitt, (202) 720-0747.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Reporting Requirements for State 
Plans of Work for Agricultural Research and Extension Formula Grants.
    OMB Number: 0524-0036.
    Expiration Date of Current Approval: May 31, 2009.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection for three years.
    Abstract: The purpose of this collection of information is to 
continue implementing the requirements of sections 202 and 225 of the 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 
(AREERA) which require that a plan of work must be submitted by each 
institution and approved by the Cooperative State Research, Education, 
and Extension Service (CSREES) before formula funds may be provided to 
the 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions. The formula funds are 
authorized under the Hatch Act for agricultural research activities at 
the 1862 land-grant institutions, under the Smith-Lever Act for the 
extension activities at the 1862 land-grant institutions, and under 
sections 1444 and 1445 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) for research and 
extension activities at the 1890 land-grant institutions. The plan of 
work must address critical agricultural issues in the State and 
describe the programs and projects targeted to address these issues 
using the CSREES formula funds. The plan of work also must describe the 
institution's multistate activities as well as their integrated 
research and extension activities.
    This collection of information also includes the reporting 
requirements of section 102(c) of AREERA for the 1862 and 1890 land-
grant institutions. This section requires the 1862, 1890, and 1994 
land-grant institutions receiving agricultural research, education, and 
extension formula funds from CSREES of the Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) to establish and implement processes for obtaining input from 
persons who conduct or use agricultural research, extension, or 
education concerning the use of such funds by October 1, 1999. Section 
102(c) further requires that the Secretary of Agriculture promulgate 
regulations that prescribe what the institutions must do to meet this 
requirement and the consequences of not complying with this 
requirement. See 65 FR 5993, Feb. 8, 2000 (7 CFR 3418) on Stakeholder 
Input Requirements for Recipients of Agricultural Research, Education, 
and Extension Formula Funds. This rule applies not only to the land-
grant institutions which receive formula funds but also to the 
veterinary and forestry schools that are not land-grant institutions 
but which receive forestry research funds under the McIntire-Stennis 
Act of 1962 and Animal Health and Disease Research funds under section 
1433 of the NARETPA. Failure to comply with the requirements of this 
rule may result in the withholding of a recipient institution's formula 
funds and redistribution of its share of formula funds to other 
eligible institutions. The institutions are required to annually report 
to CSREES: (1) The actions taken to seek stakeholder input to encourage 
their participation; (2) a brief statement of the process used by the 
recipient institution to identify individuals and groups who are 
stakeholders and to collect input from them; and (3) a statement of how 
collected input was considered. There is no legislatively prescribed 
form or format for this reporting requirement. However, the 1862 and 
1890 land-grant institutions are required to report on their 
Stakeholder Input Process annually as part of their Annual Report of 
Accomplishments and Results.
    Section 103(e) of AREERA requires that the 1862, 1890, and 1994 
land-grant institutions establish a merit review process, prior to 
October 1, 1999, in order to obtain agricultural research and extension 
funds. Section 104(h) of AREERA also stipulated that a scientific peer 
review process be established for research programs funded under 
section 3(c)(3) of the Hatch Act (commonly referred to as Hatch 
Multistate Research Funds).

I. Initial 5-Year Plan of Work

    Estimate of the Burden: The Initial 5-Year Plan of Work was 
submitted for the FY 2007-2011 Plan of Work in 2006. Thus, this 
reporting burden has been satisfied and will no longer be collected. 
Consequently, the total reporting and record keeping requirements for 
the submission of the ``Initial 5-Year Plan of Work'' is estimated to 
average 0 hours per response.

[[Page 80362]]

II. Annual Update to 5-Year Plan of Work

    Estimate of the Burden: The total reporting and record keeping 
requirements for the submission of the ``Annual Update to the 5-Year 
Plan of Work'' is estimated to average 64 hours per response. There are 
five components of this ``5-Year Plan of Work'': ``Planned Programs,'' 
``Stakeholder Input Process,'' ``Program Review Process,'' ``Multi-
state Activities,'' and ``Integrated Activities.''
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 75.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 150.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 9,600 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.

III. Annual Report of Accomplishments and Results

    Estimate of the Burden: The total annual reporting and record 
keeping requirements of the ``Annual Report of Accomplishments and 
Results'' is estimated to average 260 hours per response.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 75.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 150.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 39,000 hours.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually.
    Comments: 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.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of 
public record.
    Obtaining a Copy of the Information Collection: A copy of the 
information collection and related instructions may be obtained free of 
charge by contacting Bart Hewitt by telephone, (202) 720-0747, or by e-
mail, [email protected].

    Done in Washington, DC, this 23rd day of December 2008.
Joseph Dunn,
Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics.
[FR Doc. E8-31143 Filed 12-30-08; 8:45 am]
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