[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77477-77478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31865]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

December 7, 2011.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

[[Page 77478]]

Public Law 104-13. Comments regarding (a) whether the 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 burden including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (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 should 
be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured 
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this 
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 
(202) 720-8681.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Accounting Requirements for RUS Electric and 
Telecommunications Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0003.
    Summary of Collection: Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit 
agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that makes loans (direct 
and guaranteed) to finance electric and telecommunications facilities 
in rural areas. Currently, there are approximately 650 active electric 
borrowers and 500 RUS telecommunications borrowers. RUS does not own or 
operate rural electric facilities. Its function is to provide, through 
self-liquidating loans and technical assistance, adequate and 
dependable electric and telecommunications service to rural people 
under rates and conditions that permit productive use of these utility 
services. RUS borrowers, as all businesses, need accounting systems for 
their own internal use as well as external use. Such records are 
maintained as part of normal business practices. Without systems, no 
records would exist, for example, or what they own or what they owe. 
Such records systems provide borrowers with information that is 
required by the manager and board of directors to operate on a daily 
basis, to complete their tax returns, and to support requests to state 
regulatory commissions for rate approvals.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS collects information to 
evaluate a borrower's financial performance, to determine whether 
current loans are at risk, and to determine the credit worthiness of 
future loans. If basic financial records were not maintained, the 
borrower, its investors, and RUS would be unable to evaluate a 
borrower's financial performance.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 1,150.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On Occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 31,050.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-31865 Filed 12-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P