[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26487-26488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10747]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 87 / Friday, May 4, 2012 / Notices  

[[Page 26487]]



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 United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development administers rural utilities 
programs through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The USDA Rural 
Development invites comments on the following information collections 
for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 3, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Brooks, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural Development, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162, South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078. 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 information collections that RUS is 
submitting to OMB for extension.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether this 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 respondents, 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: Michele Brooks, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural Development, STOP 1522, 
1400 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250-1522. Fax: (202) 720-
8435.
    Title: Review Rating Summary, RUS Form 300, 7 CFR part 1730.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0025.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: RUS manages loan programs in accordance with the RE Act 
of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.). An important part of 
safeguarding loan security is to see that RUS financed facilities are 
being responsibly used, adequately operated, and adequately maintained. 
Future needs must be anticipated to ensure that facilities will 
continue to produce revenue and loans will be repaid as required by the 
RUS mortgage. A periodic operations and maintenance (O&M) review, using 
the RUS Form 300, in accordance with 7 CFR part 1730, is an effective 
means for RUS to determine whether the Borrowers' systems are being 
properly operated and maintained, thereby protecting the loan 
collateral. The O&M review is also used to rate facilities and can be 
used for appraisals of collateral as prescribed by OMB Circular A-129, 
Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 4 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 217.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 868 hours.
    Title: Deferment of Rural Development Utilities Programs Loan 
Payments for Rural Development Projects.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0097.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Deferment of Rural Development Utilities Programs 
Loan Payments for Rural Development Projects allows RUS electric and 
telecommunications borrowers to defer the payment of principal and 
interest on any insured or direct loan made under the Rural 
Electrification Act (RE Act) of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 912). The 
purpose of the Deferment program is to encourage borrowers to invest in 
and promote rural development and rural job creation projects that are 
based on sound economic and financial analyses. This program is 
administered through 7 CFR 1703, subpart H. The burden required by this 
collection consists of information that will allow the Agency to 
determine eligibility for deferment; specific purposes of the 
deferment; the term of the deferment; cost of the project and degree of 
participation from other sources; and compliance with Agency 
regulations and other regulations and legal requirements.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.23 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for Profit and Not-for profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 9.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11 hours.
    Title: State Telecommunications Modernization Plan.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0104.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: This information collection requirement stems from 
passage of the Rural Electrification Loan Restructuring Act (RELRA, 
Pub. L. 103-129) on November 1, 1993, which amended the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq. (the RE Act). RELRA 
requires that a State Telecommunications Modernization Plan 
(Modernization Plan), covering at a minimum the Rural Utilities Service 
(RUS) borrowers in the state, be established in a state or RUS cannot 
make hardship or concurrent cost-of-money and Rural Telephone Bank 
(RTB)

[[Page 26488]]

loans for construction in that state. It is the policy of RUS that 
every State has a Modernization Plan which provides for the improvement 
of the State's telecommunications network. A proposed Modernization 
plan must be submitted to RUS for approval. RUS will approve a proposed 
Modernization Plan if it conforms to the provisions of 7 CFR part 1751, 
subpart B.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 350 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 350.
    Title: Mergers and Consolidations of Electric Borrowers, 7 CFR 
1717, subpart D.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0114.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq.), as amended (RE Act) authorizes and empowers the Administrator of 
RUS to make and guarantee loans to furnish and improve electric service 
in rural areas. Due to deregulation and restructuring activities in the 
electric industry, RUS borrowers find it advantageous to merge or 
consolidate to meet the challenges of industry change. This information 
collection addresses the requirements of RUS policies and procedures 
for mergers and consolidations of electric program borrowers.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.32 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profits; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 10.8.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 170.
    Title: Use of Consultants Funded by Borrowers, 7 CFR part 1789.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0115.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 18(c) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
(RE Act), as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) authorizes RUS to utilize 
consultants voluntarily funded by Borrowers for financial, legal, 
engineering and other technical services. Consultants may be utilized 
to facilitate timely action on loan applications submitted to RUS by 
Borrowers for financial assistance and for approvals required by RUS, 
pursuant to the terms of outstanding loans, or otherwise. RUS may not 
require Borrowers to fund consultants and the provision of section 
18(c) may be utilized only at the Borrower's request. The collection of 
information from the Borrower allows RUS to evaluate the request and to 
implement RUS policies and procedures for the use of consultants funded 
by RUS Borrowers. The collection of information is required only when a 
Borrower submits a request for the services of a consultant and 
consists of a summary, project description and information concerning 
the project or proposal for which the Borrower is requesting consultant 
services.
    Estimate of Burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for-
profit entities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2 hours.
    Title: Extensions of Payments of Principal and Interest.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0123.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: This collection of information describes information 
procedures which borrowers must follow in order to request extensions 
of principal and interest. Authority for these is contained in section 
12 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (REAct), as amended and in 
section 236 of the ``Disaster Relief Act of 1970'' (Pub. L. 91-606), as 
amended by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 
(Pub. L. 103-354). Eligible purposes include financial hardship, energy 
resource conservation (ERC) loans, renewable energy projects, 
distributed generation projects, and contribution-in-aid of 
construction. These procedures are codified at 7 CFR part 1721, subpart 
B.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 4.71 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 45.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 424 hours.
    Title: 7 CFR 1728, Electric Standards and Specifications for 
Materials and Construction.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0131.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: RUS provides loans and loan guarantees in accordance with 
the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as 
amended, (RE Act). Section 4 of the RE Act requires that the Agency 
make or guarantee a loan only if there is reasonable assurance that the 
loan, together with all outstanding loans and obligations of the 
Borrower, will be repaid in full within the time agreed. In order to 
facilitate the programmatic interests of the RE Act and, in order to 
assure that loans made or guaranteed by the Agency are adequately 
secure, RUS, as a secured lender, has established certain standards and 
specifications for materials, equipment, and the construction of 
electric systems. The use of standards and specifications for 
materials, equipment and construction units helps assure the Agency 
that: (1) Appropriate standards and specifications are maintained; (2) 
RUS loan security is not adversely affected, and; (3) Loan and loan 
guarantee funds are used effectively and for the intended purposes. 7 
CFR part 1728 establishes Agency policy that materials and equipment 
purchased by RUS Electric Borrowers or accepted as contractor-furnished 
material must conform to Agency standards and specifications where 
established and, if included in RUS Publication IP 202-1, ``List of 
Materials Acceptable for Use on Systems of Agency Electrification 
Borrowers'' (List of Materials), must be selected from that list or 
must have received technical acceptance from RUS.
    Estimate of Burden: This collection of information is estimated to 
average 20 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profits.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 38.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.63.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,000 hours.

    Dated: April 26, 2012
Jonathan Adelstein,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-10747 Filed 5-3-12; 8:45 am]
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