[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66433-66434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26889]


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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 (RUS) 
invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends 
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 4, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. 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 part 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

[[Page 66434]]

1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an information collection that RUS 
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: Michele 
L. Brooks, Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural 
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence 
Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162 South Building, Washington, DC 20250-
1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078, FAX: (202) 720-8435.

Abstract

    The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the ``Recovery 
Act''), Congress appropriated $2.5 billion of budget authority for 
establishing the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) which may extend 
loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband 
deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of advanced 
communications services and infrastructure, the program will advance 
the objectives of the Recovery Act to spur job creation and stimulate 
long-term economic growth and opportunity.
    The collection of information for this program is vital to RUS to 
ensure compliance with the provisions of this Notice and to fulfill the 
requirements of the Recovery Act. In summary, the collection of 
information is necessary in order to implement this program.

1. Reporting and Registration Requirement Under Section 1512 of the 
Recovery Act

    a. This award requires the recipient to complete projects or 
activities which are funded under the Recovery Act and to report on use 
of Recovery Act funds provided through this award. Information from 
these reports will be made available to the public.
    b. The first report is due no later than ten calendar days after 
the initial calendar quarter in which the recipient receives the 
assistance award funded in whole or in part by the Recovery Act, or by 
October 10, 2009. Thereafter, reports shall be submitted no later than 
the tenth day after the end of each calendar quarter.
    c. Recipients and their first-tier recipients must maintain current 
registrations in the CCR (http://www.ccr.gov.) at all times during 
which they have active federal awards funded with Recovery Act funds. A 
DUNS number is one of the requirements for registration in the CCR.
    d. The recipient shall report the information described in section 
1512(c) using the reporting instructions and data elements that will be 
provided online at http://www.FederalReporting.gov, unless the 
information is pre-populated.

2. Agencies' Additional Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis

    Copies of all forms, regulations, and instructions referenced in 
this NOFA may be obtained from RUS. Data furnished by the applicants 
will be used to determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing 
the data is voluntary; however, the failure to provide data could 
result in program benefits being withheld or denied.
    The following estimates are based on the average over the past 
three years the program has been in place.
    Title: Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0142.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3.5 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for profits; not-for-profit 
institutions; and State, local, and Tribal.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 282.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.5.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 1,995.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours) on Respondents: 6,905.
    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: October 26, 2012.
John Charles Padalino,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-26889 Filed 11-2-12; 8:45 am]
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