[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24151-24152]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09569]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 18, 2013.
    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, 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 
and other forms of information technology.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by May 24, 
2013 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office Building, 
725 - 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Commentors are encouraged 
to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. 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.

Forest Service

    Title: Bid for Advertised Timber.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0066.
    Summary of Collection: Individuals, large and small businesses, and 
corporations who wish to purchase timber or forest products from the 
National Forest must enter into a timber sale contract or Forest 
product contract with the Forest Service (FS). Information must be 
collected by FS in order to ensure that: National Forest System timber 
is sold at not less than appraised value; bidders meet specific 
criteria when submitting a bid; and anti-trust violations do not occur 
during the bidding process. Several statutes, regulations, and polices 
impose requirements on the Government and purchasers in the bidding 
process. The FS will collect information using several forms.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information to 
determine bid responsiveness. The sale officer will ensure: the bidder 
has signed the bid form; provided a tax identification number; 
completed the unit rate, weighted average, or total sale value bid; 
entered the bid guarantee amount, type, and ensure the bid guarantee is 
enclosed with the bid, the bidder has provided the required information 
concerning Small Business Administration size and Equal Opportunity 
compliance on previous sales. The Timber Sale Contracting Officers will 
use the information to complete the contract prior to award to the 
highest bidder. Failure to include the required information may result 
in the bid being declared non-responsive or the Contracting Officer may 
be unable to make an affirmative finding of purchaser responsibility 
and not able to award the contract.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 1,455.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 86,940.

Forest Service

    Title: Land Exchanges.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0105.
    Summary of Collection: Land exchanges are discretionary, voluntary 
real estate transactions between the Secretary of Agriculture (acting 
by and through the Forest Service) and a non-Federal exchange party (or 
parties). Land exchanges can be initiated by a non-Federal party (or 
parties), and agent of a landowners, a broker, a third party, or a non-
Federal public agency. Each land exchange requires preparation of an 
Agreement To Initiate, as required by Title 36 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR), part 254, subpart C, section 254.4--Agreement to 
Initiate and Exchange. As the exchange proposal develops, the exchange 
parties may enter into a binding Exchange Agreement, pursuant to Title 
36 CFR part 254, subpart A, section 254.14--Exchange Agreement.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Agreement To Initiate document 
specifies the preliminary and on-biding intentions of the non-Federal 
land exchange party and the Forest Service in pursuing a land exchange. 
The Agreement To Initiate contains information such as the description 
of properties considered for exchange, an implementation schedule of 
action items, identification of the party responsible for each action 
item, and target dates for completion of action items.
    The Exchange Agreement documents the conditions necessary to 
complete the exchange. It contains information identifying parties, 
description of lands and interests to be exchanged, identification of 
all reserved and outstanding interests, and all other terms and 
conditions that are necessary to complete the exchange.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
Individuals or households; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 23.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 88.

Forest Service

    Title: Secure Rural Schools Act.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0220.
    Summary of Collection: The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (the Act) reauthorized in Public Law 110-343, 
requires the appropriate official of a county that receives funds under 
Title III of the Act to submit to the Secretary of Agriculture or the 
Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate, an annual certification that 
the funds have been expended for the uses authorized under section 
302(a) of the Act. Participating counties will also report amounts not 
obligated by September 30 of the previous year. The information will be 
collected annually in the form of conventional correspondence such as a 
letter and, at the respondent's option, attached tables or similar 
graphic display. At the respondent's discretion, the information may be 
submitted by hard copy and/or electronically scanned and included as an 
attachment to electronic mail.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected will 
identify the participating county and the year in which the 
expenditures were made and will include amounts not obligated by 
September 30 of the previous year. Information includes the name, 
title, and signature of the official certifying that the expenditures 
were for uses authorized under section 302(a) of the

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Act, and the date of the certification. Information will also be 
collected including the amount of funds expended in the applicable year 
and the uses for which the amounts were expended referencing the 
authorized categories; (1) Carry out activities under the Firewise 
Communities program; (2) reimburse the participating county for 
emergency services performed on Federal land and paid for by the 
participating county; and (3) to develop community wildfire protection 
plans in coordination with the appropriate Secretary or designee. The 
information will be used to verify that participating counties have 
certified that funds were expended as authorized in the Act.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 360.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,640.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-09569 Filed 4-23-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P