[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9877-9878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03674]


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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 the following information collection for which 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be 
requested.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 22, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. Brooks, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162 South Building, Washington, 
DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078, FAX: (202) 720-8435 or email: 
[email protected].

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 an information collection that the 
Agency 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

[[Page 9878]]

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. FAX: 
(202) 720-8435 or email: [email protected].
    Title: Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0134.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required 
television broadcasters to have converted transmitters to broadcast 
digital signals by June 12, 2009. The FCC deadline did not apply to 
translators often used by rural stations serving small or isolated 
areas and some continue to broadcast in analog and have not completed 
the transition to digital. Public television stations rely on community 
and business financial support to operate and, in many rural areas the 
cost of the transition to digital broadcasting exceeds community 
resources. Since rural communities depend on public television stations 
for services ranging from educational course content in their schools 
to local news, weather, and agricultural reports, disruption of public 
television broadcasting would be detrimental.
    Full digital transition requires installation of a new antenna, 
transmitter or translator, and new digital program management 
facilities consisting of processing and storage systems. Public 
television stations use a combination of transmitters and translators 
to serve the rural public and to perform program origination functions, 
digital cameras, editing and mastering systems are required. A new 
studio-to-tower site communications link may be required to transport 
the digital broadcast signal to each transmitter and translator. The 
capability to broadcast some programming in a high definition 
television format can require additional studio facilities.
    In designing the competition for the distribution of grant funds, 
priority is given to public television stations serving areas most 
unable to fund digital transition without a grant. The largest sources 
of funding for public television stations are public membership and 
business contributions and less densely populated rural areas have a 
lower membership and fewer business per capita than urban and suburban 
areas. Therefore, rurality is a primary predictor of the need for grant 
funding for a public television station's digital transition. Some 
rural areas have economic needs that are higher than the national 
average, and public television stations covering these areas may have 
difficulty funding the digital transition. As a result, the 
consideration of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility 
percentages for all school districts within the station coverage area 
is a secondary predictor of need for grant funding. Finally, because 
public television stations may face special difficulty accomplishing 
the transition, a third scoring factor for station hardship accounts 
for conditions that make these public television stations less likely 
to accomplish the digital transition without a grant.
    The collection of information consists of the materials to file a 
grant application with the Agency, including forms, certifications and 
required documentation.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 23 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.26.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 714 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Rebecca 
Hunt, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 205-3660, 
FAX: (202) 720-8435 or email: [email protected].
    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: February 12, 2014.
John Charles Padalino,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-03674 Filed 2-20-14; 8:45 am]
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