[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 7 (Monday, January 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 1493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00246]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 7 / Monday, January 12, 2015 / 
Notices  

[[Page 1493]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

January 5, 2015.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to Office of Management and 
Budget (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 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, New Executive 
Office Building, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Commenters 
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. 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. This collection is primarily a recordkeeping 
requirement. 7 CFR parts 1767 and 1770 set forth basic accounting 
requirements for maintaining financial accounting records on an accrual 
basis that are unique to RUS borrowers. The agency is requiring 
borrowers to establish an index of records. 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: Currently there are approximately 
650 active electric borrowers and 400 RUS telecommunications borrowers. 
Borrowers may utilize any information technology that meets their 
records management needs. RUS uses the 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: 1,050.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On Occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 28,350.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-00246 Filed 1-9-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P