[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36864-36865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13543]


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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

[[Page 36865]]

Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the United States Department of 
Agriculture's (USDA), invites comments on this information collection 
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 August 8, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas P. Dickson, Acting Director, 
Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 
1400 Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5164 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-4492, FAX: (202) 720-
4120. 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 revision.
    Comments are invited on (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 assumption 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 on 
other forms and information technology. Comments may be sent to Thomas 
P. Dickson, Acting Director, Program Development and Regulatory 
Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., STOP 
1522, Room 5164 South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: 
(202) 690-1078, FAX: (202) 690-4492. Email: 
[email protected].
    Title: Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and 
Household Program (SEARCH).
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0146.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved package.
    Abstract: The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law 
110-246 (Farm Bill) amended section 306(a)(2) of the Consolidated Farm 
and Rural Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C. 1926 (a)(2)). The 
amendment created a grant program to make Special Evaluation Assistance 
for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) Program grants.
    Under the SEARCH program, the Secretary may make predevelopment and 
planning grants to public or quasi-public agencies, organizations 
operated on a not-for-profit basis or Indian tribes on Federal and 
State reservations and other federally recognized Indian tribes. The 
grant recipients shall use the grant funds for feasibility studies, 
design assistance, and development of an application for financial 
assistance to financially distressed communities in rural areas with 
populations of 2,500 or fewer inhabitants for water and waste disposal 
projects as authorized in sections 306(a)(1), 306(a)(2) and 306(a)(24) 
of the CONACT.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2 hours per responses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
    Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses per Respondents: 310.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 635.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from MaryPat 
Daskal, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities 
Service, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162 South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-7853, FAX: 
(202) 720-4120. Email: [email protected].
    All responses to this information collection and recordkeeping 
notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. 
All comments will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: June 2, 2016.
Brandon McBride,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service .
[FR Doc. 2016-13543 Filed 6-7-16; 8:45 am]
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