[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 112 (Monday, June 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26945-26946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12414]


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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, the 
Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on the following 
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 August 10, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Brooks, Team Lead, Regulatory 
Team, Rural Development Innovation Center, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, Room 5164, 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 RUS 
is submitting to OMB for revision.
    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 
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 respondents, 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 Brooks, Team Lead,

[[Page 26946]]

Regulations Team, Rural Development Innovation Center, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 
20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078, Fax: (202) 720-8435 or email: 
[email protected].
    Title: Advance of Loan Funds and Budgetary Control and Other 
Related Burdens.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0015.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service administers the electric loan 
and loan guarantee program authorized under the Rural Electrification 
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) In order to protect and ensure the 
Government's security interest in loans, and in exercise of due 
diligence, electric borrowers furnish information to RUS regarding the 
condition, financial or otherwise, related to expenditure of loan 
funds. This Information Collection is necessary to comply with 
applicable provisions of the RUS loan contract. RUS Borrowers submit 
requisitions to RUS for funds for project costs incurred. Insured loan 
funds will be advanced only for projects which are included in the RUS 
approved borrowers workplan or approved amendment and in an approved 
loan, as amended. The process of loan advances establishes the 
beginning of the audit trail of the use of loan funds which is required 
to subsequent RUS compliance audits.
    The RUS Form 595 is used as a requisition for advances of funds. 
The form helps to assure that loan funds are advanced only for the 
budget purposes and amount approved by RUS. According to the applicable 
provisions of the RUS loan contract, borrowers must certify with each 
request for funds to be approved for advance, which such funds are for 
projects previously approved. When a prospective borrower requests and 
is granted a RUS loan, a loan contract is established between the 
Federal government, acting through the RUS Administrator, and the 
borrower. At the time this contract is entered into, the borrower must 
provide RUS with a list of projects for which loan funds will be spent, 
along with an itemized list of the estimated costs of these projects. 
Thus, the borrower receives a loan based upon estimated cost figures.
    RUS Form 219, Inventory of Work Orders, is one of the documents the 
borrower submits to RUS to support actual expenditures and an advance 
of loan funds. The form also serves as a connecting link and provides 
an audit trail that originates with the advance of funds and terminates 
with evidence supporting the propriety of expenditures for construction 
or retirement projects.
    Estimate of Burden: The Public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 1.56 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business or other for 
profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 600.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 15.5.
    Estimated Number of Total Responses: 9,320.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 14,570 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from MaryPat 
Daskal, Regulations Team, Rural Development Innovation Center, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, (202) 720-7853, 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: May 29, 2018.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-12414 Filed 6-8-18; 8:45 am]
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