[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 28 (Monday, February 11, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 3140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01829]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service


Notice of Request for Extension of Currently Approved Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Development's intention to request an 
extension for a currently approved information collection in support of 
the program, Environmental Policies and Procedures.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 12, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development 
Innovation Center--Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW, STOP 1522, Room 5164, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. 
Telephone: (202) 690-4492. 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 Rural 
Development is submitting to OMB for extension.
    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 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: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development 
Innovation Center--Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW, STOP 1522, Room 5164, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. 
Telephone: (202) 690-4492. Email [email protected].
    Title: Environmental Policies and Procedures.
    OMB Number: 0575-0197.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other 
applicable environmental and historic preservation statutes require all 
Federal agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences 
of their actions on the quality of the human environment and historic 
properties before agency decisions are made and prior to it taking an 
action; in RD's case the ``action'' is the approval of financial 
assistance and obligation of Federal funds. To comply with NEPA and 
other environmental laws, regulations and Executive Orders, RD requires 
applicants submitting applications for financial assistance to include 
project-specific environmental information along with other 
underwriting requirements. The purpose of this information is to 
evaluate and document the environmental implications of applicant's 
proposals.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection is 
estimated to average 60 hours per response.
    Respondents: Cooperatives, local municipalities, private citizens, 
companies, not-for-profit companies.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 94,000.
    Estimate Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5,608,800 hours.
    Copies of this information collections can be obtained from Diane 
M. Berger, Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulatory Team; 
phone--(715) 619-3124; or email [email protected].
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

Joel Baxley,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-01829 Filed 2-8-19; 8:45 am]
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