[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 35 (Thursday, February 21, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5404-5405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02974]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 15, 2019.
    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 are requested regarding (1) 
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; (2) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of burden including

[[Page 5405]]

the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be 
collected; (4) 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.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by March 
25, 2019 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: 
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 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. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-
8958.
    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: Certification of Authority.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0074.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes 
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, 
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. 
Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq, as amended, (RE 
ACT) and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular A-129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax 
Receivables, which states that agencies must, based on a review of a 
loan application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, 
regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan 
assistance. A major factor in managing loan programs is controlling the 
advancement of funds. RUS Form 675 allows this control to be achieved 
by providing a list of authorized signatures against which signatures 
requesting funds are compared.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to 
ensure that only authorized representatives of the borrower signs the 
lending requisition form. Without the information RUS would not know if 
the request for a loan advance was legitimate or not and the potential 
for waste, loss, unauthorized use, and misappropriation would be 
increased.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 163.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 16.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: 7 CFR part 1721, Extensions of Payments of Principal and 
Interest.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0123.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) electric 
program provides loans and loan guarantees to borrowers at interest 
rates and on terms that are more favorable than those generally 
available from the private sector. Procedures and conditions which 
borrowers may request extensions of the payment of principal and 
interest are authorized, as amended, in Section 12 of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, and Section 236 of the ``Disaster Relief 
Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-606), as amended by the Department of 
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-354). As a result 
of obtaining federal financing, RUS borrowers receive economic benefits 
that exceed any direct economic costs associated with complying with 
(RUS) regulations and requirements.
    Need and Use of the Information: The collection of information 
occurs only when the borrower requests an extension of principal and 
interest. Eligible purposes include financial hardship, energy resource 
conservation loans, renewable energy project, and contributions-in-aid 
of construction. These procedures are codified at 7 CFR part 1721, 
subpart B. The collections are made to provide needed benefits to 
borrowers while also maintaining the integrity of RUS loans and their 
repayment of taxpayer's monies.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profits; Not for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 7.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 61.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0020.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a 
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes 
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric, 
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. In 
addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of RUS' main 
objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is repaid. 
Accordingly, RUS manages loan programs in accordance with the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et.seq., as amended, (RE ACT) 
and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-
129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivables, 
which states that agencies must, based on a review of a loan 
application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory, 
regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan 
assistance.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS borrower will use form 369, 
Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets, to seek agency permission 
to sell some of its assets. The form is used to collect detailed 
information regarding the proposed sale of a portion of the borrowers 
systems. RUS will collect information to determine whether or not the 
agency should approve a sale and also to keep track of what property 
exists to secure the loan. If the information in Form 369 is not 
collected when capital assets are sold, the capital assets securing the 
Government's loans could be liquidated and the Government's security 
either eliminated entirely or diluted to an undesirable level.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 33.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 99.

Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-02974 Filed 2-20-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P