[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 36 (Friday, February 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5661-5662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03077]


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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 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
invites comments on this information collection for the Distance 
Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program, which it intends to 
request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by April 23, 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 RUS 
is submitting to OMB for extension.
    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 
proposed 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 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 may be sent by any of the following methods:
     Mail: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation 
Center, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, Room 5164, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-4492. Email: 
[email protected].
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    Title: Distance Learning and Telemedicine Loan and Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0096.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection package.
    Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) Distance Learning and 
Telemedicine (DLT) Loan and Grant program provides loans and grants for 
advanced telecommunications services to improve rural areas' access to 
educational and medical services. The various forms and narrative 
statements required are collected from the

[[Page 5662]]

applicants (rural community facilities, such as schools, libraries, 
hospitals, and medical facilities, for example). The purpose of 
collecting the information is to determine such factors as eligibility 
of the applicant; the specific nature of the proposed project; the 
purposes for which loan and grant funds will be used; project financial 
and technical feasibility; and, compliance with applicable laws and 
regulations. In addition, for grants funded pursuant to the competitive 
evaluation process, information collected facilitates RUS' selection of 
those applications most consistent with DLT goals and objectives in 
accordance with the authorizing legislation and implementing 
regulation.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2.45 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions; and State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 23.3.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,031 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Robin M. 
Jones, Innovation Center, at (202) 772-1172, 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: February 14, 2019.
Bette B. Brand,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-03077 Filed 2-21-19; 8:45 am]
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