[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 49 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9076-9077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-04524]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

March 7, 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 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 April 
12, 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: 7 CFR 1744-C, Advance and Disbursement of Funds--
Telecommunications.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0023.
    Summary of Collection: Section 201 of the Rural Electrification Act 
(RE Act) of 1936 authorizes the Administrator of the Rural Utilities 
Service (RUS) to make loans for the purpose of providing telephone 
service to the widest practicable number of rural subscribers. A 
borrower requesting loan advances must submit RUS Form 481, ``Financial 
Requirement Statement''. Along with the Form 481 the borrower must also 
submit a description of the advances and upon request copies of backup 
documentation relating to the transactions. Within a reasonable amount 
of time, funds are advanced to the borrower for the purposes specified 
in the statement of purposes. The borrower must immediately deposit all 
advanced money into a Special Construction account until disbursed.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used 
by RUS to record and control transactions and verify that the funds 
advanced in the construction fund are related directly to loan 
purposes. If the information were not collected, RUS would not have any 
control over how loan funds are spent or a record of the balance to be 
advanced.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; not-for-
profit.
    Number of Respondents: 84.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 481.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1728, Electric Standards and Specifications for 
Materials and Construction.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0131.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 
U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, (RE Act) in Sec. 4 (7 U.S.C. 904) 
authorizes and empowers the Administrator of the Rural Utilities 
Service (RUS) to make loans in the several States and Territories of 
the United States for rural electrification and the furnishing and 
improving of electric energy to persons in rural areas. RUS' 
Administrator is authorized to provide financial assistance to 
borrowers for purposes provided in the RE Act by guaranteeing loans 
made by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, 
the Federal Financing Bank, and other lending agencies. These loans are 
for a term of up to 35 years and are secured by a first mortgage on the 
borrower's electric

[[Page 9077]]

system. Manufacturers, wishing to sell their products to RUS electric 
borrowers, request RUS consideration for acceptance of their products 
and submit letters of request with certifications as to the origin of 
manufacture of the products and include certified data demonstrating 
their products' compliance with RUS specifications.
    Need and Use of the Information: Manufacturers submit certified 
data demonstrating product compliance with RUS specifications, usually 
in the form of laboratory test results, catalog pages, or drawings. RUS 
will evaluate the data to determine that the quality of the products 
are acceptable and that their use will not jeopardize loan security. 
The information is closely reviewed to be certain that test data; 
product dimensions and product material compositions fully comply with 
RUS technical standards and specifications that have been established 
for the particular product. Without this information, RUS has no means 
of determining the acceptability of products for use in the rural 
environment.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 38.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,800.

Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-04524 Filed 3-12-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-15-P