[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 85 (Thursday, May 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18766-18767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08935]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; comment requested.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to 
request an extension for a currently approved information collection in 
support of the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 1, 2019, to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development 
Innovation Center--Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW, STOP 1522, Room 4233, 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 RBS 
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 4233, 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: Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program.
    OMB Number: 0570-0035.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Under this program, loans and grants are provided to 
electric and telecommunications utilities that have borrowed funds from 
the Agency. The

[[Page 18767]]

purpose of the program is to encourage these electric and 
telecommunications utilities to promote rural economic development and 
job creation projects such as business start-up costs, business 
expansion, community development, and business incubator projects. The 
utilities must use program loan funds to make a pass-through loan to an 
ultimate recipient such as a business. The utility is responsible for 
fully repaying its loan to the Government, even if the ultimate 
recipient does not repay its loan. The intermediary must use program 
grant funds, along with its required contribution, to create a 
revolving loan fund that the utility will operate and administer. Loans 
to the ultimate recipient are made from the revolving loan fund for a 
variety of community development projects. The information requested is 
necessary and vital in order for the Agency to be able to make prudent 
and financial analysis decisions.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
    Respondents: Rural Utilities Service Electric and 
Telecommunications Borrowers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 120.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 17.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 2,180.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,781.
    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.

Bette B. Brand,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-08935 Filed 5-1-19; 8:45 am]
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