[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 179 (Monday, September 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 48579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19915]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 179 / Monday, September 16, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48579]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

September 11, 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. Comments are requested regarding: 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; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 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 October 
16, 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: The Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program (ReConnect Program).
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0152.
    Summary of Collection: Pursuant to the Pilot Program authorization 
in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Public Law 115-141, 779 
(2018), RUS is to conduct a pilot broadband program under the RE Act. 
Under Section 601(d)(1) of the RE Act applicants are required to submit 
an application for loans and loan guarantees containing the information 
that the Secretary shall require, and that the project meet the minimum 
level of broadband in the service area. Section 601(d)(8) sets out the 
all of the reporting requirements, and the Pilot Program specifically 
requires that the Section 601(d)(8) reporting requirements be followed. 
Additionally, Section 601(h) requires that the Secretary ensure the 
security of any loan or guarantee.
    Need And Use of the Information: On March 23, 2018, Congress passed 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2018 (the FY2018 Appropriations) 
(Pub. L. 115-141) which established a broadband loan and grant pilot 
program, the Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program (hereinafter the 
ReConnect Program). One of the essential goals of the ReConnect Program 
is to expand broadband service to rural areas without sufficient access 
to broadband, defined as 10 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1 
Mbps upstream. For this purpose, Congress provided RUS with $600 
million and expanded its existing authority to make loans and grants. 
Loans and grants are limited to the costs of the construction, 
improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment for broadband 
service in eligible communities. The FY2018 Appropriations also 
authorized technical assistance to assist the agency in expanding 
needed service to the most rural communities.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit; State, local, and Tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 500.
    Frequency Of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 156,090.

Kimble Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-19915 Filed 9-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P