[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9307-9308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03594]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 34 / Friday, February 18, 2022 / 
Notices  

[[Page 9307]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

February 15, 2022.
    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: 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 March 
21, 2022 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for 
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days 
of the publication of this notice on the following website 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    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: Advance of Loan Funds and Budgetary Control and Related 
Burdens.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0015.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is 
authorized by the Rural Electrification Act (RE Act) of 1936, as 
amended, ``to make loans in several States and territories of the 
United States for rural electrification and for the purpose of 
furnishing and improving electric and telephone service in rural areas 
and to assist electric borrowers to implement demand side management, 
energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy 
systems.'' Borrowers will provide the agency with information that 
supports the use of the funds as well as identify the type of projects 
for which they will use the funds.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS electric borrowers will submit 
RUS form 595 and 219. Form 595, Financial Requirement & Expenditure 
Statement, to request an advance of loan funds remaining for an 
existing approved loan and to report on the expenditure of previously 
advanced loan funds. Form 219, Inventory of Work Orders, serves as a 
connecting line and provides an audit trail that verifies the evidence 
supporting the propriety of expenditures for construction of retirement 
projects that supports the advance of funds. The information collected 
will ensure that loan funds are expended and advanced for RUS approved 
budget process and amounts. Failure to collect proper information could 
result in improper determinations of eligibility or improper use of 
funds.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 598.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 14,523.

Rural Utility Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1773, Policy on Audits of RUS Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0095.
    Summary of Collection: Under the authority of the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936 (ACT), as amended 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., the 
Administrator is authorized and empowered to make loans under certain 
specified circumstances for rural electrification and the furnishing of 
electric energy to persons in rural areas and for the purpose of 
furnishing and improving telephone service in rural areas. RUS, in 
representing the Federal Government as Mortgagee, relies on the 
information provided by the borrowers in their financial statements to 
make lending decisions as to borrowers' credit worthiness and to assure 
that loan funds are approved, advanced and disbursed for proper Act 
purposes. Borrowers are required to furnish a full and complete report 
of their financial condition, operations and cash flows, in form and 
substance satisfactory to RUS.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS will collect information to 
evaluate borrowers' financial performance, determine whether current 
loans are at financial risk, and determine the credit worthiness of 
future losses. If information is not collected, it would delay RUS' 
analysis of the borrowers' financial strength, thereby adversely 
impacting current lending decisions.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business 
or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 1,300.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 14,439.

Rural Utility Service

    Title: Substantially Underserved Trust Areas (SUTA), 7 CFR 1700, 
Subpart D.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0147.
    Summary of Collection: The 2008 Farm Bill (Pub. L. 110-246) 
authorized the Substantially Underserved Trust Area (SUTA) initiative. 
The SUTA initiative identifies the need and improves the availability 
of Rural Utility Service (RUS) programs to reach trust areas. The 
initiative gives the Secretary of Agriculture certain discretionary 
authorities relating to financial assistance terms and conditions that 
can enhance the financing possibilities in areas that are underserved 
by certain RUS electric, water and waste, and telecom and broadband 
programs.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS provides loan, loan guarantee 
and grant programs for rural electric, water and waste, and 
telecommunications and broadband infrastructure. Eligible applicants 
notify RUS in writing, at the time of application, that it seeks 
consideration under the requirements of

[[Page 9308]]

7 CFR 1700, subpart D. The data covered by this collection are those 
materials necessary to allow the agency to determine applicant and 
community eligibility, and an explanation and documentation of the high 
need for the benefits of the SUTA provisions. Without this information 
RUS would not be able to make a prudent loan decision.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 2.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 60

Rural Utility Service

    Title: The Rural Alaska Village Grant (RAVG) Program; 7 CFR part 
1784.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0150.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Alaska Village Grant (RAVG) 
Program is authorized under (Section 3061 of the Consolidated Farm and 
Rural Development Act (CONACT), (7 U.S.C. 1926(d)), as amended. 
Governing regulations are codified in 7 CFR part 1784. Under the RAVG 
program, the Secretary may make grants to the State of Alaska for the 
benefit of rural or Native Villages in Alaska to provide for the 
development and construction of water and wastewater systems to improve 
the health and sanitation conditions in those villages. To be eligible 
to receive a grant under the RAVG program, the project must provide 25 
percent in matching funds from the State of Alaska. The matching funds 
must come from non-Federal sources.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
will collect information using several forms. RUS state and field 
offices collect the information from applicants, grantees, and 
consultants. The collected information is used to determine applicant 
eligibility and project feasibility. RUS also uses the information to 
ensure that grantees operate on a sound basis and use the grants funds 
for authorized purposes.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, 
Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 36.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 523.

Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-03594 Filed 2-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P