[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 39 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11038-11039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-04176]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket ID: NRCS-2022-0003]


Information Collection Request; Partnerships for Climate-Smart 
Commodities

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation and Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is requesting comments 
from all interested individuals and organizations on a revision and an 
extension of a currently approved information collection request 
associated with the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant 
activity. The purpose of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities 
is to support the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities 
through a set of pilot projects that provide voluntary incentives 
through partners to producers and landowners, including early adopters, 
to implement climate-smart production practices, activities, and 
systems on working lands; measure and quantify, monitor and verify the 
carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with those 
practices; and develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart 
commodities. Additional information on the partnerships is available at 
https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by April 29, 2022.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. You may 
submit comments, identified by Docket ID: NRCS-2022-0003 in the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    You may also send comments to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Washington, DC 20503. Copies of the information collection may 
be requested by contacting Allison Owens below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Owens, telephone: (202) 253-
1449; email: [email protected]. Persons with 
disabilities who require alternative mean for communication should 
contact the USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (Voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

    Title: Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.
    OMB Control Number: 0578-0031.
    Type of Request: Revision and Extension.
    Abstract: We are requesting comments on the project narrative, 
proposals, support letters, progress reports, and resumes. In general, 
reporting for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants 
will follow the guidelines included in the General Terms and 
Conditions, which are available at the following website: https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html. Prior to publishing this notice, NRCS received 
emergency approval from OMB for 6 months to cover this collection 
activity. This included information collection for the application 
process, which includes in addition to standard government-wide grant 
application forms, a requirement for applicants to provide a project 
narrative, proposals, support letters and resumes. This will be 
included in this regular request after the 60 day comment period.
    Partners will be required to submit progress reports after the 
first quarter and at least biannually on the project, including the 
following information:
     A list of participating producers and landowners, and 
demonstration of equitable enrollment, including enrollment of 
underserved and small producers;
     Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) practices 
applied;
     Outreach and training;
     Financial assistance for producers or landowners to 
implement CSAF practices;
     Greenhouse gas and carbon sequestration benefits accrued 
and verified, and other ancillary environmental benefits;
     Marketing and outreach related to climate-smart 
commodities as a result of

[[Page 11039]]

project activities, including information on impacts related to a 
variety of farm sizes and types;
     Technical assistance and resources provided, especially to 
help producers overcome barriers to adopting CSAF practices;
     Partnerships developed and leveraged, including public-
private partnerships to foster and develop CSAF markets;
     Climate-smart commodity supply chain and demand impacts, 
as well as other economic benefits; and
     Implementation of measurement, monitoring, reporting, and 
verification, and supply chain traceability systems.
    Additional reporting and data-sharing requirements may apply at the 
time of award, particularly in support of the USDA Partnerships for 
Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network. Certain reporting elements 
will be required to be georeferenced (geospatially referenced). 
Further, we received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance to 
use electronic submission form (SF-270, SF-424 and SF-425) in 
Grants.gov.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hour is the estimated 
average time per responses, in hours, multiplied by the estimated total 
annual responses.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: Public reporting burden for the 
collection of information is estimated to average 10.5 hours per 
response.
    Respondents: Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Applicants 
and Awardees.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 1,610.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 10.5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 14,370 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Evaluate the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
technology; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
respond through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses where provided, will be made a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval of the information collection.

Robert Ibarra,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
Terry Cosby,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-04176 Filed 2-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P