[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41279-41280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14760]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RUS-22-ELECTRIC-0015]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Review Rating 
Summary, RUS Form 300; OMB Control No.: 0572-0025

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Utilities 
Service, (RUS), announces its intention to request an extension of a 
currently approved information collection and invites comments on this 
information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by September 12, 2022 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations 
and Federal Actions'' box, select ``Rural Utilities Service'' from the 
agency drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID 
column, select ``RUS-22-ELECTRIC-0015'' to submit or view public 
comments and to view supporting and related materials available 
electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including 
instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing 
the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through 
the site's ``User Tips'' link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: MaryPat Daskal, Chief, Branch 1, Rural 
Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, United 
States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, South 
Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-7853. Email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 1320)

[[Page 41280]]

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 
the following information collection that Rural Utilities Service is 
submitting to OMB as extension to an existing collection with Agency 
adjustment.
    Title: 7 CFR part 1730, Review Rating Summary, RUS Form 300.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0025.
    Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2022.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 6 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions and other businesses.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 151.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Hours per Response: 4
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 604 hours.
    Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) manages loan programs 
in accordance with the RE Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq.). An important part of safeguarding loan security is to see that 
RUS financed facilities are being responsibly used, adequately 
operated, and adequately maintained. Future needs must be anticipated 
to ensure that facilities will continue to produce revenue and loans 
will be repaid as required by the RUS mortgage. A periodic operations 
and maintenance (O&M) review, using the RUS Form 300, in accordance 
with 7 CFR part 1730, is an effective means for RUS to determine 
whether the Borrower's systems are being properly operated and 
maintained, thereby protecting the loan collateral. The O&M review is 
also used to rate facilities and can be used for appraisals of 
collateral as prescribed by OMB Circular A-129, Policies for Federal 
Credit Programs and Non-Taxable Receivables.
    The loans and loan guarantees finance the construction of electric 
distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including system 
improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric 
service in rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy 
efficiency and conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid 
renewable energy systems. Loans are made to cooperatives as well as to 
corporations, states, territories and subdivisions and agencies such as 
municipalities, people's utility districts, and nonprofit, limited 
dividend or mutual associations that provide retail electric service 
needs to rural areas or supply the power needs of distribution 
borrowers in rural areas.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) 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.
    (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
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 respondents, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All 
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request 
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Arlette 
Mussington, Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management 
Division, at (202) 720-2825. 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.

Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service .
[FR Doc. 2022-14760 Filed 7-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P