[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42994-42995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15378]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RUS-22-ELECTRIC-0022]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Request for 
Approval To Sell Capital Assets; OMB Control No. 0572-0020

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Rural Utilities Service (RUS), United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) 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 19, 2022 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically by the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and, in the 
``Search Field'' box, labeled ``Search for Rules, Proposed Rules, 
Notices or Supporting Documents,'' enter the following docket number: 
(RUS-22-ELECTRIC-0022). To submit or view public comments, click the 
``Search'' button, select the ``Documents'' tab, then select the 
following document title: (60-Day Notice of Proposed Information 
Collection: Broadband Grant Program; OMB Control No.: 0572-0020) from 
the ``Search Results'' and select the ``Comment'' button. Before 
inputting your comments, you may also review the ``Commenter's 
Checklist'' (optional). Insert your comments under the ``Comment'' 
title, click ``Browse'' to attach files (if available). Input your 
email address and select ``Submit Comment.''
    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 
``FAQ'' link.
    Other Information: Additional information about Rural Development 
and its programs is available on the internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov.
    All comments will be available for public inspection online at the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimble Brown, Management Analyst, 
Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, 
United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-6180. 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 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 the following information collection 
that RUS is submitting to OMB as extension to an existing collection 
with Agency adjustment.
    Title: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0020.
    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 3 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Businesses or other for-
profits.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 33.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 99 hours.
    Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit agency of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes mortgage loans and 
loan guarantees to finance electric, telecommunications, and water and 
waste facilities in rural areas. In addition to providing loans and 
loan guarantees, one of the Agency's main objectives is to safeguard 
loan security until the loan is repaid. When a borrower enters into the 
mortgage agreement with the Agency, all current and future capital 
assets of the borrower are ordinarily mortgaged or pledged to

[[Page 42995]]

the Federal Government as security for Agency loans. The Agency's 
policy on sales of capital assets requires that the sale meet several 
requirements including the following: (1) the selling price shall be 
greater than or equal to the fair market value; and (2) the sale shall 
not jeopardize the repayment of the Agency's loan.
    The selling of assets reduces the security and increases the risk 
to the government. RUS Form 369 allows the borrower to seek agency 
permission to sell some of its assets. The form collects detailed 
information regarding the proposed sales of a portion of the borrower's 
systems. RUS electric utility borrowers complete this form to request 
RUS approval in order to sell capital assets when the fair market value 
exceeds 10 percent of the borrower's net utility plant.
    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 Kimble 
Brown, Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulations Management 
Division, at (202) 720-6780. 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 McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-15378 Filed 7-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P