[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64200-64201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23014]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RUS-22-TELECOM-0054]


Notice of New Information Collection

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Rural Utilities Service's (RUS or Agency), an 
agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural 
Development, intention to request a new information collection package 
for the Broadband Technical Assistance Program (BTA Program). The BTA 
Program provides financial assistance to technical assistance providers 
and rural communities to promote the expansion of broadband service 
into unserved rural areas.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 23, 2022 to 
be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pamela Bennett, Regulations

[[Page 64201]]

Management Division, Innovation Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 
Email: [email protected]. Telephone: (202) 720-9639.

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 an information collection that RUS 
will submit to OMB for regular approval.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Rural 
Business-Cooperative Service's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information including 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 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 may be sent by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
https://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search'' box, type in the 
Docket No. RUS-22-TELECOM-0054. A link to the Notice will appear. You 
may submit a comment here by selecting the ``Comment'' button or you 
can access the ``Docket'' tab, select the ``Notice,'' and go to the 
``Browse & Comment on Documents'' Tab. Here you may view comments that 
have been submitted as well as submit a comment. To submit a comment, 
select the ``Comment'' button, complete the required information, and 
select the ``Submit Comment'' button at the bottom. 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 at the 
bottom.
    A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for 
failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of 
information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Data 
furnished by the applicants will be used to determine eligibility for 
program benefits. Furnishing the data is voluntary; however, failure to 
provide data could result in program benefits being withheld or denied.
    Title: Broadband Technical Assistance Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-NEW.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service administers the Broadband 
Technical Assistance Program (BTA Program) as authorized pursuant to 
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117-58). The 
purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to technical 
assistance providers and rural communities to promote the expansion of 
broadband service into unserved rural areas. Program funds must be used 
to support broadband technical assistance activities which include, but 
are not limited to, project planning and community engagement, 
operations support, financial sustainability, environmental compliance, 
construction and engineering, accessing federal resources, and data 
collection and reporting.
    The reporting burden covered by this collection of information 
consists of forms, documents and written burden to support a request 
for funding for BTA Program assistance. This information collection 
will be used to obtain information necessary to evaluate applications 
to determine the eligibility of the applicant and the project for the 
program and to qualitatively assess the project's technical and 
financial merit to determine which projects should be funded.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.109 hours per response.
    Respondents: Respondents for this data my include Tribes and Tribal 
Entities, state or local governments, a territory or possession of the 
United States, an institution of higher learning, non-profit entities 
with 501(c)(3) IRS status, cooperatives or mutual organizations, 
corporations and limited liability companies or limited liability 
partnerships.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 25.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 18.04.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 451.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 500 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Pamela 
Bennett, Rural Development Innovation Center, Regulations Management 
Division, at (202) 720-9639. 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.

Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-23014 Filed 10-21-22; 8:45 am]
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