[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 160 (Monday, August 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56792-56793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17952]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

[Docket ID: FSA-2023-0016]


Information Collection Request; Emergency Conservation Program 
(ECP) and Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP)

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Farm 
Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on a revision of currently approved 
information collection associated with the Emergency Conservation 
Program (ECP) and Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). The revision 
will include new forms related to ECP that will accompany new software 
to be implemented fiscal year 2024. The existing forms for prior ECP 
contracts will remain in use until contracts executed prior to fiscal 
year 2024 are closed.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by October 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this Notice. You may 
submit comments, identified by Docket ID: FSA-2023-0016, by any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to: www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail, Hand Delivery, or Courier: Shanita Landon, ECP 
Program Manager, Conservation Division, Farm Service Agency, United 
States Department of Agriculture, STOP 0513, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW, Washington, DC 20250-0513.
    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 Shanita Landon.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, Shanita London, (202) 578-9928 (work mobile); 
email: [email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

    Title: Emergency Conservation Program and Biomass Crop Assistance 
Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0082.
    Expiration Date: July 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Revision.
    Abstract: The collection of this information is necessary to allow 
FSA to:
    (1) Effectively administer the regulations under ECP, which are set 
forth at 7 CFR part 701, so as to provide funding and technical 
assistance for farmers and ranchers to restore farmland

[[Page 56793]]

damaged by natural disasters, and for emergency water conservation 
measures in severe droughts; and
    (2) Effectively administer the regulations for BCAP, which are set 
forth at 7 CFR part 1450, so as to provide financial assistance to 
owners and operators of agricultural and non-industrial private forest 
land who wish to establish, produce, and deliver biomass feedstocks.
    This information is collected in support of, respectively, sections 
401-407 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 (Pub. L. 95-334), as 
amended, and section 9011 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 
of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171), as amended.
    Activity related to BCAP did not change since the last Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) submission due to the lack of BCAP funding. 
Activity related to ECP requests, approvals, and payments has increased 
due to major storm systems that caused catastrophic damage across the 
nation, from 2022-2023. Hurricane Fiona and Ian occurred in 2022. 
Multiple wildfires in 2022 and flood events in 2023 all contributed to 
the increase in activity. The new Cost-Share Request form for ECP is 
included in this request. The number of responses increased to 560,000 
while the burden hours increased by 18,497 to cover the new Cost-Share 
Request form. The number of respondents remains 140,000 in the request.
    For the following estimated total annual burden on respondents, the 
formula used to calculate the total burden hours is the estimated 
average time per response multiplied by the estimated total annual of 
responses.
    Estimate of Average Time to Respond: Public reporting burden for 
collecting information under this notice is estimated to average 0.0688 
hours per responses, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, completing and reviewing the collection of information for all 
respondents.
    Type of Respondents: Owners, operators and other eligible 
agricultural producers on eligible farmland.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 140,000.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 3.04.
    Estimated Total Annual Reponses: 945,445.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 67,852 hours.
    We are requesting comments on all aspects of this information 
collection to help us to:
    (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, ability 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.
    All responses to this notice, including names and addresses when 
provided, will be summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

USDA Non-Discrimination Policy

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its 
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family or parental status, income derived from a public 
assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for 
prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or 
funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and 
complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (for example, braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the 
responsible Agency or USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 or (844) 
433-2774 (toll-free nationwide). Additionally, program information may 
be made available in languages other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and 
at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in 
the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy 
of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 
or letter to USDA by mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of 
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Zach Ducheneaux,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 2023-17952 Filed 8-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P