[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72992-72993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23410]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket No.: RBS-23-BUSINESS-0022]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Rural Economic 
Development Loan and Grant Program; OMB Control No.: 0570-0035

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of, the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (RBCS) announces its' intention to request a revision of a 
currently approved information collection and invites comments on this 
information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 26, 2023, 
to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search Field'' box, 
labeled ``Search for dockets and documents on agency actions,'' enter 
the following docket number: (RBS-23-BUSINESS-0022), and click 
``Search.'' To submit public comments, 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 applicable). Input your 
email address and select an identity category then click ``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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimble Brown, Rural Development 
Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-6780. Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR 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 RBCS 
is submitting to OMB as a revision to an existing collection.
    Title: Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0035.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2.26 hours per response.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 120.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 17.
    Estimated Annual Reporting Number of Responses: 2,012.
    Estimated Annual Reporting Burden on Respondents: 4,562.
    Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Number of Responses: 90.
    Estimated Annual Recordkeeping Burden on Respondents: 180.
    Estimated Total Annual Number of Responses: 2,102.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,742.
    Abstract: Under this program, loans and grants are provided to 
electric and telecommunications utilities that have borrowed funds from 
the Agency. The purpose of the program is to encourage these electric 
and telecommunications utilities to promote rural economic development 
and job creation projects such as business start-up costs, business 
expansion, community development, and business incubator projects. The 
utilities must use program loan funds to make a pass-through loan to an 
ultimate recipient such as a business. The utility is responsible for 
fully repaying its loan to the Government, even if the ultimate 
recipient does not repay its loan. The intermediary must use program 
grant funds, along with its required contribution, to create a 
revolving loan

[[Page 72993]]

fund that the utility will operate and administer. Loans to the 
ultimate recipient are made from the revolving loan fund for a variety 
of community development projects. The information requested is 
necessary and vital in order for the Agency to be able to make prudent 
and financial analysis decisions.
    The information collected will be used to evaluate applications for 
funding consideration, conduct an environmental review, prepare legal 
documents, receive loan payments, oversee the operation of a revolving 
loan fund, monitor the use of RBS funds, and enforce other Government 
requirements such as compliance with civil rights regulations.
    Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed 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 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. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Kimble 
Brown, Innovation Center, 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.

Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-23410 Filed 10-23-23; 8:45 am]
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