[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47895-47896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12228]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket #: RBS-24-BUSINESS-0009]


Notice of Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the 
Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), an agency within 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development 
(RD), announces its intention to request a revision to a currently 
approved information collection package for Rural Energy for America 
(REAP) program. The Agency invites comments on this information 
collection for which it intends to request approval from the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 5, 2024 to be 
assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Anne Mathis, RD Innovation 
Center--Regulations Management Division, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250, 
Telephone: 202-713-7565, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 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 the Agency is submitting to OMB for 
extension.
    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 submitted electronically by the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal, https://www.regulations.gov/. In the ``Search for dockets and 
documents on agency actions'' box enter the Docket No. RBS-24-BUSINESS-
0009 and click the ``Search'' button. From the search results, click on 
or locate the document title: ``Notice of Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection'' and select the ``Comment'' button. 
Before inputting comments, commenters may review the ``Commenter's 
Checklist'' (optional). To submit a comment: Insert comments under the 
``Comment'' title, click ``Browse'' to attach files (if available), 
input email address, select box to opt to receive email confirmation of 
submission and tracking (optional), select the box ``I'm not a robot,'' 
and then 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. All 
comments will be available for public inspection online at the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal (www.regulations.gov).
    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: Rural Energy for America (REAP) program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0067.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection under 7 CFR part 4280, subpart B.
    Abstract: The primary purpose of REAP is to provide guaranteed loan 
financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small 
businesses for renewable energy systems (RES) or to make energy 
efficiency improvements (EEI). RES and EEI projects will be scored and 
awarded in accordance with 7 CFR 4280.122 through 123. The REAP program 
also offers grant funding to assist agricultural producers and rural 
small businesses to conduct energy audits (EA) and provide 
recommendations and information on renewable energy development 
assistance (REDA). EA and REDA projects will be scored and awarded in 
accordance with 7 CFR 4280.155 through 156.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2.21 hours per response.
    Respondents: Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher 
education.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,276.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 23.12.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 98,866.

[[Page 47896]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 218,364 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from 
Katherine Anne Mathis, RD Innovation Center--Regulations Management 
Division, Telephone: 202-713-7565, 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.

Kathryn E. Dirksen Londrigan,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA Rural 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-12228 Filed 6-3-24; 8:45 am]
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