[Federal Register: August 25, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 164)]
[Notices]
[Page 51000-51003]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25au03-18]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
August 19, 2003.
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments
regarding (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 burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (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 should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Pamela--Beverly-- OIRA--
Submission@ OMB.EOP.GOV or fax (202) 395-5806; and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this
notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling
(202) 720-6746.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: CCC's Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and CCC's Dairy
Export Incentive Program (DEIP).
OMB Control Number: 0551-0028.
Summary of Collection: The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
collects information from U.S. exporters in order to determine the
exporters' eligibility for the Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and the
Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP). Program applicants can fax
information in or applicants may register over the Internet.
Need and of the Information: FAS will use the information collected
from U.S. exporters to determine whether an exporter has the experience
necessary to perform under the proposed agreements. Other information
is collected to determine compliance during the period of the agreement
and to ensure that compensation in the appropriate amount is made.
Without the application and related information, FAS would be unable to
properly qualify U.S. exporters for EEP and DEIP.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 95.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 1,803.
Farm Service Agency
Title: Power of Attorney.
OMB Control Number: 0560-0190.
Summary of Collection: Individuals or authorized representatives of
entities wanting to appoint another to act as their attorney must
complete FSA-211, ``Power of Attorney'' form. The FSA-211 serves as
evidence that the grantor has appointed another to act on their behalf
for certain Farm Service Agency (FSA), Commodity Credit Corporation
(CCC), and Risk Management Agency (RMA) programs and related actions
giving the appointee legal authority to enter into binding agreements
on the grantor's behalf.
Need and use of the Information: FSA will collect information to
verify an individual's authority to sign and act or another in the
event of errors or fraud that requires legal remedies. The information
collected on the FSA-211 is limited to the grantor's name, signature,
and identification number, the grantee's name, address, and the
applicable FSA, CCC, and RMA programs. Failure to collect and maintain
the data collected on the form will limit or eliminate USDA's ability
to accept an individual's signature on behalf of another individual or
entity.
Description of Respondents: Farms; Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 519,653.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (Once).
Total Burden Hours: 129,913.
Forest Service
Title: Forest Industries Data Collection System.
OMB Control Number: 0596-0010.
Summary of Collection: The Forest and Range Renewable Resources
Planning Act of 1974 and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources
Research Act of 1978 require the Forest Service (FS) to evaluate trends
in the use of logs and wood chips, to forecast anticipated levels of
logs and wood chips, and to analyze changes in the harvest of the
resources. Forest product and other wood-using industries are important
to state, regional, and national economies. In most southern states,
the value of rounded timber products is ranked either first or second
in relation to other major agricultural crops. The importance and value
of the timber products industry is significant in other regions of the
United States as well.
Need and use of the information: FS will collect information using
questionnaires to monitor the types, species, volumes, sources, and
prices of the timber products harvested throughout the Nation. The data
will be used to develop specific economic development plans for new
forest-related industries and to assist existing industries in
identifying raw material problems and opportunities. If the information
were not collected, data would not be available for sub-state, state,
regional, and national policy makers and program developers to make
decisions related to the forestland on a scientific basis.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 2,110.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,696.
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Forest Service
Title: Bid For Advertised Tibmer
OMB Control Number: 0596-0066
Summary of Collection: Individuals, large and small businesses, and
corporations who wish to purchase timber or forest products from the
National Forest must enter into a timber sale contract or forest
product contract with the Forest Service (FS). Information must be
collected by FS in order to ensure that: National Forest System timber
is sold at not less than appraised value; bidders meet specific
criteria when submitting a bid; and anti-trust violations do not occur
during the bidding process. Several statutes, regulations, and policies
impose requirements on the Government and purchasers in the bidding
process. The FS will collect information using several forms.
Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information to
determine bid responsiveness. The sale officer will ensure: the bidder
has signed the bid form; provided a tax identification number;
completed the unit rate, weighted average, or total sale value bid;
entered the bid guarantee amount, type, and ensure the bid guarantee is
enclosed with the bid, the bidder has provided the required information
concerning Small Business Administration size and Equal Opportunity
compliance on previous sales. The Timber Sale Contracting Officers will
use the information to complete the contract prior to award to the
highest bidder. Failure to include the required information may result
in the bid declared non-responsive or the Contracting Officer may be
unable to make an affirmative finding of purchaser responsibility and
not able to award the contract.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit;
Individuals or households.
Number of Respondents: 5,500.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting; On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 38,672.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: State Telecommunications Modernization Plan.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0104.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Loan Restructuring
Act (RELRA, Pub. L. 103-129), November 1, 1993, amended the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq. (the RE Act). RELRA
requires that a State Telecommunications Modernization Plan
(Modernization Plan or Plan), meet all the statutory requirements of
RELRA (part 1751, Subpart B). The plan at a minimum must provide for:
(1) The elimination of party line service; (2) the availability of
telecommunications services for improved business, educational, and
medical services; (3) must encourage computer networks and information
highways for subscribers in rural areas; (4) subscribers in rural areas
to receive through telephone lines; (a) conference calling; (b) video
images; and (c) data at a rate of 1 million bits of information per
second; and the proper routing of information to subscribers.
Need and Use of the Information: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
telecommunications program staff will review and approve Modernization
Plans, if they comply with the requirements of the regulation. If the
proposed Modernization Plan is approved, RUS will notify the developer
of the approval. If not, RUS will make specific written comments and
suggestion for modifying the proposed Modernization Plan so that it
will comply with the requirements of the regulation. If the information
is not collected, RUS' authority to make loans under the Rural
Electrification Act will be restricted.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 1.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 350.
Rural Housing Service
Title: USDA Rural Housing Service--Centralized Servicing Center
Loan Servicing Satisfaction Survey.
OMB Control Number: 0575-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) provides
insured loans to low and moderate-income applicants located in rural
geographic areas to assist them in obtaining decent, sanitary and safe
dwellings. RHS Centralized Servicing Center (CSC) has been in operation
since October 1996. The CSC was established to achieve a high level of
customer service and operating efficiency that provides its borrowers
with convenient access to their loan account information. RHS has
developed a survey to measure the results and overall effectiveness of
customer services provided.
Need and Use of the Information: RHS will use the outcome of the
Customer Satisfaction Survey to determine the general satisfaction
level among its customers throughout the nation, highlight areas that
need improvement and provide a benchmark for future surveys and
improvement in customer service. The survey is administered as part of
CSC's on going service quality improvement program.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for profit:
Individual or households; Farms; Not-for-profit institutions; State,
local, or Tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 23,000.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 3,680.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR Part 1786, Prepayment of RUS Guaranteed and Insured
Loans to Electric and Telephone Borrowers.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0088.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification (RE) Act of 1936,
as amended, authorizes and empowers the Administrator of Rural
Utilities Service (RUS) to make loans in the several States and
Territories of the United States for rural electrification and for the
purpose of furnishing and improving electric and telephone service in
rural areas and to assist electric borrowers to implement demand side
management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid
renewable energy systems. 7 CFR 1786, subparts E, F and G provides the
authorization for the reporting burden in section 306(C) of the RE Act.
Need and Use of the Information: The information will be collected
from borrowers requesting to prepay their notes and to determine that
the borrower is qualified to prepay under the authorizing statues. The
overall goal of subparts E and F is to allow RUS borrowers to prepay
their RUS loan and the overall goal of subpart G is to refinance.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 28.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 62.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1951-F, Analyzing Credit Needs and Graduation of
Borrower
OMB Control Number: 0575-0093
Summary of Collection: Section 333 of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act and section 502 of the Housing Act of 1949,
require the Rural Housing Service (RHS), the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RBS), and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to graduate their
direct loan borrowers to other credit when they are able to do so.
Graduation is an integral part of Agency lending, as Government loans
beyond a borrower's need for subsidized rates of non-market terms. The
notes, security
[[Page 51002]]
instruments, or loan agreements of most borrowers require borrowers to
refinance their Agency loans when other credit becomes available at
reasonable rates and terms. If the borrower finds other credit is not
available at reasonable rates and terms, the Agency will continue to
review the borrower for possible graduation at periodic intervals.
Information will be collected from the borrowers concerning their
loans.
Needs and Use of the Information: The information submitted by FSA,
RBS, or RHS borrowers to Agency offices is used to graduate direct
borrowers to private credit with or without the use of Agency loan
guarantees. The data collected will include financial information such
as income; farm operating expenses, asset values, and liabilities.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Farms; State, local or Tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 31,975.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 74,419.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR 1965-E, ``Prepayment and Displacement Prevention of
Multiple Family Housing Loans.''
OMB Control Number: 0575-0155.
Summary of Collection: The Housing and Community Development Act of
1987 required that Rural Rental Housing borrowers wishing to prepay
their loans, must first decide if the housing continues to serve low-
and moderate-income tenants, if so, Rural Development (RD) must offer
the borrower a fair incentive to prepay the loan. If the borrower
rejects the incentive, the housing must be offered for sale to a
nonprofit organization or public agencies. Only if no nonprofit
organization or public agencies can be found to purchase the project at
the market value can the loan be prepaid.
Need and Use of the Information: When a request to prepay a rural
rental-housing loan is received, RD will collect information to
determine the need for the housing to remain in the low-income program.
RD will also determine the extent to any incentive offer to keep the
housing within the RD program. If RD does not have current and
appropriate information, the decision to accept or reject the
prepayment request and the amount of an incentive offer would be made
inappropriately.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business
or other for-profit; Individuals or households; Farms; State, local or
Tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 800.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 687.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Title: Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999.
OMB Control Number: 0581-0186.
Summary of Collection: The Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of
1999 mandates the reporting of information on prices and quantities of
livestock products by packer processing plants meeting certain
criteria, including size as measured by annual slaughter. The
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
Agriculture Marketing Service. USDA's market news provides all market
participants, including producers, with the information necessary to
make intelligent and informed marketing decisions.
Need and Use of the Information: The information collected and
recordkeeping requirements are essential to establishing and
implementing a mandatory program of livestock and livestock products
reporting. The information is reported up to three times daily and once
weekly and is only available directly from those entities required to
report under the Act.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 119.
Frequency of Response: Reporting; Weekly; Other (Daily).
Total Burden Hours: 24,429.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: Request for Release of Lien and/or Approval of Sale.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0041.
Summary of Collection: 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, water and waste facilities in rural areas. RUS
manages loan programs in accordance with the Rural Electrification Act
of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended (RE Act). A 1949 amendment to
the RE Act established the telephone program in RUS with the purpose of
making loans to furnish and improve rural telephone service. Section
201 of the RE Act provides that loans shall not be made unless RUS
finds and certifies that the security for the loan is reasonably
adequate and that the loan will be repaid within the time agreed. In
addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of RUS' main
objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is repaid.
Need and Use of the Information: A borrower's assets provide the
security for a Government loan. The selling of assets reduces the
security and increases the risk of loss to the Government. RUS Form 793
allows the telecommunication program borrower to seek agency permission
to sell some of its assets. The form collects detailed information
regarding the proposed sale of a portion of the borrower's system. RUS
telephone borrowers fill out the form to request RUS approval in order
to sell capital assets. Specifics to the sale of capital assets,
including the use of Form 793 and submission of supporting
documentation, are covered in REA Bulletin 415-1, ``Sale of Property by
Telephone Borrowers.''
If the information in Form 793 is not collected when capital assets
are sold, the capital assets securing the Government's loans could be
liquidated and the Government's security either eliminated entirely or
diluted to an undesirable level. This increases the risk of loss to the
Government in the case of a default.
Description: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents: 75.
Frequency of Response: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 206.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: Request for Release of Lien and/or Approval of Sale.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0041.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that makes
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric,
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. RUS
manages loan programs in accordance with the Rural Electrification Act
(RE Act) of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended (RE Act). A 1949
amendment to the RE Act established the telephone program in RUS with
the purpose of making loans to furnish and improve rural telephone
service. Section 201 of the RE Act provides that loans shall not be
made unless RUS finds and certifies that the security for the loan is
reasonably adequate and that the loan will be repaid within the time
agreed. In addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of
RUS's main objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is
repaid.
Need and Use of the Information: A borrower's assets provide the
security for a Government loan. The selling of assets reduces the
security and increases
[[Page 51003]]
the risk of loss to the Government. A borrower seeking permission to
sell some of its assets uses RUS Form 793. The form contains detailed
information regarding the proposed sale. If the information in Form 793
is not collected when capital assets are sold, the capital assets
securing the Government's loans could be liquidated and the
Government's security either eliminated entirely or diluted to an
undesirable level. This increases the risk of loss to the Government in
the case of a default.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State,
Local or Tribal government.
Number of Respondents: 75.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 206.
Rural Housing Service
Title: 7 CFR Part 1924-A, Planning and Performing Construction and
other Development.
OMB Control Number: 0575-0042.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is the
credit agency for rural housing and community development within the
Rural Development mission area of the United States Department of
Agriculture. RHS offers a supervised credit program to build modest
housing and essential community facilities in rural areas. Section 501
of Title V of the Housing Act of 1949, authorizes the Secretary of
Agriculture to extend financial assistance to construct, improve,
alter, repair, replace, or rehabilitate dwellings, farm buildings and/
or related facilities to provide decent, safe sanitary living
conditions and adequate farm building and other structures in rural
areas.
Need and Use of the Information: RHS provides several forms to
assist in the collection and submission of information. The information
will be used to determine whether a loan/grant can be approved; to
ensure that RHS has adequate security for the loans financed; to
monitor compliance with the terms and conditions of the agency loan/
grant and to monitor the prudent use of Federal funds. If the
information is not collected and submitted, RHS would have no control
over the type and quality of construction and development work planned
and performed with Federal funds.
Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or
other for-profit; Not-for-profit institutions; Farms.
Number of Respondents: 25,340.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Report: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 94,924.
Sondra Blakey,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-21640 Filed 8-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M
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