[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19951-19952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8491]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 5, 2011.
    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

[[Page 19952]]

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), <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#17585e4556484462757a7e64647e787957585a553952584739505841"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6926203b28363a1c0b04001a1a0006072926242b472c2639472e263f">[email protected]</span></a> 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) 720-8681.
    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.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0134
    Summary of Collection: The Omnibus Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-
7) provided grant funds in the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant 
Program budget, the Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-199) 
and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447) 
provided additional funds for public broadcasting systems to meet the 
digital transition. As part of the nation's transition to digital 
television, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required all 
television broadcasters to initiate the broadcast of a digital 
television signal and to cease analog television broadcasts on February 
18, 2009. While stations must broadcast its main transmitter signal in 
digital, many rural stations often have translators serving small or 
isolated areas and some of these have not completed the transition to 
digital or fully converted its production and studio equipment to 
digital. Because the FCC deadline did not apply to translators, they 
are allowed to continue broadcasting in analog. The digital transition 
also created some service gaps where households receiving an analog 
signal cannot receive a digital signal. For these reasons the grant 
program has continued past the FCC digital transition deadline of June 
2009. The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) will develop and issue 
requirements for the grant program to finance the conversion of 
television services from analog to digital broadcasting for public 
television stations serving rural areas.
    Need and Use of the Information: Applicants will submit grant 
applications to RUS for review. The information will consist of the 
following: Standard Form (SF) 424, ``Application for Federal 
Assistance, executive summary, evidence of eligibility and compliance 
with other Federal statutes and any other supporting documentation. RUS 
will use the information to score and rank applications for funding. 
Scoring will consist of three categories: Rurality; per capita income; 
and special disadvantaging factors facing the station's transition 
plans. If this information is not collected, there would be no basis 
for awarding grant funding.
    Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, 
Local or Tribal Government
    Number of Respondents: 40
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion
    Total Burden Hours: 950

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-8491 Filed 4-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P


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