40808 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 155 / Thursday, August 13, 2009 / Notices 

Rural Utilities Service 

Title: Lien Accommodations and 

Subordinations 7 CFR part 1717, 

subparts R and S. 

OMB Control Number: 0572–0100. 

Summary of Collection: The Rural 

Electrification Act (RE Act) of 1936, 7 

U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, 

authorizes and empowers the 

Administrator of the Rural Utilities 

Service (RUS) to make loans in the 

several States and Territories of the 

United States for rural electrification 

and the furnishing electric energy to 

persons in rural areas who are not 

receiving central station service. The RE 

Act also authorizes and empowers the 

Administrator of RUS to provide 

financial assistance to borrowers for 

purposes provided in the RE Act by 

accommodating or subordinating loans 

made by the National Rural Utilities 

Cooperative Finance Corporation, the 

Federal Financing Bank, and other 

lending agencies. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

RUS will used the information to 

determine an applicant’s eligibility for a 

lien accommodation or lien 

subordination under the RE Act; 

facilitates an applicant’s solicitation and 

acquisition of non-RUS loans as to 

converse available Government funds; 

monitor the compliance of borrowers 

with debt covenants and regulatory 

requirements in order to protect loan 

security; and subsequently to granting 

the lien accommodation of lien 

subordination, administer each so as to 

minimize its cost to the Government. If 

the information were not collected, RUS 

would not be able to accomplish its 

statutory goals. 

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Business or other forprofit. 

Number of Respondents: 15. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 290. 

Rural Utilities Service 

Title: 7 CFR 1751 subpart B/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 required 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) must provide for 

subscribers in rural areas to be able 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 the Modernization Plan and 

approve the plans, if it complies 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 

suggestions 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 Utilities Service 

Title: 7 CFR part 1721, Extensions of 

Payments of Principal and Interest. 

OMB Control Number: 0572–0123. 

Summary of Collection: The Rural 

Utilities Service (RUS) electric program 

provides loans and loan guarantees to 

borrowers at interest rates and on terms 

that are more favorable than those 

generally available from the private 

sector. Procedures and conditions 

which borrowers may request 

extensions of the payment of principal 

and interest are authorized, as amended, 

in section 12 of the Rural Electrification 

Act of 1936, and section 236 of the 

Disaster Relief Act of 1970. As a result 

of obtaining Federal financing, RUS 

borrowers receive economic benefits 

that exceed any direct economic costs 

associated with complying with (RUS) 

regulations and requirements. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

collection of information occurs only 

when the borrower requests an 

extension of principal and interest. 

Eligible purposes include financial 

hardship, energy resource conservation 

loans, renewable energy project, and 

contributions-in-aid of construction. 

The collections are made to provide 

needed benefits to borrowers while also 

maintaining the integrity of RUS loans 

and their repayment of taxpayer’s 

monies. 

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions. 

Number of Respondents: 45. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 424. 

Charlene Parker, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. E9–19427 Filed 8–12–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15– P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

August 10, 2009. 

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), 

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) 720–8958. 

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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 155 / Thursday, August 13, 2009 / Notices 40809 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights 

Title: USDA/1994 Tribal Scholars 

Program. 

OMB Control Number: 0503–0016. 

Summary of Collection: The USDA/ 

1994 Tribal Scholars Program, within 

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights, Office of Outreach and 

Diversity, is an annual joint human 

capital initiative between USDA and the 

Nation’s thirty-two 1994 Land-Grant 

Tribal Colleges and Universities (1994 

TCUs). The purpose of the USDA/1994 

Tribal Scholars Program is to: (1) 

Strengthen the long-term partnership 

between USDA and the 1994 LandGrant Tribal Colleges and Universities 

Institutions; (2) Increase the number of 

students studying agriculture, food, 

natural resources sciences, or other 

related disciplines; and (3) Offer career 

opportunities to USDA/1994 Tribal 

Scholars at the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture. Tribal Scholars are required 

to study in the food and agricultural and 

related sciences, so defined by the 

National Agricultural Research, 

Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 

1977 (U.S.C. 3103 (8)). 

Need and Use of the Information: 

This program offers a combination of 

work experience and academic study 

leading to career positions within USDA 

through a Student Career Experience 

Program designed to integrate classroom 

study with paid work experience. 

Without the information, USDA would 

be unable to award scholarships to 

students. 

Description of Respondents: 

Individuals or households. 

Number of Respondents: 1,440. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 4,320. 

Ruth Brown, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. E9–19428 Filed 8–12–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 

Washington; Forest-Wide SiteSpecific; Invasive Plant Management 

Environmental Impact Statement 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an 

Environmental Impact Statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) to document and 

disclose the potential environmental 

effects of proposed invasive plant 

treatments. The Proposed Action is to 

apply a combination of herbicide, 

mechanical, manual, cultural and 

biological treatment methods to control 

invasive plants on approximately 15,246 

acres on the Okanogan-Wenatchee 

National Forest in Washington. The 

proposed action includes treatment of 

invasive species on 216 acres within 

congressionally designated wilderness 

areas on the Forest. The Proposed 

Action would also establish criteria for 

responding to the spread of infestations 

into currently unoccupied areas. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of this analysis must be received by 

September 10, 2009. The draft 

environmental impact statement is 

expected January 2010 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected summer 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Jodi Leingang, Naches Ranger Station, 

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 

10237 Highway 12, Naches, WA 98942 

Comments can also be sent via e-mail to 

okawen_forestwide_invasives__eis

@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to (509) 653– 

2638, Attention: Jodi Leingang. 

Comments received in response to 

this solicitation, including names and 

addresses of those who comment, will 

become part of the public record for this 

proposed action. Comments submitted 

anonymously will be accepted and 

considered; however, anonymous 

comments will not provide the 

respondent with standing to participate 

in subsequent administrative review or 

judicial review. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jodi 

Leingang, Naches Ranger Station, 10237 

Highway 12, Naches, WA 98942; 509– 

653–1450. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 pm, Eastern Time, 

Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The Wenatchee National Forest Land 

and Resource Management Plan (LRMP, 

1990) requires that existing populations 

of invasive species (termed ‘‘noxious 

weeds’’) be contained, controlled or 

eradicated as the budget allows (page 

IV–89). The Okanogan National Forest 

Land and Resource Management Plan 

(LRMP, 1989) requires that noxious 

weeds be controlled to the extent 

practical with a priority on treatment of 

new infestations (LRMP, page 4–45). 

The Pacific Northwest Region’s Invasive 

Plant Program for Preventing and 

Managing Invasive Plants Record of 

Decision (PNW ROD, 2005), an 

amendment to the Wenatchee and 

Okanogan LRMPs, directs that invasive 

plant populations be prioritized for 

treatment and a long term strategy be 

developed for restoring/revegetating 

invasive plant sites (PNW ROD, page 

20). 

Invasive plants on the Forest are 

compromising the ability for the Forest 

Service to manage for healthy native 

ecosystems. Invasive plants create a host 

of environmental and other effects, most 

of which are harmful to native 

ecosystem processes, including: 

displacement of native plants; reduction 

in functionality of habitat and forage for 

wildlife and livestock; loss of 

threatened, endangered, and sensitive 

species; increased soil erosion and 

reduced water quality; alteration of 

physical and biological properties of 

soil, including reduced soil 

productivity; changes to the intensity 

and frequency of fires; high cost (dollars 

spent) of controlling invasive plants; 

and loss of recreational opportunities. 

New and existing invasive plant 

populations on the Forest require 

analysis to implement new or more 

effective and cost-efficient treatments, 

including the Regional EIS updated list 

of herbicides. The most recent inventory 

shows that 15,246 acres are infested on 

the Forest. There are likely additional 

infestations that are not yet discovered, 

and these, as well as known sites, will 

continue to expand and spread every 

year without effective treatment. 

Without action, invasive plant 

populations will become increasingly 

difficult and costly to control and will 

further degrade native ecosystems. 

The purpose of this action is to 

provide a rapid and more 

comprehensive, up to date approach to 

control and eradicate invasive plants on 

the Forest. The purpose of controlling or 

eradicating weed populations is to 

maintain or improve the diversity, 

function and sustainability of native 

plant communities, and other resources 

that depend on them. Specifically, there 

is a need to: (1) contain and reduce the 

extent of invasive plants at existing 

inventoried sites, and (2) quickly detect 

and rapidly respond to new and 

changing invasive plant populations. 

Proposed Action 

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National 

Forest Supervisor proposes to treat 

currently existing invasive species on 

15,246 acres across the OkanoganVerDate Nov<24>2008 15:29 Aug 12, 2009 Jkt 217001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\13AUN1.SGM 13AUN1

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