This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

52735 

Vol. 74, No. 197 

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service 

Notice of Intent To Request an 

Extension of a Currently Approved 

Information Collection 

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, 

Education, and Extension Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) regulations (5 CFR part 1320) 

which implement the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35), this notice announces the 

Cooperative State Research, Education, 

and Extension Service’s (CSREES) 

intention to request an extension for a 

currently approved information 

collection (OMB No. 0524–0026) for 

Form CSREES–665, ‘‘Assurance of 

Compliance with the Department of 

Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil 

Rights Compliance,’’ and Form 

CSREES–666, ‘‘Organizational 

Information.’’ Upon OMB approval of 

this collection, the burden for the Form 

CSREES–665 will be transferred to OMB 

control number 0524–0039, 

‘‘Cooperative State Research, Education, 

and Extension Application Kit for 

Research and Extension Programs.’’ 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

December 14, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments 

concerning this notice and requests for 

copies of the information collection may 

be submitted by any of the following 

methods to Jason Hitchcock, Director, 

Information Policy, Planning and 

Training; Mail: CSREES/USDA; Mail 

Stop 2216; 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW.; Washington, DC 20250–2299; 

Hand Delivery/Courier: 800 9th Street, 

SW., Waterfront Centre, Room 4217, 

Washington, DC 20024; or E-mail: 

jhitchcock@csrees.usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Hitchcock, Director of Information 

Policy, Planning, and Training; 

Information Systems and Technology 

Management; CSREES/USDA, E-mail: 

jhitchcock@csrees.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Assurance of Compliance with 

the Department of Agriculture 

Regulations Assuring Civil Rights 

Compliance and Organizational 

Information. 

OMB Number: 0524–0026. 

Expiration Date of Current Approval: 

February 28, 2010. 

Type of Request: Intent to extend a 

currently approved information 

collection for three years. 

Abstract: CSREES has primary 

responsibility for providing linkages 

between the Federal and State 

components of a broad-based, national 

agricultural research, extension, and 

education system. Focused on national 

issues, its purpose is to represent the 

Secretary of Agriculture and carry out 

the intent of Congress by administering 

formula and grant funds appropriated 

for agricultural research, extension, and 

education. Before awards can be made, 

certain information is required from 

applicants to assure compliance with 

the applicable civil rights laws and to 

effectively assess the potential 

recipient’s capacity to manage Federal 

funds. 

Need for the Information: Form 

CSREES–665 ‘‘Assurance of Compliance 

with the Department of Agriculture 

Regulations Assuring Civil Rights 

Compliance’’: By signing this form, the 

organization certifies that it complies 

with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as 

amended. The applicant agrees that it 

will offer its programs to all eligible 

persons without regard to race, color, 

national origin, gender, disability, age, 

political beliefs, religion, marital status, 

or familial status and that people will 

not be excluded from participation in, 

be denied the benefits of, or be 

otherwise subjected to discrimination 

under any program or activity for which 

the applicant receives the Federal 

financial assistance from the 

Department of Agriculture. This 

information is submitted to CSREES on 

a one-time basis. 

Form CSREES–666 ‘‘Organizational 

Information’’: This form enables 

CSREES to determine that applicants 

recommended for awards will be 

responsible recipients of Federal funds. 

The information pertains to 

organizational management and 

financial matters of the potential 

grantee. This form and the documents 

which the applicant attaches to it 

provide CSREES with information such 

as the legal name of grantee, 

certification that the organization has 

the legal authority to accept Federal 

funding, identification and signatures of 

the key officials of the organization, the 

organization’s practices in regard to 

compensation rates and benefits of 

employees, insurance for equipment, 

subcontracting with other organizations, 

etc., as well as the financial condition 

of the organization and certification that 

the organization is not delinquent on 

Federal taxes. All of this information is 

considered by CSREES prior to award to 

determine if the grantee is both 

managerially and fiscally responsible. 

This information is submitted to 

CSREES on a one-time basis. If 

sufficient changes occur within the 

organization, the grantee submits 

revised information. 

Estimate of the Burden: CSREES 

estimates the number of responses for 

the Form CSREES–665 will be 4350 

with an estimated response time of 5 

minutes per form, representing a total 

annual burden of 363 hours for this 

form. CSREES estimates the number of 

responses for the Form CSREES–666 

will be 150 with an estimated response 

time of 6.3 hours per form, representing 

a total annual burden of 945 hours for 

this form. These estimates are based on 

a survey of grantees that were approved 

for grant awards. They were asked to 

give an estimate of time it took them to 

complete each form. This estimate was 

to include such things as: (1) Reviewing 

the instructions; (2) searching existing 

data sources; (3) gathering and 

maintaining the data needed; and (4) 

actual completion of the forms. The 

average time it took each respondent 

was calculated from their responses. 

Comments: 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 a practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the Agency’s 

estimate of the burden of the proposed 

collection of information, including the 

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52736 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 14, 2009 / Notices 

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 

information collection 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. 

Done at Washington, DC, this 6th day of 

October 2009. 

Rajiv J. Shah, 

Chief Scientist, USDA, Under Secretary for 

REE. 

[FR Doc. E9–24677 Filed 10–13–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection: 

Comment Request: Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

Education and Administrative 

Reporting System (EARS) 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on a 

proposed information collection. The 

proposed collection is an extension, 

without change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

The purpose of the Education and 

Administrative Reporting System 

(EARS) form is to collect uniform and 

standard information on nutrition 

education activities (SNAP–Ed) funded 

by SNAP. The data collected will inform 

management decisions, support policy 

initiatives, and provide documentation 

for legislative, budget and other requests 

that support planning within the 

agency. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before December 14, 

2009. 

ADDRESSES: 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 has 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 that 

were 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 to Jane 

Duffield, Chief, State Administration 

Branch, Program Accountability and 

Administration Division, Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Food and 

Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center 

Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, VA 

22302. Comments may also be 

submitted via fax to the attention of Jane 

Duffield at 703–605–0795, Room 824 or 

via e-mail to jane.duffield@fns.usda.gov. 

Comments will also be accepted through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

All written comments will be open for 

public inspection at the office of the 

Food and Nutrition Service during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 

Park Center Drive, Room 824 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approval. 

All comments will also be a matter of 

public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the proposed information 

collection form and instructions should 

be directed to Jane Duffield at (703) 

605–4385. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Education and Administrative 

Reporting System. 

OMB Number: 0584–0542. 

Form Number: FNS–759. 

Expiration Date: 08/31/2010. 

Type of Request: Extension, without 

change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

Abstract: The Food and Nutrition 

Service (FNS) developed the Education 

and Administrative Reporting System 

(EARS) for the nutrition education 

(SNAP–Ed) component of the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP), which is provided for 

in Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020 (f)(3)(B)(ii)). 

In 2003, the Agency convened a 

workgroup of diverse stakeholders to 

assist with this task, including people 

from the State, local, and federal levels, 

as well as academia. 

The EARS form was approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. The 

first phase of EARS implementation, 

launched in FY 2008, required SNAP 

State agencies to report on financial 

questions #9 and #10 on the EARS form. 

Full implementation of all applicable 

EARS questions is required of SNAP 

State agencies by FY 2010. 

EARS provides uniform data and 

information about the nutrition 

education activities of all participating 

States across the country. Data collected 

on the EARS form includes 

demographic characteristics of 

participants receiving nutrition 

education benefits, information about 

education topics and strategies, and use 

of resources. The EARS form is designed 

as an annual report that SNAP State 

agencies submit using the Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) web-based Food 

Program Reporting System (FPRS). 

FPRS is available to SNAP State 

agencies between October 15 and 

December 30 of each year for the 

submission of EARS data for the prior 

FY’s nutrition education activities. 

Affected Public: Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

State Agencies, and implementing 

partners such as extension universities 

and non-profit organizations and local 

program operators. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

52. 

Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

52. 

Hours per Response: 54. 

Total Annual Reporting Hours: 2,808. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,808. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 

SNAP State agencies. 

Dated: October 5, 2009. 

Julia Paradis, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. E9–24678 Filed 10–13–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

Inviting Applications for the Rural 

Economic Development Loan and 

Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2010 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite 

applications for loans and grants under 

the Rural Economic Development Loan 

and Grant (REDLG) program pursuant to 

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