[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 157 (Monday, August 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50452-50453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20621]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an 
agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), invites 
comments on this information collection for which RUS intends to 
request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 14, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. Brooks, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 5168 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078. Fax: (202) 720-
8435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (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 as a revision to an existing collection. 
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary

[[Page 50453]]

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 sent to: Michele L. Brooks, Director, 
Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Development 
Utilities Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1522, Room 
5168, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1522. Fax: 
(202) 720-8435.
    Title: Accounting Requirements for Electric and Telecommunications 
Borrowers.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0003.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This collection of information covers requirements for 
RUS Electric and Telecommunications borrowers for maintaining financial 
accounting and recordkeeping. The collection consists of the 
requirement to maintain an index of records and the recordkeeping 
associated with the accounting system of the organization. The Agency 
believes that this is the minimum record retention requirements needed 
to carry out its due diligence responsibilities in loan underwriting 
and maintaining loan security. Agency borrowers should understand that 
they may be subject to additional record retention requirements imposed 
by other regulatory authorities such as FERC, FCC, state commissions 
and IRS.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit, Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents and Recordkeepers: 1,150.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Number of Hours per Recordkeeper: 50 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,300 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Recordkeepers: 28,750 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Joyce 
McNeil, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 720-0812, 
Fax: (202) 720-8435.
    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.

    Dated: August 5, 2011.
Jonathan Adelstein,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20621 Filed 8-12-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P