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

41624

Vol. 65, No. 130

Thursday, July 6, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Research Service

Notice of Intent To Seek Renewed

Approval To Collect Information

AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.

L. 104–13) and Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR

part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29,

1995), this notice announces the

Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS)

intention to request renewed approval

for information collection from

applicants for Federal financial

assistance, in order to ensure

compliance with civil rights laws and

regulations. The initial Federal Register

document for the collection of

information was published 62 FR 12789,

March 18, 1997.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by September 11, 2000 to be

assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments and or

questions to, Bruce Lee, Extramural

Agreements Program Manager,

Extramural Agreements Division,

Administrative and Financial

Management, Agricultural Research

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

George Washington Carver Center, 5601

Sunnyside Avenue, Room 3–2174, Mail

Stop 5110, Beltsville, Maryland 20770,

(301) 504–1148; fax (301) 504–1262; email comments to: blee@ars.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Application for ARS funding for

grants and assistance-type cooperative

agreements.

Type of Request: Renewed approval to

collect information from applicants for

Federal financial assistance.

Abstract: ARS’ Federally assisted

programs consist of the following types

of extramural awards executed under

the requirements of Pub. L. 95–224,

Federal Grant and Cooperative

Agreement Act of 1977:

1. Grants and Assistance-Type

Cooperative Agreements awarded in

support of basic or applied research.

2. Grants awarded in support of

research conferences and symposiums,

and other non-research activity.

The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil

Rights Division, has determined that

ARS has the responsibility to collect

such data from entities that have

applied or received Federal assistance

in the form of grants or assistance-type

cooperative agreements in order to

ensure compliance with Title VI of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the

Education Amendments Act of 1972,

and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Together these acts prohibit

discrimination on the basis of race,

color, national origin, sex, or disability

in any program receiving Federal

financial assistance.

ARS’ data collection duties are

pursuant to 28 CFR part 42 (§ § 42.401–

42.15), which the Department of Justice

references as the legal basis regarding

Title VI for all Federal agencies

extending Federal assistance. The

purpose of part 42 is to insure that

Federal agencies which extend financial

assistance properly enforce Title VI of

the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Part 42

further states that Federal agencies

which extend financial assistance have

the responsibility to enforce Title VI, in

accordance with the authority under

Executive Order 12250. In addition, the

Department of Agriculture’s TItle VI

regulations at 7 CFR 15.5(a) require the

ARS, as the administering agency, to

conduct compliance reviews of the

practices of recipients of ARS grants and

assistance-type cooperative agreements

to determine compliance with

requirements of the Title VI.

Furthermore, the Department of

Agriculture is responsible for ensuring

compliance with Title VI pursuant to

Executive Order 12250, 45 CFR 86.1 et

seq., and 7 CFR 15a.1 et seq., and

compliance with the Rehabilitation Act

pursuant to Executive Order 12250, 28

CFR 41.1 et seq., and 7 CFR 15b.1 et seq.

Data requested to assure compliance

with these Civil Rights Acts and

regulations include (1) race, national

origin, sex, and disability information

on employees conducting the research,

and membership of planning and

advisory bodies, and (2) other

information necessary to effectively

enforce Title VI, Title IX, and the

Rehabilitation Act.

Information obtained from the public

includes: Federal Financial Assistance

Civil Rights Assurance Questionnaires;

Applications for Funding; Grants and

Assistance Type Cooperative Agreement

Budget Information; Other Current and

Pending Federal Financial Assistance

Support; Research Assurance

Statements; and Assurances of

Compliance with the Department of

Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil

Rights Compliance Statements.

Estimated of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average four hours per

set, including the time for reviewing

instructions, searching existing data

sources, gathering and maintaining the

data needed, and completing and

reviewing the collection of information.

Respondents: Universities, animal

and plant research scientists, and

individuals who perform research

relevant to the mission of ARS.

Estimated Number of respondents:

200.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 800 hours.

Comments: Comments are invited on

(a) whether the renewed 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 estimated 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 collected; and

(d) ways to minimize the burden of

those who respond, such as through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques.

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.

Signed at Beltsville, Maryland.

Dated: June 19, 2000.

Gene P. Spory,

Associated Deputy Administrator, Financial

Management Division.

[FR Doc. 00–17064 Filed 7–5–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–03–M