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

5850

Vol. 65, No. 25

Monday, February 7, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

February 1, 2000.

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 through the use

of appropriate automated, electronic,

mechanical, or other technological

technology should be addressed to: Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC

20250–6502. 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) 720–6746.

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 Utility Service

Title: 7 CFR 1773, Policy on Audits of

RUS Borrowers.

OMB Control Number: 0572–0095.

Summary of Collection: Under the

authority of the Rural Electrification Act

of 1936 (ACT), as amended 7 U.S.C. 901

et seq., the Administrator is authorized

and empowered to make loans under

certain specified circumstances. As a

requirement for these loans the Rural

Utility Service (RUS) mortgage in

Article 2, Section 12, requires each

Mortgagor to prepare and furnish

financial statements to RUS at least

annually. RUS, in representing the

Federal Government as Mortgagee and

in furthering the objectives of the Act,

relies on the information provided by

the borrowers in their financial

statements to make lending decisions as

to borrowers credit worthiness and to

assure that loan funds are approved,

advanced and disbursed for proper Act

purposes.

Need and Use of the Information:

RUS will collect information to evaluate

borrowers’ financial performance,

determine whether current loans are at

financial risk, and determine the credit

worthiness of future losses. If

information is not collected, it would

delay RUS’ analysis of the borrowers’

financial strength, thereby adversely

impacting current lending decisions.

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

Number of Respondents: 1,800.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 20,374.

Rural Utility Service

Title: 7 CFR 1792, Subpart C—Seismic

Safety of New Building Construction.

OMB Control Number: 0572–0099.

Summary of Collection: Seismic

hazards present a serious threat to

people and their surroundings. These

hazards exist in most of the United

States, not just on the West Coast.

Unlike hurricanes, the time and location

of earthquakes cannot be predicted;

most earthquakes strike without

warning and, if of substantial strength,

strike with great destructive forces. To

reduce risks to life and property from

earthquakes, Congress enacted the

Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of

1977 (Public Law 95–124, 42 U.S.C.

7701 et seq.) and directed the

establishment and maintenance of an

effective earthquake reduction program.

As a result, the National Earthquake

Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP)

was established. The objectives of the

NEHRP include the development of

technologically and economically

feasible design and construction

methods to make both new and existing

structures earthquake resistant, and the

development and promotion of model

building codes. 7 CFR part 1792,

subpart C, identifies acceptable seismic

standards which must be employed in

new building construction funded by

loans, grants, or guarantees made by the

Rural Utility Service (RUS) or the Rural

Telephone Bank (RTB) or through lien

accommodations or subordination’s

approved by RUS or RTB.

Need and Use of the Information:

RUS will collect information on the

project designation and owners name;

name of the architectural/engineering

firm; name and registration number (for

the State in which the building project

is located) of the certifying architect or

engineer; purpose and location of the

facility; seismic factor for the building

location; the code identity and date of

the model code used for the design and

construction of the building project(s);

total square footage of the building

project; total cost of the building project;

and estimated cost of the structural

systems affected by the requirements of

7 CFR part 1792, Subpart C.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 100.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 225.

Rural Utility Service

Title: Prospective Large Power

Service.

OMB Control Number: 0572–0001.

Summary of Collection: The Rural

Utilities Service (RUS) is a credit agency

of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It

makes mortgage loans and loan

guarantees to finance electric,

telecommunications, and water and

waste water facilities in rural areas.

Loan programs are managed in

accordance with the Rural

Electrification Act (RE Act) of 1936, 7

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

prescribed by Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) Circular A–129, Policies

for Federal Credit Programs and NonTax Receivables, which states that

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 25 / Monday, February 7, 2000 / Notices 5851

agencies must, based on a review of a

loan application, determine that an

applicant complies with statutory,

regulatory, and administrative eligibility

requirements for loan assistance. RUS

Form 170 is used to obtain information

from borrowers on contracts that the

borrower proposes to enter into for a

large industrial or commercial electric

power load, specifically setting forth

load estimates by analyzing market

costs.

Need and Use of the Information:

RUS will collect information to show

the feasibility of providing services to

prospective large power consumers;

check the adequacy of rates based on the

amount of investment in facilities; show

the method used to obtain funds for

financing construction; and show

contract terms, i.e., length of service,

proposed rate, and minimum charge.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 5.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 22.

Food and Nutrition Service.

Title: Summer Food Service Program

Claim for Reimbursement.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0041.

Summary of Collection: The Summer

Food Service Program Claim for

Reimbursement Form is used to collect

meal and cost data from sponsors to

determine the reimbursement

entitlement for meals served. The form

is sent to the Food and Nutrition

Service’s (FNS) Regional Offices where

it is entered into a computerized

payment system. The payment system

computes earnings to date and the

number of meals to date and generates

payments for the amount of earnings in

excess of prior advance and claim

payments. To fulfill the earned

reimbursement requirements set forth in

the Summer Food Service Program

regulations issued by the Secretary of

Agriculture (7 CFR 225.9), the meal and

cost data must be collected on the FNS–

143 claim form.

Need and Use of the Information: FNS

will collect information to manage,

plan, evaluate, and account for

government resources. The reports and

records are required to ensure the

proper and judicious use of public

funds. If the information is not collected

on the claim form, the sponsor could

not receive reimbursement.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 530.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Other

(Summer).

Total Burden Hours: 1,193.

Forest Service

Title: Improve Management of the

Tongass National Forest and Service to

Local, Regional, and National

Customers.

OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Tongass

National Forest encompasses nearly 85

percent of the land in southeast Alaska

and forms the basis for the regional

economy. Commercial fishing, timber

production, mineral extraction, and the

quickly growing tourism industry

depend on the renewable and nonrenewable natural resources of this

national forest. Forest plans are required

by the National Forest Management Act

of 1976; the Alaska National Interest

Conservation Act of 1980 requires

evaluation of forest plans and other use

actions in Alaska that may affect

subsistence use of fish and wildlife. The

Forest Service (FS) will manage the

Tongass National Forest, the nation’s

largest National Forest, over the next

10–15 years. Tourism, expected to

continue to grow at 10–20% per year in

coming years, is beginning to tax both

the natural resources and the resident

communities of the area. The Tongass

Land Management Plan recognized

significant changes in public use of the

forest and in public values and attitudes

and identified the information need to

collect relevant socioeconomic data.

The FS will collect information using a

study survey.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect information to identify

needs by providing information on

public use of the Tongass National

Forest and on public attitudes and

values relevant to the forest

management issues that are likely to be

important in coming years. The

information will be used in making

regular management decisions and in

developing larger scale plans for the

Tongass National Forest. If the

information is not collected, FS

decision-makers/will lack essential

information.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 1600.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 800.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Warehouse Regulations under

USWA and Standards for Approval of

Warehouses.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0120.

Summary of Collection: Section 4 of

the United States Warehouse Act

(USWA) (7 U.S.C. 244) states that the

Secretary of Agriculture, or his

designated representative, is authorized,

upon application to him, to issue to any

warehouseman a license for the conduct

of a warehouse or warehouses in

accordance with this Act and such rules

and regulations as may be hereunder:

PROVIDED, that each such warehouse

be found suitable for the proper storage

of the particular agricultural product or

products for which a license is applied

for, and that such warehousemen agree,

as a condition to the granting of the

license, to comply with and abide by all

the terms of this act and the rules and

regulations prescribed hereunder. The

USWA is administered by the Farm

Service Agency (FSA). Although there

are several warehouse types covered

under the USWA, the reporting

requirements within a particular

warehouse type are essentially the same

as those across all warehouse types and,

with some exceptions, the forms are

used bilaterally; that is, they are used

for both USWA licensing and

Commodity Credit Corporation

purposes. The forms are furnished to

interested warehousemen/warehouse

operators or used by the warehouse

examiners employed by FSA to secure

and record information about the

warehouseman/warehouse operators

and the warehouse. FSA will collect

information using several forms.

Need And Use of the Information:

FSA will collect Information (1) to

determine whether or not the warehouse

and the warehouseman/warehouse

operator making application for

licensing and/or approval meets

applicable standards; (2) to issue such

licensed or approvals’ (3) to determine,

once licenses or approved, that the

licensee or warehouse operator

continues to meet such standards and is

conforming to regulatory or contractual

obligations; (4) to determine that the

stored commodity is in good condition;

and (5) to determine that the licensee or

warehouse operator is storing the

commodity for which licensed or

approved in a safe and prudent manner.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 4,500.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Annually; Other (daily record).

Total Burden Hours: 15,151.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: 7 CFR Part 220 School Breakfast

Program.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0012.

Summary of Collection: Section 4 of

the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) of 1966,

as amended, authorizes the School

Breakfast Program (SBP). The Food and

5852 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 25 / Monday, February 7, 2000 / Notices

Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the

School Breakfast Program on behalf of

the Secretary of Agriculture so that

needy children may receive their

breakfasts free or at a reduced price.

Although supervised by FNS, the SBP is

delivered through State agencies and

school food authorities. FNS must

collect information at regular intervals

from these organizations to determine

eligibility and to determine the number

of meals served and the amount of

reimbursement due. FNS also requires

that certain records be maintained as

directed by the CNA and associated

regulations.

Need and Use of the Information:

School food authorities provide

information to State agencies. The State

agencies report to FNS. FNS uses the

information submitted to determine the

amount of funds to be reimbursed,

evaluate and adjust program operations,

and to develop projections for future

program operations.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government,

Individuals or household, Business or

other for-profit, Not-for-profit

institutions, Federal Government.

Number of Respondents: 81,748.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Quarterly; Monthly; Annually; Other.

Total Burden Hours: 4,894,701.

Nancy B. Sternberg,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–2619 Filed 2–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV00–932–4 NC]

Notice of Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice

announces the Agricultural Marketing

Service’s (AMS) intention to request an

extension for a currently approved

information collection for Olives Grown

in California, Marketing Order 932.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by April 7, 2000, to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Caroline Thorpe, Marketing

Specialist, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, P.O.

Box 96456, Room 2525–S, Washington,

DC 20090–6456, Telephone: (202) 720–

2491, Fax: (202) 720–5698; or E-mail:

moab.docketclerk@usda.gov.

Small businesses may request

information on this notice by contacting

Jay Guerber, Regulatory Fairness

Representative, Marketing Order

Administration Branch, Fruit and

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, room

2525–S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington,

DC 20090–6456; telephone (202) 720–

2491, Fax: (202) 720–5698, or E-mail:

Jay.Gerber@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Olives Grown in California,

Marketing Order 932.

OMB Number: 0581–0142.

Expiration Date of Approval: October

31, 2000.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: Marketing order programs

provide an opportunity for producers of

fresh fruits, vegetables, and specialty

crops, in a specified production area, to

work together to solve marketing

problems that cannot be solved

individually. Order regulations help

ensure adequate supplies of good

quality product and adequate returns to

producers. Under the Agricultural

Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 (Act),

as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674),

marketing order programs are

established if favored by producers in

referenda. The handling of the

commodity is regulated. The Secretary

of Agriculture is authorized to oversee

order operations and issue regulations

recommended by a committee of

representatives from each commodity

industry.

The information collection

requirements in this request are

essential to carry out the intent of the

Act, to provide the respondents the type

of service they request, and to

administer the California olive

marketing order program, which has

been operating since 1965.

The California olive marketing order

authorizes the issuance of quality, size,

and inspection requirements. The order

also has authority for research and

development projects, including paid

advertising. Pursuant to section 8e of

the Act, import grade and size

requirements are implemented on olives

imported into the United States.

The order and its rules and

regulations authorize the California

Olive Committee (committee), the

agency responsible for local

administration of the order, to require

handlers and producers to submit

certain information. Much of this

information is compiled in aggregate

and provided to the industry to assist in

marketing decisions.

The committee has developed forms

as a means for persons to file required

information with the committee relating

to olive supplies, shipments,

dispositions, and other information

necessary to effectively carry out the

purpose of the Act and the order.

California olives are shipped year-round

and these forms are used accordingly. A

USDA form is used to allow growers to

vote on amendments to or continuance

of the order.

Formal rulemaking amendments to

the order must be approved in referenda

conducted by the Secretary. Also, the

Secretary may conduct a continuance

referendum to determine industry

support for continuation of the order.

Handlers are asked to sign an agreement

to indicate their willingness to abide by

the provisions of the order whenever the

order is amended. These forms are

included in this request.

All the forms under this program

require the minimum information

necessary to effectively carry out the

requirements of the order, and their use

is necessary to fulfill the intent of the

Act as expressed in the order.

The information collected would be

used only by authorized representatives

of the USDA, including AMS, Fruit and

Vegetable Programs’ regional and

headquarter’s staff, and authorized

employees of the committee. Authorized

committee employees and the industry

are the primary users of the information

and AMS is the secondary user.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .28 hour per

response.

Respondents: California olive

handlers and growers.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

692.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 20.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 3881 hours.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether

the proposed collection of the

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) 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;

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility

and clarity of the information to be

collected; and (4) ways to minimize the