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

66687

Vol. 65, No. 216

Tuesday, November 7, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

November 2, 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 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), Washington, DC 20503 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) 720–6746.

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.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Marketing Order Regulations the

Handling of Spearmint Oil Produced in

the Far West, MO 985.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0065.

Summary of Collection: The

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. The

Far West spearmint marketing order

regulates the handling of spearmint oil

produced in the Washington, Idaho,

Oregon, and designated parts of Nevada

and Utah. The order authorizes the

issuance of allotment provisions for

producers and regulates the quantities

of spearmint oil handled and has the

authority for research and development.

Under the Agriculture Marketing

Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7

U.S.C. 601–674), industries enter into

marketing order programs. Agricultural

Marketing Service (AMS) may act as the

Secretary’s agent to oversee the order

operations and issue regulations

recommended by a committee of

representatives from each commodity

industry.

Need and Use of the Information: The

Committee has the authorization to

require producers, handlers, and

processors submit certain information as

provided by the order, rules and

regulations. Various forms relating to

spearmint supplies, shipments, and

dispositions, and used and required to

effectively carry out the purpose of the

Act and order. The committee

periodically reviews reports and forms

to ensure that they are understandable,

easy to fill out, and only the minimum

of information necessary is reported.

The information collected is used by

authorized representatives of USDA,

including AMS, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs’ regional and headquarters

staff, and employees of the Committee.

Timing and frequency of the various

reports has evolved to meet the needs of

the industry and minimize the burden

on the reporting public. Collecting data

less frequently would eliminate data

needed to keep the spearmint oil

industry and the Secretary abreast of

changes at the state and local level.

Description of Respondents: Business

of other for-profit; Farms, Federal

Government, State, Local or Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 217.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Annual; Biennially.

Total Burden Hours: 162.

Farm Service Agency

Title: 7 CFR 1941–A, Operating Loan

Policies, procedures and

Authorizations.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0162.

Summary of Collection: The

Consolidated Farm and Rural

Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1941)

(CONACT) authorizes the Secretary of

Agricultural and Farm Service Agency

(FSA) to make and ensure loans to

farmers and ranchers and to administer

the provision of the CONACT applicable

to the Farm Loan Program. The

information is require to ensure that the

agency provides assistance to applicants

who have reasonable prospectus of

repaying the government and meet

statutory eligibility requirements. This

assistance enables family farm operators

to use their land, labor, and other

resources and to improve their living

and financial conditions so that they

can eventually obtain credit elsewhere.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information is needed for FSA loan

approval officials to evaluate an

applicant’s eligibility, and to determine

if the operation is economically feasible

and the security offered in support of

the loan is adequate. FSA relies on

current information to carry out the

business of the program as intended and

to protect the government’s interest. A

variety of forms will be used to collect

the information. If the information were

not collected, or collected less

frequently, the Agency would be: (1)

Unable to make an accurate eligibility

and financial feasibility determination

on respondent’s request for new loans as

required by the CONTACT; and (2)

unable to meet the Congressionally

mandated mission of loan program.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Business or other for-profit; Federal

Government; Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 49,492.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting;

Other: As needed.

Total Burden Hours: 6,014.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Loan Deficiency Payments.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0129.

66688 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 7, 2000 / Notices

Summary of Collection: The Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996 provide authorization for

loan deficiency payments that are

implemented by the following

regulations (1) 7 CFR Part 147, for

upland cotton loan deficiency

payments; (2) 7 CFR Part 1421 for rice,

oilseeds, wheat, and feed grain loan

deficiency payments; (3) 7 CFR Part

1425 for Commodity Credit Corporation

(CCC) approved cooperative marketing

associations. The Farm Service Agency

(FSA), administers the marketing

assistance loan and loan deficiency

payment programs. Loan deficiency

payment provisions are intended to

reduce quantities of loan collateral

delivered to CCC and are made available

when the loan rate for the commodity is

greater than the announced repayment

rate or world market price.

Need and Use of the Information:

County FSA Committees are responsible

for approving and disapproving loan

deficiency payment requests. Producers

provide the necessary information

applicable to the request and must meet

certain eligibility requirements in

accordance with the regulations.

Potential applicants may use the

approved OMB forms for FSA that will

be posted on Internet Forms Website

along with instructions for completing

the forms. The information collected is

needed to determine loan deficiency

payment quantities and payment

amounts, verify producer and

commodity eligibility, and to ensure

that only eligible producers receive loan

deficiency payments. If the data were

collected less frequently, the statutes

could not be implemented as

authorized.

Description of Respondents: Farm;

Business or other for-profit; Individuals

or households.

Number of Respondents: 2,035,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (per request).

Total Burden Hours: 3,825,000.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Certified Mediation Program.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0165.

Summary of Collection: The Farm

Service Agency (FSA) is amending its

Agricultural Loan Mediation (AMP)

regulations to implement the

requirements of the Federal Crop

Insurance Reform and Department of

Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994

(the 1994 Act). P.L. 103–354, October

13, 1994, amended Section 501 of the

Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C.

5101) by striking ‘‘an agricultural loan

mediation program’’ and inserting ‘‘a

mediation program’’. The regulation

provides a mechanism to States to apply

for and obtain matching funds grants

from USDA. The grant funds help States

supplement administrative operating

funds needed to administer their

agricultural mediation programs. FSA

will collect information by mail, phone,

fax, and in person.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect information to ensure

matching grant funds are used only to

pay for eligible costs necessary for the

operation and administration of the

State mediation programs, consistent

with the the statutory purposes of the

program. If information were not

collected, this would result in improper

administration and appropriation of

Federal grant funds.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 25.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 775.

Foreign Agricultural Service

Title: Foreign Donation of

Agricultural Commodities.

OMB Control Number: 0551–0035.

Summary of Collection: The Federal

Agriculture Improvement and Reform

Act of 1996, Section 416(b) of the

Agriculture Act of 1949, and the Food

for Progress Act of 1985 require

reporting on food aid programs. The

Department of Agriculture programs

provide American food assistance to

needy people overseas. Assistance may

be provided through U.S. Private

Voluntary Organizations, agricultural

trade organizations, cooperatives,

eligible foreign governments,

intergovernments organizations, and

private entities. The Cooperating

Sponsors who elect to participate in

food aid programs are required to

submit a plan of operation and initial

budget to receive approval. Once

approval, the Foreign Agricultural

Service (FAS) enters into an agreement

with the Cooperating Sponsor.

Cooperating Sponsors may submit

information to FAS in hard copy,

electronically (on diskette or through

the Internet), or via fax.

Need and Use of the Information: FAS

will collect information to determine

whether the Cooperating Sponsor has

complied with the agreement and to

assess the value of the programs. The

information allows FAS to make a

determination whether future

programming should be implemented

with Cooperating Sponsors. If the

information were not collected it would

be more difficult to determine the

accountability and compliance of the

Cooperating Sponsors.

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

Number of Respondents: 241.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Semiannually.

Total Burden Hours: 38,827.

Rural Housing Service

Title: Farm Labor Housing Technical

Assistance Grants.

OMB Control Number: 0575–0181.

Summary of Collection: The Housing

Act of 1949 gives the Rural Housing

Service (RHS) the authority to make

loans for the construction of farm labor

housing (Section 514) and the authority

to provide financial assistance (grants)

to eligible private and public nonprofit

agencies (Section 516). RHS will award

three grants one from each geographic

region, Eastern, Central and Western

Regions. Eligibility for grants is limited

to private and pubic nonprofit agencies.

These grants will be awarded based on

the qualifications of the applicants and

their formal application.

Need and Use of the Information:

RHS staff in the National Office and

Rural Development field offices will

collect information from applicants and

grant recipients to determine their

eligibility for a grant, project feasibility,

to select grant proposals for funding,

and to monitor performance after grants

have been awarded. The Three

respondents, who are awarded grants,

are required to provide RHS with

quarterly performance reports

throughout the 3-year grant period. The

respondents are not required to retain

records for more than three years.

Failure to collect this information could

result in the improper use of Federal

funds; difficulties in determining

eligibility and selections of qualified

applicants; and monitoring performance

during the grant period.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; State, Local, and

Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 12.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually

and Quarterly.

Total Burden Hours: 303.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: Supplemental Qualifications

Statement.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0209.

Summary of Collection: The

Department of Agriculture has an

Interagency Agreement with the Office

of Personnel which provides the

National Agricultural Statistics Service

(NASS) with the authority to examine,

rate, and certify applications for

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 7, 2000 / Notices 66689

agricultural statistician positions.

Accordingly, in addition to resumes,

curriculum vitae, and the standard

Optional Application for Federal

Employment, NASS has created a

Supplemental Qualifications Statement

(SQS) for agricultural statistician and

mathematical statistician positions. The

SQS allows applicants the opportunity

to describe their achievements or

accomplishments as they relate to the

required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Need and Use of the Information: The

SQS provides applicants with

information related to how they will be

measured for a position and what kinds

of information will be used to evaluate

those abilities. NASS personnel

specialist will use the information on

the SQS to evaluate and rate the

applicant’s accomplishments or

achievements. Ultimately, the

information is used by the selecting

official as one of the criteria in the

selection process.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 50.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 150.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Facsimile Signature

Authorization and Verification.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0203.

Summary of Collection: U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA),

Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking

alternative service delivery processed

that will reduce the necessity for USDA

Service Center customers to travel to a

Service Center to provide information

and sign documents. One of the

alternatives being implemented is to

accept information provided via

telefacsimile. Each of the USDA Service

Center agencies (Farm Service Agency,

Natural Resources Conservation Service,

and Rural Development Agencies) will

share the signature on the FSA–237

(Facsimile Signature Authorization and

Verification) forms to eliminate

redundant collection of the same data.

FSA will collect information using form

FSA–237.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect the name and signature and

identification number from Service

Center customers. The information

collected will be used to verify the

authenticity of signatures on documents

provided to USDA service centers via

telefacsimile. Failure to collect and

maintain the original signature will

limit USDA’s ability to offer the

telefacsimile alternative to its Service

Center customers.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 866,089.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (once).

Total Burden Hours: 17,322.

Rural Development Services

Title: 7 CFR 1956–B, Debt

Settlement—Farm Programs and

Multiple Family Housing.

OMB Control Number: 0575–0118.

Summary of Collection: The Farm

Service Agency’s Farm Loan Program

provides supervised credit in the form

of loans to family farmers and ranchers

to purchase land and finance

agricultural production. The Rural

Housing Service (RHS) provides

supervised credit in the form of MultiFamily Housing (Housing Act of 1949)

loans to provide eligible persons with

economically designed and constructed

rental or cooperative housing and

related facilities suited to the living

requirements. This regulation defines

the requirements for debt settlement and

the factors the agency considers in

approving or rejecting the offer

submitted by the borrowers.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information submitted by the borrowers

is used to determine if acceptance of the

settlement offers on debts owed is in the

best interest of the Government. If the

information were not collected,

outdated and inaccurate information

would cause increased losses to the

government.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit; State, Local, or Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 2,900.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 24,650.

Rural Utilities 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, times and location of

earthquake cannot be predicted. Most

earthquake strike without warning and,

if of substantial strength, strike with

great destructive forces. To reduce risks

to life and property from earthquake,

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 Utilities

Service (RUS) or the Rural Telephone

Bank (RTB) or through lien

accommodations or subordinations

approved by RUS or RTB.

Need and Use of the Information:

RUS will collect information on the

project designation and owners’ name;

name of 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: 1,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 525.

Nancy B. Sternberg,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–28542 Filed 11–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Telephone Bank

Sunshine Act Meeting

AGENCY: Rural Telephone Bank, USDA.

ACTION: Staff Briefing for the Board of

Directors.

TIME AND DATE: 2:00 p.m., Thursday,

November 16, 2000.

PLACE: Room 0204, South Building,

Department of Agriculture, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC.

STATUS: Open.

MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED:

1. Current telecommunications

industry issues.

2. Status of PBO planning.