70690 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 228 / Monday, November 27, 2000 / Notices

Need and Use of the Information:

Various forms are used to collect

information. Such information includes:

the name and location of the person or

company requesting the inspection, the

type and location of the product to be

inspected, the type of inspection being

requested and any information that will

identify the product. The information

collected is needed to carry out the

inspection and grading services.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 51,800.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 6,416.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Report of Acreage.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0004.

Summary of Collection: Land and

crop information is the basic foundation

upon which many of Farm Service

Agency (FSA) programs operate. The

report of acreage is conducted on an

annual basis and is used by FSA’s

county offices to determine eligibility

for benefits that are available to

producers on the farm. The actual

number of producers who must supply

information varies depending on (1) the

type of farming operation, and (2) the

mix of crops planted (which has a direct

relationship to the type of program the

producer is eligible to participate in). In

order to establish eligibility annually for

these programs, a minimal amount of

land and crop data about a producer’s

farming operation is required. The

information is subsequently used to

ensure compliance with program

provisions, to determine actual

production histories, and when disaster

occurs, to verify crop loss. Producers

must provide the information each year

because variables such as previous year

experience, weather projections, market

demand, new farming techniques and

personal preferences affect the amount

of land being farmed, the mix of crops

planted, and the projected harvest. FSA

will collect information verbally from

the producers during visits to the

county offices.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect one or more of the following

data elements, as required: crop planted,

planting date, crop’s intended use (e.g.,

fresh or processing), type or variety (e.g.,

sweet cherries or tart cherries), practice

(irrigated or non-irrigated), acres,

location of the crop (tract and field), and

the producer’s percent share in the crop

along with the names of other producers

having an interest in the crop.

Once the information is collected and

eligibility established, the information is

used throughout the crop year to ensure

the producer remains compliant with

program provisions. Without a certain

level of information provided each crop

year by the producer, a significant

misuse of public funds could occur.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 650,175.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 1,462,894.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: Disaster Food Stamp Program.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0336.

Summary of Collection: Section 5(h)

of the Food Stamp Act along with other

related legislative authorities provide

for the Secretary of Agriculture to

establish temporary emergency

standards of eligibility for victims of a

disaster so that food assistance can be

obtained. This assistance becomes

effective in areas designated as a

‘‘major’’ disaster in order to address

temporary food needs of families

affected. The Food and Nutrition

Service (FNS) is delegated the

responsibility to administer the program

and State agencies handle enrollment

and general operation. In order to

determine whether an individual is

eligible for emergency food stamp

assistance an application form must be

completed. The State agencies must

comply with certain reporting

requirements to reconcile the

distribution of food stamps and account

for discrepancies.

Need and Use of the Information:

FNS, through the State agencies, will

collect information from the public to

ensure that individuals who apply for

emergency food stamps are eligible.

Without information from these

individuals, there would be no means

for establishing whether assistance is

warranted. State reporting requirements

are necessary in order to ensure that

States are accountable for the food

stamp coupons it maintains and to

avoid fraud, waste, and abuse in the

Food Stamp Program.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government;

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 195,163.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 33,335.

Nancy B. Sternberg,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–30074 Filed 11–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resource Conservation

Service

Holbrook Lake Ditch Watershed, Otero

County, CO

AGENCY: Natural Resource Conservation

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of a finding of no

significant impact.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969; the Council on

Environmental Quality Regulations (40

CFR Part 1500); and the Natural

Resource Conservation Service

Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the

Natural Resource Conservation Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives

notice that an environmental impact

statement is not being prepared for the

Holbrook Lake Ditch Watershed Project,

Otero County, Colorado.

For further information contact

Stephen F. Black, State Conservationist,

Natural Resource Conservation Service,

655 Parfet St., Lakewood, Colorado,

80215–5517, telephone (303) 236–2886,

ext. 202.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

environmental assessment of this

federally assisted action indicates that

the project will not cause significant

local, regional, or national impacts on

the environment. As a result of these

findings, Stephen F. Black, State

Conservationist, has determined that the

preparation and review of an

environmental impact statement are not

needed for this project.

The project purpose is to reduce

selenium, sediment and other pollutant

loading to the Arkansas River due to

ineffective irrigation water utilization.

The planned works of improvement

include on-farm underground irrigation

pipelines, on-farm concrete irrigation

ditches, land leveling, and underground

drains. These enduring practices are

accompanied by facilitating

management practices such as Residue

Management (seasonal).

The Notice of a Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been

forwarded to the Environmental

Protection Agency and to various

Federal, State and Local agencies and

interested parties. A limited number of

copies of the FONSI are available to fill

single copy requests at the above

address. Basic data developed during

the environmental assessment are on

file and may be reviewed by contacting

Stephen F. Black.

No administrative action on

implementation of the proposal will be

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 228 / Monday, November 27, 2000 / Notices 70691

taken until 30 days after the date of this

publication in the Federal Register.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance under No.

10904, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention, and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires

intergovernmental consultation with State

and local officials.)

Michael A. Gillespie,

Snow Survey Supervisor, Acting State

Conservationist.

[FR Doc. 00–30061 Filed 11–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Housing Service

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

for Section 515 Rural Rental Housing

Funds and Section 521 Rental

Assistance for Needs Resulting From

Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, and Irene;

Extension of Application Deadline

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service (RHS),

USDA.

ACTION: Notice of extension of

application deadline.

SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service

(RHS) extends the deadline for

submitting applications for section 515

funds and section 521 rental assistance

for needs resulting from hurricanes

Dennis, Floyd, and Irene announced in

a notice of funding availability (NOFA)

published August 18, 2000 (65 FR

50497). This action is taken to provide

additional information on the source

and type of funds that RHS considers

leveraged assistance and to give

applicants the opportunity to adjust

their applications based on this

information. Finally, this extension will

allow eligible entities additional time to

submit applications.

DATES: Accordingly, the deadline for

submitting applications under the

notice published August 18, 2000 (65

FR 50497), is extended to 5:00 p.m.

local time for each Rural Development

State office on December 11, 2000. The

application deadline is firm as to date

and hour. Applicants intending to mail

applications must provide sufficient

time to permit delivery on or before the

closing deadline date and time.

Acceptance by a post office or private

mailer does not constitute delivery.

Facsimile (FAX) and postage due

applications will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information, applicants may

contact Linda Armour, Senior Loan

Officer, Multi-Family Housing

Processing Division, Rural Housing

Service, United States Department of

Agriculture, Stop 0781, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC, 20250, telephone (202)

720–1753 (voice) (this is not a toll free

number) or (800) 877–8339 (TDDFederal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background and Discussion of

Extension of Application Deadline

RHS published a Notice of Funding

Availability (NOFA) on August 18, 2000

(65 FR 50497), with an application

deadline of October 17, 2000. Upon

reviewing applications received, RHS

determined that the NOFA was

ambiguous regarding the source and

type of funds that RHS considers

leveraged assistance. From the

applications received, RHS determined

that applicants interpreted this

ambiguity in different ways.

Therefore, to clarify this issue,

applicants are hereby advised that

leveraged assistance includes loans and

grants from other sources, contributions

from the applicant above the required

contribution indicated by the Sources

and Uses Comprehensive Evaluation

(available from the Rural Development

State Office) and tax abatements or other

savings in operating costs provided that,

at the end of the abatement period when

the benefit is no longer available, the

basic rents are comparable to or lower

than the basic rents if RHS provided full

financing. The required applicant

contribution is not considered leveraged

assistance.

RHS has also determined that some,

but not all, applicants received a copy

of the worksheet used by RHS to

calculate the point score for leveraged

assistance. To ensure that all applicants

are treated fairly, applicants who

submitted an application under the

notice published August 18, 2000 will

be provided with a copy of this Notice

and the worksheet used by RHS to

calculate leveraged assistance.

Applicants who wish to adjust their

application based on this additional

information must re-submit their

application by the extension deadline

published in this Notice. Finally, this

extension will allow eligible entities

additional time to submit applications.

Such entities may contact the Rural

Development State office to obtain a

copy of the worksheet used by RHS to

calculate leveraged assistance.

Dated: November 17, 2000.

James C. Kearney,

Administrator, Rural Housing Service.

[FR Doc. 00–30233 Filed 11–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–XV–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

Arkansas Electric Cooperative

Corporation; Notice of Availability of

an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an

environmental assessment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), has

accepted the Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) prepared for the

Arkansas Public Service Commission

(APSC) as its Environmental

Assessment. RUS may provide financial

assistance to Arkansas Electric

Cooperative Corporation (AECC) for the

construction of a 153-megawatt (MW)

combustion turbine electric generating

station in southwest Arkansas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob

Quigel, Engineering and Environmental

Staff, Rural Utilities Service, Stop 1571,

1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–1571, telephone

(202) 720–0468. The E-mail address is

bquigel@rus.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AECC

subsequent to receipt of a Certificate of

Convenience and Necessity (CCN) from

the APSC initiated construction of the

project at a 159 acre site east of Fulton,

Arkansas. Fulton is located in

Hempstead County. The CCN (Order No.

7) for the generating station was issued

on November 18, 1999. The CCN (Order

No. 3) for the transmission line was

issued on May 9, 2000.

The project, when completed, will

initially consist of a single 153 MW gasfired, simple-cycle combustion turbine

generating unit. Other on-site facilities

include a 90-foot exhaust stack, step-up

and auxiliary transformers, motor

control centers, bus ductwork, an

electric substation, and control,

maintenance, and operations buildings.

The project also includes 4 miles of 115

kV transmission line that will tie the

station to the existing transmission grid.

The transmission line will be built to

161 kV specifications in anticipation

that additional transmission line

capacity may be needed in the future.

The facility is designed to

accommodate conversion of the unit to

combined cycle operation, but will be

initially operated as a simple cycle unit.

The site has been sized to accommodate

additional simple or combined cycle

units. However, the environmental

assessment announced herein will cover

only the initial 153 MW simple cycle

unit and related electric transmission