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

15648

Vol. 62, No. 63

Wednesday, April 2, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

March 28, 1997.

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 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, D.C. 20503 and to

Department Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, D.C.

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) 720–6204 or

(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.

Economic Research Service

Title: Farm Real Estate Tax Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0536–0002.

Summary: Information is collected on

farm and ranch real estate taxes plus

assessed value of land and building.

Need and Use of the Information:

Estimates of the farm real estate taxes

are used for the computation of the

index of Prices Paid by farmers. They

are essential in computing net farm

income, return on equity to farming and

cost of farms production.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 2,500.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 2,083.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Title: Cooperative Services

Questionnaire: Market Potential for New

Cooperatives, Buyer Survey for New

Cooperative Activity.

OMB Control Number: 0570–0009.

Summary: RBS will survey potential

buyers of proposed cooperatives’

products at the request of producer

groups to assist them in determining the

feasibility of new cooperative marketing

ventures.

Need and Use of the Information:

Data are used to develop a total business

plan for new cooperative activities and

to evaluate the potential for their

success.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 105.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 3.5

Rural Housing Service

Title: 7 CFR 1924–F, Complaints and

Compensation for Construction Defects.

OMB Control Number: 0575–0082.

Summary: Information is collected

from borrowers concerning defects of

newly constructed dwelling and new

manufactured housing units.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information is used by the Rural

Housing staff to evaluate the request and

assist the borrower in identifying

possible causes for the construction

defects and corrective actions.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 5,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

on occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 1,500.

Donald Hulcher,

Deputy Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–8414 Filed 4–1–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Business Utilization; Subcontracting

Forum

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) Office of Small and

Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

ACTION: Notice of Meeting.

SUMMARY: The Office of Small and

Disadvantaged Business Utilization

(OSDBU) at the Department of

Agriculture (USDA) will hold its first

Federal Subcontracting Forum on May

7, 1997, from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon. The

meeting will be held in Room 107–A of

the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building,

located at 1400 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20250. Attendance

at the meeting is open to all large

business concerns.

Presentation topics include the

Impact of the Adarand Decision and the

Department of Justice’s Proposal on the

Federal Subcontracting Program; the

Federal Subcontracting Program at

USDA; and the Future of the Federal

Subcontracting Program. Among the

guest speakers will be Bob Taylor,

Manager, Federal Subcontracting

Program, Small Business

Administration (SBA), and Linda

Mesaros, Deputy Associate

Administrator for Procurement Policy,

Office of Federal Procurement Policy

(OFPP).

Large business representatives should

be prepared to address their

subcontracting concerns/issues at the

meeting. Legal counsel and a team of

procurement officials from USDA, SBA

and OFPP will be available to answer

questions. Confidential and proprietary

information will not be discussed.

Seating at the forum is limited, and

reservations are required. Reservations

will be taken on a first-come, firstserved basis.

DATES: Reservations must be made by

April 23, 1997 (fax or e-mail only).

ADDRESSES: Confirm by facsimile at

(202) 720–3001. Confirm by e-mail at

giavanna.pullen@usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please contact Loretta D’Amico, USDA/
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 63 / Wednesday, April 2, 1997 / Notices 15649

OSDBU, 1400 Independence Avenue,

SW, AG STOP 9501, Washington, DC

20250–9501, telephone: (202) 720–7117,

or visit the OSDBU Home Page on the

Internet at www.usda.gov/da/

smallbus.html.

Sharron L. Harris,

Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged.

Business Utilization

[FR Doc. 97–8276 Filed 4–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–P

Farm Service Agency

Notice of Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces that the Farm Service

Agency (FSA) intends to request an

extension for currently approved

collection of information pertaining to

foreign investment in United States

(U.S.) agricultural land as authorized by

the Agricultural Foreign Investment

Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA).

DATE: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before June 2, 1997 to be

assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Patricia A. Blevins, Agricultural

Foreign Investment Specialist, Foreign

Investment Disclosure Branch,

Operations Analysis Staff, USDA, FSA,

STOP 0531, 1400 Independence

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–

0531, (202) 720–0604.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Agricultural Foreign Investment

Disclosure Act Report.

OMB Number: 0560–0097.

Expiration Date: June 30, 1997.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: AFIDA requires foreign

persons who hold, acquire, or dispose of

any interest in U.S. agricultural land to

report the transactions to the FSA on an

AFIDA report. The information

collected from the AFIDA reports is

used in the preparation of an annual

report to Congress and the President by

the Economic Research Service

concerning the effect of foreign

investment upon family farms and rural

communities. Congress reviews the

annual report and decides if further

regulatory action is required.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average .4818 hours per

response.

Respondents: Foreign investors,

corporate employees, farm managers or

attorneys.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

4,375.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 2,108 hours.

Proposed topics for comment include:

(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 collected; or

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the

collection of the 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 should be sent to the Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget,

Washington, D.C. 20503 and to Patricia

A. Blevins, Agricultural Foreign

Investment Specialist, Foreign

Investment Disclosure Branch,

Operations Analysis Staff, USDA, FSA,

STOP 0531, 1400 Independence

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–

0531, (202) 720–0604.

Signed at Washington, DC, on March 26,

1997.

Bruce R. Weber,

Acting Administrator Farm Service Agency.

[FR Doc. 97–8412 Filed 4–1–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–05 P

Forest Service

Nicore Mining Plan of Operation,

Siskiyou National Forest, Josephine

County, Oregon

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement.

SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, in

cooperation with the Bureau of Land

Managment, will prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

to disclose the environmental impacts

for a site-specific Proposed Action to

approve a Plan of Operation for access

and mining with mitigation, in the West

Fork Illinois River drainage, of the

Illinois Valley Ranger District, Siskiyou

National Forest, Josephine County,

Oregon. These are two access

alternatives presently under

consideration. The Agency gives notice

of the full environmental analysis and

decision-making process that will occur

on the Proposed Action, so that

interested and affected persons are

aware of how they may participate and

contribute to the analysis.

DATES: Issues with the Proposed Action

must be received in writing before May

5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written issues with

the Proposed Action to Mary Zuschlag,

District Ranger, Illinois Valley Ranger

District, 26568 Redwood Highway, Cave

Junction, Oregon, 97523.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions about the Proposed

Action and EIS to Don McLennan,

Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Illinois

Valley Ranger District, 26568 Redwood

Highway, Cave Junction, Oregon, 97523

or by calling (541) 592–2166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1872

Mining Law, Section 1 states that all

valuable mineral deposits in lands

belonging to the United States are to be

free and open to exploration.

The 1970 Mining and Minerals Policy

Act declares that it is the policy of the

Federal Government to foster and

encourage private enterprise in the

development of economically sound

and stable domestic mining, minerals,

metal and mineral reclamation

industries. The Act also declares that it

is the policy of the Federal Government

to foster and encourage private

enterprise in the orderly and economic

development of domestic mineral

resources.

In preparing the EIS, the Agency will

tier to the Amended Land and Resource

Management Plan for the Siskiyou

National Forest, consider submitted

written issues with Proposed Action,

and develop additional alternatives that

respond to the significant issues with

the Proposed Action. In addition, the

agency will analyze a no-action

alternative.

Public participation will be important

at several times during the analysis. The

first time is during the scoping period

[Reviewer may wish to refer to the

Council on Environmental Quality

Regulations for implementing the

procedural provisions of the National

Environment Policy Act (CFR) at 40 CFR

150.7]. The Agency will be seeking

written issues with the Proposed Action

from Federal, State, and local agencies,

any affected Indian tribes, the permit

applicant, and other individuals who

may be interested in or affected by the

Proposed Action. This input will be