4214 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 18 /Wednesday, January 28, 1998 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service

Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to

Extend and Revise a Current

Information Collection

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension 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 44977, August 29,

1995), this notice announces the

Cooperative State Research, Education,

and Extension Service’s (CSREES)

intention to request approval to revise

and extend a current information

collection from applicants for Federal

financial assistance.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by April 3, 1998 to be assured

of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS:

Contact Sally J. Rockey, Deputy

Administrator, Competitive Research

Grants and Awards Management,

CSREES, USDA, STOP 2240, 1400

Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20250–2240, (202)

401–1761. E-mail: OEP@reeusda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Application Kit for Research,

Education, and Extension Projects.

OMB Number: 0524–0022.

Expiration Date of Current Approval:

May 31, 1998.

Type of Request: Intent to seek

approval to revise and extend an

information collection for three years.

Abstract: USDA/CSREES sponsors

ongoing agricultural research,

education, and extension programs

under which competitive, special, and

other awards of a high-priority nature

are made. These programs are

authorized pursuant to the authorities

contained in the Act of August 4, 1965,

Pub. L. 89–106, as amended (7 U.S.C.

450i); Section 1414 of Pub. L. 95–113,

‘‘National Agricultural Research,

Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of

1977’’ (7 U.S.C. 450i(b)); Sections

1417(b)(1), 1417(b)(4), 1419, 1458A,

1472, 1473D, 1475, and 1480 of Pub. L.

95–113, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3154);

Section 9 of Pub. L. 95–592, as

amended, 7 U.S.C. 5821, ‘‘Native Latex

Commercialization and Economic

Development Act of 1978,’’ (7 U.S.C.

178); Research and Marketing Act of

1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 427i, 1624);

section 1433 of Pub. L. 97–98, ‘‘National

Agricultural Research, Extension, and

Teaching Policy Act Amendments of

1981’’; Section 632 of the Foreign

Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. 2392(a)); Pub.

L. 100–460; Section 1668 of the Food,

Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade

Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5921); Section

1455 of the National Agricultural

Research, Extension, and Teaching

Policy Act of 1977, as amended by

Section 815 of the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act (FAIR

Act) of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 3241); the Equity

in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of

1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) for the Tribal

Colleges Education Equity Grants

Program; the Small Business

Development Act of 1982, Pub. L. 97–

219, as amended (15 U.S.C. 638);

Section 25 of the Food Stamp Act of

1977, as amended by Section 401(h) of

the FAIR Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–127)

(7 U.S.C. 2034); Section 793 of the FAIR

Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 2204(f)).

In addition, formula-funded programs

administered by CSREES use one form

to provide assurances about their

programs. These programs are

authorized by the Hatch Act of 1887, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 361a–i); the EvansAllen Cooperative Agricultural Program,

Section 1445 of Pub. L. 95–113, the

Food and Agriculture Act of 1977, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 3222); Section 1433

of Subtitle E (Section 1429–1439), Title

XIV of Pub. L. 95–113 (7 U.S.C. 3191–

3201, as amended; and the McIntireStennis Cooperative Forestry Research

Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C.

582a–582a–7).

Before awards can be made, certain

information is required from applicants

as part of an overall proposal package.

In addition to project summaries,

descriptions of the research, extension,

or education efforts, literature reviews,

curricula vitae of principal

investigators/project directors, and

other, relevant technical aspects of the

proposed project, supporting

documentation of an administrative and

budgetary nature also must be provided.

Because of the nature of the

competitive, peer-reviewed process, it is

important that information from

applicants be available in a

standardized format to ensure equitable

treatment.

Each year, solicitations are issued

requesting proposals for various

research, education, and extension areas

targeted for support. Applicants submit

proposals for these targeted areas

following formats outlined in the

proposal application guidelines

accompanying each program’s

solicitation. These proposals are

evaluated by peer review panels and

awarded on a competitive basis.

These programs use forms approved

in prior OMB-approved collection of

information packages (OMB Nos. 0524–

0022 and 0524–0024).

Forms CSREES–661, ‘‘Proposal Cover

Page;’’ CSREES–55, ‘‘Proposal Budget;’’

CSREES–662, ‘‘Assurance

Statement(s),’’ CSREES–663, ‘‘Current

and Pending Support;’’ and CSREES–

1234, ‘‘National Environmental Policy

Act Exclusions’’ are mainly used for

proposal evaluation and administration

purposes. The CSREES–1234 has been

approved under a separate CSREES

collection (OMB Number 0524–0033

contains the burden hours for all

CSREES programs) and is included in

the Application Kit so an applicant can

provide pertinent information regarding

the possible environmental impacts of a

proposed project. While some of the

information will be used to respond to

inquiries from Congress and other

government agencies, the forms are not

designed to be statistical surveys or data

collection instruments. Their

completion by potential recipients is a

normal part of the application to Federal

agencies which support basic and

applied science.

The following information will

continue to be collected:

Form CSREES–661—Proposal Cover

Page: Provides names, mailing and

electronic addresses, and telephone

numbers of principal investigators/

project directors and authorized agents

of applicant institutions and general

information regarding the proposals.

Form CSREES–55—Proposal Budget:

Provides a breakdown of the purposes

for which funds will be spent in the

event of an award.

Form CSREES–662—Assurance

Statement(s): Provides required

assurances of compliance with

regulations involving the protection of

human subjects, animal welfare, and

recombinant DNA research. This form is

used for competitive, special, and

formula-funded projects.

Form CSREES–663—Current and

Pending Support: Provides information

for active and pending projects.

Form CSREES–1234—National

Environmental Policy Act Exclusions:

Allows identification of whether or not

the proposal fits one of the exclusions

listed for compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (7 CFR Part

3407). This information has been and

will continue to be used in

determinations as to whether or not

further action is needed to meet the

requirements of this Act.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 18 /Wednesday, January 28, 1998 / Notices 4215

is estimated to average five and threequarter (53⁄4) hours per response

(including one-quarter hour for the

CSREES–1234).

Respondents: Non-profit institutions,

individuals, business, Federal

government, and State, local, or Tribal

governments.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Form: 8,900. 6,600 complete the entire

collection; 2,300 complete only the

CSREES–662.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 37,450 hours, broken

down by: 19,800 hours for Form

CSREES–661 (three hours per 6,600

respondents); 6,600 hours for Form

CSREES–55 (one hour per 6,600

respondents); 4,450 hours for Form

CSREES–662 (one-half hour per 8,900

respondents); and 6,600 hours for Form

CSREES–663 (one hour per 6,600

respondents).

Frequency of Responses: Annually.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Suzanne

Plimpton, Policy and Program Liaison

Staff, CSREES, (202) 401–1302. E-mail:

OEP@reeusda.gov.

Comments: Comments are invited on:

(a) whether the proposed 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 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 to be

collected; and (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. Comments may be sent to:

Sally J. Rockey, Deputy Administrator,

Competitive Research Grants and

Awards Management, CSREES, USDA,

STOP 2240, 1400 Independence

Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250–

2240, (202) 401–1761. E-mail:

OEP@reeusda.gov. Comments also may

be submitted directly to OMB and

should be addressed to: Desk Officer for

Agriculture, Office of Information and

Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, Washington,

D.C. 20502.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments also

will become a matter of public record.

Done at Washington, D.C., this day of 21st

day of January 1998.

B.H. Robinson,

Administrator, Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service.

[FR Doc. 98–1979 Filed 1–27–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

Rural Housing Service

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Notice of Request for Extension of

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCIES: Farm Service Agency, Rural

Housing Service, and Rural BusinessCooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed Collection; comments

request.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the intent of the Farm

Service Agency (FSA), Rural Housing

Service (RHS), and the Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS) to request an

extension of currently approved

information collections for four

regulations and a form used in support

of the FSA Farm Loan Program (FLP)

(formerly Farmer Programs of the

Farmers Home Administration (FmHA)),

two regulations used in support of the

RHS Multi-family Housing (MFH) and

Community Facilities (CF) loan

programs, and one regulation used in

support of the RBS Direct Business and

Industry loan program. These rules do

not involve the loans of the Commodity

Credit Corporation (CCC) administered

by FSA or the Single Family Housing

(SFH) loans of RHS. This renewal does

not involve any revisions to the program

rules.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received on or before March 30, 1998 to

be assured consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information contact Phillip

Elder, Senior Loan Officer, USDA, Farm

Service Agency, Farm Loan Programs,

Loan Servicing Division, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW., STOP

0523, Washington, DC 20013–0523;

Telephone (202) 690–4012; Electronic

mail: pelder@wdc.fsa.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Form FmHA 1962–1, Agreement

for the Use of Proceeds/Release of

Chattel Security.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0171.

Expiration Date of Approval: March

31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension of

Currently Approved Information

Collection.

Abstract: The collection of

information on Form FmHA 1962–1 is

required by a consent decree executed

in relation to Coleman V. Block, 663 F.

Supp 1315 (D.N.D. 1987). The former

Farmers Home Administration (FmHA)

agreed in the consent decree to approve

a borrower’s planned use of proceeds

from the disposition of their chattel

security, record any changes to planned

use, and record the actual disposition of

chattel security for the year of operation.

Also, this form is needed to implement

Section 335(f) of the Consolidated Farm

and Rural Development Act (Act) (7

U.S.C. 1985(f)), which requires release

of normal income security to pay

essential household and farm operating

expenses of the borrower, until the

Agency accelerates the loan. Form

FmHA 1962–1 provides a uniform

method for local Agency loan officers to

approve these actions.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 20 minutes per

response.

Respondents: Individuals or

households, businesses or other for

profit and farms.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

56,075.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 18,505 hours.

Title: 7 CFR 1806–A, Real Property

Insurance.

OMB Control Number: 0575–0087.

Expiration Date: March 31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension of

Currently Approved Information

Collection.

Abstract: This regulation is currently

shared by FSA and the MFH programs

of RHS. This regulation governs the

servicing of property insurance on

buildings and land securing the interest

of RHS or FSA in connection with an

FSA FLP Loan or RHS MFH loan. This

regulation does not apply to the CF and

SFH programs of RHS. The information

collections pertain primarily to the

verification of insurance on property

securing Agency loans. This information

collection is submitted by FSA or RHS

borrowers to Agency offices. It is

necessary to protect the government

from losses due to weather, natural

disasters, or fire and ensure that the

Act’s loan making requirements of

hazard insurance are met by loan

applicants. See §§ 303(c), 312(c), and

321(b) of the Act.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information