106420 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 

address, telephone number, and a 

written description of the alleged 

discriminatory action in sufficient detail 

to inform the Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights about the nature and date 

of an alleged civil rights violation. The 

completed AD–3027 form or letter must 

be submitted to USDA by: 

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; or (2) Fax: (833) 256– 

1665 or (202) 690–7442; or (3) Email: 

program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Done at Washington, DC. 

Denise Eblen, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31145 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Waiver and State Plans 

(WiSP) 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on 

this proposed information collection. 

This collection is a: New collection. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before TBD February 28, 

2025. 

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit 

written comments on this notice. 

—Preferred method: Federal 

eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://

www.regulations.gov, and follow the 

online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

—Mail: Amanda Vega, WIC Program 

Integrity and Monitory Branch, Food 

and Nutrition Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, 1320 

Braddock Place, Alexandria, Virginia 

22314. 

—Email: email comments to 

amanda.vega@usda.gov. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for Office of Management and Budget 

approval. All comments will be a matter 

of public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of this information collection 

should be directed to Andrea Whitley at 

andrea.whitley@usda.gov, 703–305– 

2465. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 shall 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 that were 

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 use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

Title: Waivers and State Plans (WiSP). 

Form Number: Not Yet Determined. 

OMB Number: Not Yet Assigned. 

Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined. 

Type of Request: New collection. 

Abstract: The burden activities that 

are covered by this Information 

Collection Request include the 

transition from individual collections 

for Program waivers and State Plans to 

a new application supporting multiple 

USDA Programs. This application will 

allow State agencies to request Program 

waivers and submit State Plans to the 

USDA Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), FNS staff to manage data 

provided within the application, and 

covers the gathering and maintenance of 

all supporting data from each State 

agency. The Waivers and State Plans 

(WiSP) application will support the 

following USDA Programs and be 

available to all participating State 

agencies in each Program: Special 

Supplemental Nutrition Program for 

Woman, Infants and Children (WIC), 

Farmers Market Nutrition Program 

(FMNP), and Seniors Farmers Market 

Nutrition Program (SFMNP). 

The purpose of WIC is to provide 

supplemental foods, nutrition 

education, and health care referrals to 

low income, nutritionally at-risk 

pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum 

women, infants, and children up to age 

five. The WIC Program is authorized by 

the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as 

amended. WIC currently operates 

through a Federal/State partnership in 

which the Department of Agriculture/ 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) 

provides grants to State agencies in 50 

U.S. States, 6 U.S. Territories, and 32 

Indian Tribal Organizations (ITO’s). The 

WIC Program requirements are specified 

in Section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act 

of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(m)(8)), and WIC 

regulations at 7 CFR part 246. 

FMNP is designed to provide fresh, 

unprepared, locally grown fruits and 

vegetables to WIC participants and 

expand the awareness, use of, and sales 

at farmers markets. FMNP currently 

operates through a Federal/State 

partnership in which FNS provides 

grants to State agencies in 42 U.S. 

States, 3 U.S. Territories, and 6 ITOs. 

FMNP Program requirements are 

specified in Section 17(m)(8) of the 

Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 

1786(m)(8)), and FMNP regulations at 7 

CFR part 248. 

SFMNP is designed to provide lowincome seniors with access to locally 

grown fruits, vegetables, honey and 

herbs and aid in the development of 

new and additional farmers markets, 

roadside stands, and community 

support agricultural programs. SFMNP 

currently operates through a Federal/ 

State partnership in which FNS 

provides grants in 44 U.S. States, 3 U.S. 

Territories, and 7 ITOs. SFMNP Program 

requirements are specified in the Farm 

Security and Rural Investment Act of 

2002, as amended, (Pub. L. 107–171) 

and SFMNP regulations at 7 CFR part 

249. 

The reporting and record-keeping 

burden activities that are covered by the 

information collection include 

requirements that involve the new 

application allowing State agencies to 

submit waiver requests and State Plan 

submissions to FNS. The WiSP 

application will provide a way for State 

agency staff to request pre-defined 

standard waivers, nationwide opt-in 

waivers, disaster related waivers, and to 

build custom ad hoc waiver requests. 

The application will support current 

and future legislation providing FNS 

with waiver authority for WIC, FMNP, 

and SFMNP program requirements. 

Depending on the legislation, this 

waiver authority may be temporary, as 

is the case for waivers granted under the 

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA, Pub. 

L. 117–2), or permanent, as is the case 

for waivers granted under the Access to 

Baby Formula Act of 2022 (ABFA, Pub. 

L. 117–129). Application users will be 

able to respond to requests for more 

information, as needed, within the 

application. This will streamline the 

waiver request process and ensure that 

all waiver correspondence is kept 

associated to the waiver request. 

Waivers are requested on an as needed 

basis, and not all State agencies will 

request a waiver for a Program 

requirements. Waivers are authorized by 

specific legislation and may have a 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 106421 

scope that only applies to some of the 

Programs. State Plan Program operations 

are also supported in the WiSP 

application. Federal regulations require 

that State Plan Program-related 

information be collected and that full 

and complete records concerning 

Program operations are maintained. 

State Plans are the principal source of 

information about how each State 

agency operates WIC, FMNP and 

SFMNP. State agencies gather 

information to inform their initial and 

annual State Plan submissions 

throughout their work during an average 

year. This involves consolidating and 

summarizing the results of: local agency 

authorization and monitoring; 

participant certification of eligibility; 

authorized outlet selection, 

authorization, disqualification, 

monitoring visits, and monitoring 

reviews; face-to-face training results; 

Food instrument receipt, issuance, and 

disposition; complaint handling; policy 

establishment for sanctions; financial 

management system establishment and 

maintenance; management evaluation 

system establishment and maintenance; 

and corrective action plan establishment 

and maintenance all of which are 

associated to the reporting burden 

approved under OMB Control Numbers: 

0584–0687 (WIC), 0584–0447 (FMNP) 

and 0584–0541 (SFMNP). 

Current and new State agencies are 

required to submit State Plans annually 

per the guidelines of the respective 

Programs, as an application or 

prerequisite to the receipt of federal 

funds from FNS. 

Each Program has one or more 

designated checklists that cover 

different Program requirements. FMNP 

and SFMNP optionally allow for some 

Programs to be combined into a single, 

consolidated State Plan checklist. The 

new application will support each 

Program’s individual checklists, and 

allowable, consolidated checklists. 

WIC State agencies are required to 

submit their full Program planning data 

in 10 distinct checklist documents. Each 

fiscal year, only a portion of the total 

checklists are required to be submitted. 

The required checklists are published 

prior to the due date of WIC State Plans 

and apply equally to all State agencies. 

It is estimated that each State agencies 

will be required to annually submit 4 

checklists per FY from each WIC State 

agency. State agencies may choose 

provide updates to the other 6 checklists 

on file but are not required to submit 

updates for these. 

FMNP and SFMNP Programs require 

that each of their State agencies submit 

1 (one) of the of the 3 different versions 

of State Plan checklists available: FMNP 

only, SFMNP only, and S/FMNP 

Consolidated. The Consolidated 

checklist is for State agencies who 

administer both Programs. 

The burden table information 

collection items are grouped by Waivers 

and then State Plan items, then by the 

collection items. The lines in the 

collection grouping identify the State 

agency category group for the 

respondents. For each collection item, 

we have identified the estimated burden 

by State agency category. 

Reporting Burden 

Affected Public: Respondent groups 

identified include State agency officials 

from the 50 geographic States, 6 US 

Territories, and 32 Indian Tribal 

Organizations. Not all identified State 

agencies participate with all Programs 

or with all application features. Program 

Waivers are issued based upon 

regulations these non-mandatory 

requests are available for the State 

agencies at their option. WIC, FMNP 

and SFMNP Programs require that each 

of their State agencies file a Program 

specific State Plan each year. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

The total estimated number of 

respondents is 2,656 (1176 Waiver 

respondents + 1480 State Plan 

respondents including one time effort 

activities), which represents the 

estimated sum of all State agencies for 

all applicable FNS Programs, across all 

collection items for both Waivers and 

State Plans. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Year: The State agencies will be able to 

use the WiSP application to submit 

Program Waivers, and State Plans. The 

estimated total number of responses per 

year is 2,652.28 (380.28 Waiver 

responses + 2272.00 State Plan 

responses including one time effort 

activities), which represents the 

estimated sum of all requests estimated 

from State agencies for all applicable 

FNS Programs, across all collection 

items for both Waivers and State Plans. 

The distinct number of responses is 

broken down below for Waivers and 

then State Plans. 

Estimated Time per Response: The 

estimated time of response for both 

Waivers and State Plans varies from 

0.89 to 11.77 hours depending on 

respondent group and instrument, as 

shown in the table below, with an 

average estimated time of 10.21 hours 

for all participants. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: The estimated total 

annual burden on respondents for both 

Waivers and State Plan items is 

27,074.66 hours. See the table below for 

estimated total annual burden for each 

type of respondent. 

Record-Keeping Burden 

Affected Public: Record-keeping 

groups identified include State agency 

officials from the 50 geographic States, 

6 US Territories, and 32 Indian Tribal 

Organizations. 

Estimated Number of Record-Keepers: 

The total estimated number of recordkeepers is 196.00 which represents the 

estimated sum of all State agencies for 

all applicable FNS Programs, across all 

collection items for State Plans. 

Estimated Number of Records per 

Year: The estimated total number of 

annual records is 196.00 for State Plans. 

Estimated Time per Record Keeper: 

The estimated time per record-keeper 

for State Plans is 1.00 hours. 

Estimated Total Record-Keeping 

Burden Hours: The estimated total 

annual burden on record-keepers State 

Plans is 196.00 hours. 

Information collected 

Estimated 

number of 

respondents 

Estimated 

annual 

frequency of 

response per 

respondent 

Total 

annual 

responses 

Hours per 

response 

Total annual 

burden 

(hours) 

Gathering data for waiver request ....................................... 196.00 0.48 94.90 1.00 94.90 

Waiver request form ............................................................ 588.00 0.34 202.47 2.67 162.29 

Supplemental Data waiver requests .................................... 196.00 0.16 31.89 1.00 31.89 

Waiver Sub Total .......................................................... 1,176.00 0.32 380.28 0.89 340.10 

Import of all existing State Plans ......................................... 196.00 5.04 988.00 2.00 1,976.00 

Application data entry training ............................................. 500.00 1.00 500.00 2.00 1,000.00 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
106422 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 249 / Monday, December 30, 2024 / Notices 

Information collected 

Estimated 

number of 

respondents 

Estimated 

annual 

frequency of 

response per 

respondent 

Total 

annual 

responses 

Hours per 

response 

Total annual 

burden 

(hours) 

State Plan One Time Effort Sub Total ......................... 696.00 2.14 1,488.00 2.00 2,976.00 

State Plan of Operations ..................................................... 588.00 1.00 588.00 40.07 23,562.56 

State Plan Record Maintenance .......................................... 196.00 1.00 196.00 1.00 196.00 

State Plan Annual Effort Sub Total .............................. 784.00 1.00 784.00 30.30 23,758.56 

State Plan Sub Total ............................................. 1,480.00 1.54 2,272.00 11.77 26,734.56 

Grand Totals ................................................... 2,656.00 1.00 2,652.28 10.21 27,074.66 

Tameka Owens, 

Acting Administrator and Assistant 

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–31264 Filed 12–27–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Information Collection; Non-Timber 

Forest Products 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Notice; request for comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 

Forest Service (Forest Service or 

Agency) is requesting public comment 

on the reapproval and proposed 

revisions of an approved information 

collection (ICR), 0596–0243, NonTimber Forest Products. 

DATES: Comments on reapproval and the 

proposed revisions of the ICR must be 

received in writing by February 28, 

2025. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to 

Forest Service Research and 

Development, 201 14th Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20250–1124. 

Comments also may be submitted by 

email to: julie.minde@usda.gov. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be available to the 

public through relevant websites and 

upon request. Therefore, do not include 

confidential information, such as 

sensitive personal information or 

proprietary information. An email 

address associated with a comment will 

be included with the comment when it 

is made publicly available online. 

The public may inspect the draft 

supporting statements for the ICR and 

comments received at 201 14th Street 

SW, Washington, DC 20250, on business 

days between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 

Visitors are encouraged to call ahead at 

703–559–2972 to facilitate entry to the 

building. The public may request an 

electronic copy of the supporting 

statements and comments via return 

email. Requests should be emailed to 

julie.minde@usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie 

Minde, Social Science Analyst, at 

julie.minde@usda.gov or 703–559–2972. 

Individuals who use telecommunication 

devices for the deaf and hard of hearing 

may call 711 to reach the 

Telecommunications Relay Service, 24 

hours a day, every day of the year, 

including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Non-Timber Forest Products. 

OMB Number: 0596–0243. 

Expiration Date of Approval: February 

28, 2025. 

Type of Request: Reapproval and 

proposed revisions of an approved ICR. 

Abstract: 

Non-timber forest products are plants, 

mushrooms, and plant- or tree-derived 

goods like nuts, boughs, sap, and leaves 

that are harvested for use as food, 

medicine, cultural, artisan, and other 

purposes. Some gathering is planned 

and systematic, while much of it is 

informal, unplanned, opportunistic, or 

incidental to other outdoor recreation 

activities. For some people, harvested 

wild plants and mushrooms make up a 

substantial or nutritionally important 

part of their diet. In other cases, nontimber forest products are locally or 

regionally important products for 

businesses. 

Many opportunities exist to manage 

forests and other natural areas to 

enhance the supply of non-timber forest 

products. This increases the benefits 

they provide to society, individuals, and 

cultures and helps maintain populations 

of important non-timber forest products 

in the face of changes like invasive 

species and climate impacts. Potential 

public benefits include improved public 

health outcomes from outdoor activity 

and access to socially, culturally, and 

economically significant products. 

Harvesting and consuming non-timber 

forest products also may help 

supplement food sources for people 

with limited access to fresh, affordable 

food. 

Many laws and policies direct the 

Forest Service to consider and manage 

for non-timber forest products for the 

benefit of the public and to meet trust 

responsibilities to American Indians 

and Alaskan Natives on federal and 

Tribal lands, e.g., Forest and Rangeland 

Renewable Resources Planning Act 

(RPA) of 1974, Forest and Rangeland 

Renewable Resources Research Act of 

1978. Managing forests and other 

natural areas to provide non-timber 

forest products in a sustainable way 

requires detailed, science-based 

information. Gaining new information 

can help us understand how uses of 

non-timber forest products have 

changed over time in response to 

management, socio-cultural 

circumstances, the economic conditions 

of Tribes, and environmental forces of 

change. 

The Forest Service seeks to obtain 

OMB approval for extension with 

revision to a currently approved 

information collection to collect 

information from who manage, make 

policies for, or otherwise have a stake in 

the management of lands where nontimber forest products may be 

harvested. 

Estimated Annual Burden per 

Response: 25 minutes for survey; 60 

minutes for interview; 90 minutes for 

focus group. 

Types of Respondents: Individuals 

and households, businesses and nonprofit organizations, and state, local or 

Tribal Government. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 1,300. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 276 hours. 

Comment is invited on: (1) whether 

this collection of information is 

necessary for the stated purposes and 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1