[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 117 (Friday, June 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36453-36454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13099]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RUS-22-TELECOM-0028]


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice; comment requested.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to 
request Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for an 
extension of a currently approved information collection in support of 
the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 16, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Woolard, Special Projects 
Coordinator, Rural Development Innovation Center--Regulations 
Management Division, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-9631. Email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d7e787e6c63237a6262616c7f694d787e696c236a627b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="33404640525d1d445c5c5f52415773464057521d545c45">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR part 1320) implementing provisions of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) requires that interested members 
of the public and affected agencies have an opportunity to comment on 
information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an existing information collection 
that the Agency is submitting to OMB for extension.

Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether this 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 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 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 by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
https://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and 
Federal Actions'' box, select ``RUS'' from the agency drop-down menu, 
then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select RUS-22-
TELECOM-0028 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting 
and related materials available electronically. Information on using 
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing documents, 
submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the 
comment period, is available through the site's ``User Tips'' link.
    Title: Part 1737, Pre-Loan Policies and Procedures Common to 
Insured and Guaranteed Telecommunications Loans.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0079.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: USDA, Rural Utilities Service (RUS) makes mortgage loans 
and loan guarantees to finance telecommunications, electric, and water 
and waste facilities in rural areas with a loan portfolio that totals 
more than $58 billion. In addition to providing loans and loan 
guarantees, one of the objectives of RUS is to safeguard loan security 
until the loan is repaid. Accordingly, RUS manages loan programs in 
accordance with the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq, as amended, (RE Act), and as prescribed by Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) Circular A-129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs 
and Non-Tax Receivables, which states that based on a review of a loan 
application, agencies must determine that an applicant complies with 
statutory, regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for 
loan assistance. Section 201 of the RE Act authorizes the RUS 
Administrator to make loans to qualified telephone companies for 
providing telephone service to the widest practicable number of rural 
subscribers. The reporting burden covered by this collection of 
information consists of forms, documents and written burden to support 
a request for funding for a Telecommunications Infrastructure loan.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 37.04 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses, not-for-profit institutions and others.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 43.
    Total Annual Responses: 309.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 7.19.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11,445 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Susan 
Woolard, Special Projects Coordinator, Innovation Center--Regulations 
Management Division, at (202) 720-9631. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7b080e081a15550c1414171a091f3b0e081f1a551c140d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a090f091b14540d1515161b081e3a0f091e1b541d150c">[email protected]</span></a>.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request

[[Page 36454]]

for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public 
record.

Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-13099 Filed 6-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P


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