19252 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 1, 1996 / Notices

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: Section 273.9(c)(11) of the

Food Stamp Program regulations

requires that Federal, State or local

energy assistance be disregarded as

income for Food Stamp Program

purposes. When a State agency wants to

disregard income as energy assistance, it

must justify its request by satisfying

certain indicators of purpose in order to

ensure that the funds in question are in

fact energy assistance and not just a

shifting of State agency costs to the

National taxpayer. Indications that the

payments in question are energy

assistance include: the payments are not

limited to public assistance (PA) or

general assistance (GA) households;

payments should go only to households

that incur home energy costs; payments

combined with other assistance

payments such as GA or PA must result

in an increase in total assistance not

counting food stamps; the payments are

based on studies, surveys or reports

evaluating home energy costs; the

payments are designated as energy

assistance by the legislative body

enacting them and the levels of

payments are calculated based on the

seasonal home energy needs of typical

households over an aggregate period not

exceeding six months per year. If the

payments are provided over a period

longer than this aggregate, the State

agency must document the reasons. The

number of State agencies with approved

energy assistance disregards has

decreased from 11 to 9. Energy costs are

down. There is also pending legislation

that would eliminate this disregard

entirely. It is unlikely that there will be

any requests for an energy assistance

disregard from State agencies not

currently participating. In addition, the

Food and Consumer Service (FCS)

dropped its insistence on an annual

information collection for currently

participating State agencies to rejustify

previously approved energy assistance

disregards. Submission of the

information collection to FCS for

approval is only required when a

currently participating State agency is

seeking approval to increase the energy

assistance disregard. Based on past

experience in recent years, it is

anticipated that only 1 already

participating State agency may seek to

justify an increase in its currently

approved energy assistance disregard in

any given year.

Affected Public: State and local

governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1.

Estimated Time per Response: 4

hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 4

hours.

Dated: April 23, 1996.

William E. Ludwig,

Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.

[FR Doc. 96–10784 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–30–U

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Disaster Food

Stamp Assistance

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service,

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

proposed information collections. This

information collection is based on the

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and

Emergency Assistance Act and Section

5(h) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as

amended, which provide the Secretary

of Agriculture with the authority to

develop an emergency food stamp

program to address the needs of families

temporarily in need of food assistance

after a disaster. The information

collection under this notice is required

for the establishment and operation of

emergency food stamp assistance

programs.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 1, 1996.

ADDRESSES: 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 used;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information to be

collected; (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

Margaret Werts Batko, Acting Chief,

Certification Policy Branch, Program

Development Division, Food and

Consumer Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive,

Alexandria, VA 22302.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

also become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Requests for

additional information should be

directed to Margaret Werts Batko (703)

305–2516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Emergency Food Stamp

Assistance for Victims of Disasters.

OMB Number: 0584–0336.

Form Number: Not a form.

Expiration Date: 6/30/96.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: Pursuant to the Robert T.

Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency

Assistance Act and Section 5(h) of the

Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended,

the Secretary of Agriculture has the

authority to develop an emergency food

stamp program to address the temporary

food needs of families following a

disaster. The information collection

under this notice is required to be

provided by households in order to

determine eligibility for emergency food

stamp benefits as the result of the

disaster.

The number of disasters that occur

annually and the average number of

households affected cannot be

accurately predicted. When the estimate

for OMB No. 0584–0336 was approved

on June 25, 1995, an annual average of

two States were predicted to be hit with

a disaster, with an estimated number of

affected households of 4,000 and burden

hours of 2,789. These estimates

represent an average based on disaster

food stamp participation reports for a

total of five disasters that occurred in

1989, 1990, and 1991.

In reviewing the number of disasters

for the last three years, we found the

number of disasters had increased

dramatically. In 1992 there were five

disasters and the number of disasteraffected households ranged from 70 to

206,735. In 1993, there were three

disasters and the number of disasteraffected households ranged from 5,307

to 17,741. In 1994, there were three

disasters, and the number of disasteraffected households ranged from 897 to

242,834. Due to the increase in the

number of disasters and disasteraffected households, we realized that

the June 1993 reporting burden was no

longer accurate. We calculated the

reporting hours for FY 95 based on

disaster reports for the years 1990 to

1995. Based on this data, the average

number of respondents has increased

from 4,000 to 115,475. Therefore, the

reporting burden for FY 95 has

increased to 48,114 hours. We expect
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 1, 1996 / Notices 19253

the reporting burden for FY 96 and FY

97 should remain the same as FY 95.

Affected Public: Food Stamp

recipients; State and local governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

115,475.

Estimated Time per Response: 25

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden:

48,114 hours.

Dated: April 23, 1996.

William E. Ludwig,

Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.

[FR Doc. 96–10785 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–30–U

Forest Service

Draft 1995 RPA Program

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; reopening of public

comment period.

SUMMARY: The Forest and Rangeland

Renewable Resources Planning Act

(RPA) of 1974, as amended, directs the

Secretary of Agriculture to prepare a

long-range recommended renewable

natural resources program every 5 years.

The draft of the 1995 Program, which

responds to the renewable resource

situation projected in the 1989 RPA

Assessment and the 1993 Update of the

RPA Assessment, was made available

for public comment on October 19, 1995

(60 FR 54057) with the comment period

closing on January 17, 1996. The

comment period is now being reopened

for 30 days to allow additional time for

those who wish to review and comment

on the Draft 1995 RPA Program. All

comments received between January 17,

1996, and the reopening of the comment

period will be considered, and

respondents do not need to resubmit

their comments.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The additional

comment period will end on May 31,

1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to

Director, Resources Program and

Assessment (1910), Forest Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box

96090, Washington, DC 20090–6090 or

via FAX at 202/205–1546 or via the

INTERNET at /s=rpa/0u1=w01c@mhsfswa.attmail.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Copies of the Draft 1995 RPA Program

may be requested by calling 202/205–

1235 or via FAX at 202/205–1546.

Information may also be requested

by E-Mail (ASCII only) at /s=rpa/

0u1=w01c@mhs-fswa.attmail.com. For

information on electronic access and

viewing of the draft document, see the

supplementary information section of

this notice.

Questions about the Draft 1995 RPA

Program may be addressed to Kathryn P.

Maloney, Director, Resources Program

and Assessment, telephone: 202/205–

1235.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft

1995 RPA Program serves as a strategic

planning document that provides longterm guidance for future Forest Service

policies and programs. This long-term

strategy describes the Agency’s

approach to achieving sustainability of

ecosystems. This strategic plan is

composed of future actions for

protecting ecosystems, restoring

ecosystems, providing multiple benefits

from ecosystems, and ensuring

organizational effectiveness. Future

Agency actions and associated costs are

described for international and domestic

assistance, the management of the

national forests and grasslands, and

research.

The Draft 1995 RPA Program has been

developed in accordance with the

principles in the National

Environmental Policy Act. Should the

Forest Service initiate any legislative

proposals as a result of guidance in the

final 1995 RPA Program, the Forest

Service will prepare the appropriate

environmental analyses and

documentation specific to the proposed

legislation. Similarly, implementation of

the Program through the forest land and

resource management planning process

will entail environmental analysis and

documentation at appropriate decision

points.

Electronic copies of the Draft 1995

RPA Program may be obtained via the

World-wide Web at URL:http://

www.fs.fed.us/land/RPA/welcome.htm.

After consideration of the public

comment received on the Draft 1995

RPA Program, the President will present

his statement of policy, and the

Secretary will recommend a final 1995

RPA Program to the U.S. Congress.

Dated: April 11, 1996.

Mark A. Reimers,

Acting Chief.

[FR Doc. 96–10582 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Designation for the Central Illinois (IL)

and Plainview (TX) Areas

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: GIPSA announces the

designation of Central Illinois Grain

Inspection, Inc. (Central Illinois), and

Plainview Grain Inspection and

Weighing Service, Inc. (Plainview), to

provide official services under the

United States Grain Standards Act, as

amended (Act).

EFFECTIVE DATES: June 1, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review

Branch, Compliance Division, GIPSA,

USDA, Room 1647 South Building, P.O.

Box 96454, Washington, DC 20090–

6454.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet M. Hart, telephone 202–720–8525.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This action has been reviewed and

determined not to be a rule or regulation

as defined in Executive Order 12866

and Departmental Regulation 1512–1;

therefore, the Executive Order and

Departmental Regulation do not apply

to this action.

In the November 29, 1995, Federal

Register (60 FR 61241), GIPSA asked

persons interested in providing official

services in the geographic areas

assigned to Central Illinois and

Plainview to submit an application for

designation. Applications were due by

January 2, 1996. Central Illinois and

Plainview, the only applicants, each

applied for designation to provide

official inspection services in the entire

areas currently assigned to them.

Since Central Illinois and Plainview

were the only applicants, GIPSA did not

ask for comments on the applicants.

GIPSA evaluated all available

information regarding the designation

criteria in Section 7(f)(l)(A) of the Act;

and according to Section 7(f)(l)(B),

determined that Central Illinois and

Plainview are able to provide official

services in the geographic areas for

which they applied. Effective June 1,

1996, and ending May 31, 1999, Central

Illinois and Plainview are designated to

provide official services in the

geographic area specified in the

November 29, 1995, Federal Register.

Interested persons may obtain official

services by contacting Central Illinois at

309–827–7121 and Plainview at 806–

293–1364.

AUTHORITY: Pub. L. 94–582, 90 Stat. 2867,

as amended (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.)

Dated: April 18, 1996.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 96–10650 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–EN–F