52736 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 14, 2009 / Notices 

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 

information collection 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. 

Done at Washington, DC, this 6th day of 

October 2009. 

Rajiv J. Shah, 

Chief Scientist, USDA, Under Secretary for 

REE. 

[FR Doc. E9–24677 Filed 10–13–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection: 

Comment Request: Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

Education and Administrative 

Reporting System (EARS) 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition 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 a 

proposed information collection. The 

proposed collection is an extension, 

without change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

The purpose of the Education and 

Administrative Reporting System 

(EARS) form is to collect uniform and 

standard information on nutrition 

education activities (SNAP–Ed) funded 

by SNAP. The data collected will inform 

management decisions, support policy 

initiatives, and provide documentation 

for legislative, budget and other requests 

that support planning within the 

agency. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before December 14, 

2009. 

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 has 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 through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Comments may be sent to Jane 

Duffield, Chief, State Administration 

Branch, Program Accountability and 

Administration Division, Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Food and 

Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center 

Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, VA 

22302. Comments may also be 

submitted via fax to the attention of Jane 

Duffield at 703–605–0795, Room 824 or 

via e-mail to jane.duffield@fns.usda.gov. 

Comments will also be accepted through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

All written comments will be open for 

public inspection at the office of the 

Food and Nutrition Service during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 

Park Center Drive, Room 824 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approval. 

All comments will also be a matter of 

public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the proposed information 

collection form and instructions should 

be directed to Jane Duffield at (703) 

605–4385. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Education and Administrative 

Reporting System. 

OMB Number: 0584–0542. 

Form Number: FNS–759. 

Expiration Date: 08/31/2010. 

Type of Request: Extension, without 

change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

Abstract: The Food and Nutrition 

Service (FNS) developed the Education 

and Administrative Reporting System 

(EARS) for the nutrition education 

(SNAP–Ed) component of the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP), which is provided for 

in Section 11 of the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020 (f)(3)(B)(ii)). 

In 2003, the Agency convened a 

workgroup of diverse stakeholders to 

assist with this task, including people 

from the State, local, and federal levels, 

as well as academia. 

The EARS form was approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007. The 

first phase of EARS implementation, 

launched in FY 2008, required SNAP 

State agencies to report on financial 

questions #9 and #10 on the EARS form. 

Full implementation of all applicable 

EARS questions is required of SNAP 

State agencies by FY 2010. 

EARS provides uniform data and 

information about the nutrition 

education activities of all participating 

States across the country. Data collected 

on the EARS form includes 

demographic characteristics of 

participants receiving nutrition 

education benefits, information about 

education topics and strategies, and use 

of resources. The EARS form is designed 

as an annual report that SNAP State 

agencies submit using the Food and 

Nutrition Service (FNS) web-based Food 

Program Reporting System (FPRS). 

FPRS is available to SNAP State 

agencies between October 15 and 

December 30 of each year for the 

submission of EARS data for the prior 

FY’s nutrition education activities. 

Affected Public: Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 

State Agencies, and implementing 

partners such as extension universities 

and non-profit organizations and local 

program operators. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

52. 

Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

52. 

Hours per Response: 54. 

Total Annual Reporting Hours: 2,808. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,808. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 52 

SNAP State agencies. 

Dated: October 5, 2009. 

Julia Paradis, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. E9–24678 Filed 10–13–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

Inviting Applications for the Rural 

Economic Development Loan and 

Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2010 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite 

applications for loans and grants under 

the Rural Economic Development Loan 

and Grant (REDLG) program pursuant to 

mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES