60-Day Notice

BILLING CODE (3410-XY-U)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; comment requested.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by [insert date 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register], to be assured of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation Center – Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, Room 4233, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522.  Telephone: (202) 690-4492.  Email Thomas.dickson@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) regulation (5 CFR 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 information collection that RBS is submitting to OMB for extension.

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 by any of the following methods:

• Mail: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation Center, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 1522, Room 4233, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-4492. Email: Thomas.Dickson@wdc.usda.go.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Title: Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program.

OMB Number: 0570-0035.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: Under this program, loans and grants are provided to electric and telecommunications utilities that have borrowed funds from the Agency. The purpose of the program is to encourage these electric and telecommunications utilities to promote rural economic development and job creation projects such as business start-up costs, business expansion, community development, and business incubator projects. The

utilities must use program loan funds to make a pass-through loan to an ultimate recipient such as a business. The utility is responsible for fully repaying its loan to the Government, even if the ultimate recipient does not repay its loan. The intermediary must use program grant funds, along with its required contribution, to create a revolving loan fund that the utility will operate and administer. Loans to the ultimate recipient are made from the revolving loan fund for a variety of community development projects. The information requested is necessary and vital in order for the Agency to be able to make prudent and financial analysis decisions.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.

Respondents: Rural Utilities Service Electric and

Telecommunications Borrowers.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 120.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 17.

Estimated Number of Responses: 2,180.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,781.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Robin M. Jones, Innovation Center, at (202) 772-1172, Email: robin.m.jones@wdc.usda.gov.

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.

____________________________________ ________________

Bette B. Brand Date

Administrator

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

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