[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 1587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-588]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 13, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Lamont Heppe, Jr., Program
Development & Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, USDA, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1522, Room 4034 South Building,
Washington, D.C. 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-0736. FAX: (202) 720-
4120.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: 7 CFR 1717, Subpart Y, Settlement of Debt Owed by Electric
Borrowers.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0116.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) makes mortgage loans
and loan guarantees to electric systems to provide and improve electric
service in rural areas pursuant to the Rural Electrification Act of
1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) (RE Act). This information
collection requirement stems from passage of P. L. 104-127, on April 4,
1996, which amended section 331(b) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.) to extend to RUS the Secretary
of Agriculture's authority to settle debts with respect to loans made
or guaranteed by RUS. Only those electric borrowers that are unable to
fully repay their debts to the government and who apply to RUS for
relief will be affected by this information collection.
The collection will require only that information which is
essential for determining: the need for debt settlement; the amount of
relief that is needed; the amount of debt that can be repaid; the
scheduling of debt repayment; and, the range of opportunities for
enhancing the amount of debt that can be recovered. The information to
be collected will be similar to that which any prudent lender would
require to determine whether debt settlement is required and the amount
of relief that is needed. Since the need for relief is expected to vary
substantially from case to case, so will the required information
collection.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 3,000 hours per response.
Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions and other businesses.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimate Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6,000 hours.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Bob
Turner, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities
Service at (202) 720-0696.
Comments are invited on (a) Whether the 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 burden including the validity of
the methodology and assumption 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 F.
Lamont Heppe, Jr., Director, Program Development and Regulatory
Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Stop 1522, Room 4034 South Building,
Washington, D.C. 20250-1522.
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.
Dated: January 5, 2000.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 00-588 Filed 1-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
