2018-24351. Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by January 7, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation Center, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, Room 5164, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

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 information collections that RUS is submitting to OMB for revision. 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 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 respondents, 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 5164, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Title: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets.

OMB Control Number: 0572-0020.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: A borrower's assets provide the security for a government loan. The selling of assets reduces the security and increases the risk to the government. RUS Form 369 allows the borrower to seek agency permission to sell some of its assets. The form collects detailed information regarding the proposed sales of a portion of the borrower's systems. RUS electric utility borrowers complete this form to request RUS approval in order to sell capital assets when the fair market value exceeds 10 percent of the borrower's net utility plant. The collection of information will be revised to remove the requirement to submit a Board Resolution with the Form 369.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 42.5 hours per response.

Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 33.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 83 hours.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Robin M. Jones, Innovation Center, at [phone], Email: [e-mail].

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: November 2, 2018.

Christopher A. McLean,

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.