2019-10192. Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the United States Department of Agriculture's 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 July 15, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, 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 an information collection that RUS is submitting to OMB for extension of an existing collection. 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 to: Thomas P. Dickson, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

Title: Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP).

OMB Control Number: 0572-0151.

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

Abstract: The USDA, through the RUS, provides RESP loans to Eligible entities that agree to, in turn, make loans to Qualified consumers such as rural families and small businesses for energy efficiency measures and cost-effective renewable energy or energy storage systems. These loans are made available under the authority of Section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended, (Section 6407) and Title VII, Section 741 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. Eligible Energy efficiency measures must be for or at a property or properties served by a RESP borrower, using commercially available technologies that would allow Qualified consumers to decrease their energy use or costs through cost-effective measures including structural improvements to the structure. Loans made by RESP borrowers under this program may be repaid through charges added to the Qualified consumer's bill for the property or properties for, or at which, energy efficiencies are or will be implemented.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 6.32 hour per response.

Respondents: Non-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 33.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 225.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.8.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,422 Hours.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from MaryPat Daskal, Management Analyst, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulatory Team 2, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [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.

Chad Rupe,

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.