2021-12757. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 14, 2021.

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments are requested regarding: 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; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; 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 regarding this information collection received by July 19, 2021 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Utilities Service

Title: Assistance to High Energy Cost Grants Rural Communities.

OMB Control Number: 0572-0136.

Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE Act) (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) as amended in November 2000, to create new grant and loan authority to assist rural communities with extremely high energy costs (Pub. L. 106-472). The amendment authorized the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through Rural Development to provide competitive grants for energy generation, transmission, or distribution facilities serving communities in which the national average residential expenditure for home energy is at least 275 percent of the national average residential expenditure for home energy. All applicants are required to submit a project proposal containing the elements in the prescribed format.

Need and Use of the Information: Information is collected by the Rural Utility Service from applicants to confirm that the eligibility requirements and the proposals are consistent with the purposes set forth in the statute. Various forms and progress reports are used to monitor compliance with grant agreements, track expenditures of Federal funds and measure the success of the program. Without collecting the listed information, USDA will not be assured that the projects and communities served meet the statutory requirements for eligibility or that the proposed projects will deliver the intended benefits.

Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 100.

Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping: Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 1,172.

Levi S. Harrell,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.