[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37315-37316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18431]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection for the
Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP)
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service announces its intent to seek extension of the approval
of an existing information collection authorized under Office of
Management and Budget number 0596-0120. Several Forest Service
information collection forms are approved under this authorization
number: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment; SIP 211, Power of Attorney; SIP
211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife; and SIP 502, Payment
Limitation Review. Non-industrial private forest owners complete these
forms to participate in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry
Stewardship Incentive Program.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before September 8,
1998.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: Stewardship
Coordinator, Cooperative Forestry Staff, mail stop 1123, Forest
Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Stein, Cooperative Forestry
Staff, at (202) 205-0837.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is seeking extension of
the approval of an existing information collection authorized under
Office of Management and Budget number 0596-0120. Several Forest
Service information collection forms are approved under this
authorization number: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment; SIP 211, Power of
Attorney; SIP 211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife; and SIP
502, Payment Limitation Review. An additional form, AD-245, SIP Request
for Cost-Shares, formerly named SIP 245, SIP Request for Cost-Shares,
also must be completed by non-industrial private forest owners. A
separate request for extension of approval of form AD-245 is being
processed by the Farm Service Agency departmental request for
extensions of information collections authorized under Office of
Management and Budget approval number 0560-0082. The Forest Service and
the Farm Service Agency cooperatively administer the Forest Service
State and Private Forestry Stewardship Incentive Program.
Non-industrial private forest owners complete these forms to
participate in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry
Stewardship Incentive Program. The collected information identifies 1)
the Stewardship Incentive Program assignment of payment, 2) Internal
Revenue Service income
[[Page 37316]]
reporting requirements for participants; and 3) the participants'
delegated Power of Attorney.
All collected information is used by the Forest Service and the
Farm Service Agency to facilitate non-industrial private forest owner
participation in the Forest Service State and Private Forestry
Stewardship Incentive Program.
Data gathered in this information collection is not available from
other sources.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be extended:
Title: SIP 36, Assignment of Payment.
OMB Number: 0596-0120.
Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information
collection.
Abstract: Non-industrial private forest owners complete SIP 36,
Assignment of Payment, when they want to assign a cost-share payment to
a third party. The information requested includes the payment amount
assigned and the names, addresses, and signatures of the assignor and
the assignee.
Estimate of burden. 10 minutes.
Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 3,333 hours.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be extended:
Title: SIP 211, Power of Attorney.
OMB Number: 0596-0120.
Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information
collection.
Abstract: The non-industrial private forest landowner completes SIP
211, Power of Attorney, to grant a power of attorney. The landowner
indicates on this form whether the Power of Attorney is being granted
for (1) all actions, (2) the signing of an application, (3) the
receiving of payments, (4) the pledge of agreements, (5) the making of
reports, or (6) ``other.'' It is signed by the landowner and witnesses.
Estimate of burden: 5 minutes.
Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,667 hours.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be extended:
Title: SIP 211-1, Power of Attorney for Husband and Wife.
OMB Number: 0596-0120.
Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information
collection.
Abstract: Participants, who are husband and wife and who wish to
grant each other a Power of Attorney, must complete SIP 211-1, Power of
Attorney for Husband and Wife. Both the husband and wife print and sign
their names on the form.
Estimate of burden: 5 minutes.
Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,667 hours.
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be extended:
Title: SIP 502, Payment Limitation Review.
OMB Number: 0596-0120.
Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1998.
Type of request: Extension of a previously approved information
collection.
Abstract: To ensure they have not exceeded the cost-share payment
limit for a fiscal year, non-industrial private forest owners complete
SIP 502, Payment Limitation Review. A landowner is not allowed to
receive more than $10,000 in Stewardship Incentive Program cost-share
payments in a single fiscal year. Program participants provide their
name and address, entity identification number, and the date the entity
was formed. They also indicate whether they are an individual, an
irrevocable trust, a revocable trust, a corporation, a limited
partnership, a general partnership, a joint venture, an estate, or
``other.'' Participants also list all stockholders, members, heirs, or
beneficiaries having an interest in the entity.
Estimate of burden: 25 minutes.
Type of respondents: Non-industrial private forest owners.
Estimated number of respondents: 20,000.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1 per form.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 8,333 hours.
Comment is Invited
The agency invites comments on the following: (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 the respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Use of comments
All comments received in response to this notice, including name
and address when provided, will become a matter of public record.
Comments received in response to this notice will be summarized and
included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval.
Dated: July 1, 1998.
Robert Lewis, Jr.,
Acting Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 98-18431 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
