2022-15080. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Advance and Disbursement of Funds-Telecommunications; OMB Control No.: 0572-0023

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 (USDA) Rural Utilities Service announces its' intention to request an extension of a currently approved information collection and invites comments on this information collection.

DATES:

Comments on this notice must be received by September 12, 2022 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be submitted by the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and, in the lower “Search Regulations and Federal Actions” box, select “Rural Utilities Service” from the agency drop-down menu, then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select “RUS-22-TELECOM-0043” to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov , including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the site's “User Tips” link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robin M. Jones, Management Analyst, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulations Management Division, United States Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) regulation (5 CFR part 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 the following information collection that Rural Utilities Service is submitting to OMB as extension to an existing collection with Agency adjustment.

Title: Advance and Disbursement of Funds—Telecommunications.

OMB Control Number: 0572-0023.

Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 2022.

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

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hours per response.

Respondents: Business or other for profit, not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 38.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 15.

Estimated Number of Responses: 571.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 616 hours.

Abstract: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) manages the Telecommunications loan program and Rural Broadband Access, to provide loans and loan guarantees to fund the cost of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment for the provision of broadband service in eligible rural communities. RUS therefore requires Telecommunications and Broadband borrowers to submit Form 481, Financial Requirement Statement. This form implements certain provisions of the standard RUS loan documents by setting forth requirements and procedures to be followed by borrowers in obtaining advances and making disbursements of loan funds.

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 the burden of the 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.

Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Robin M. Jones, Rural Development Innovation Center—Regulations Management Division, 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.

Christopher McLean,

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.