[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 156 (Thursday, August 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43367-43368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21665]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Notice of Intent To Request a Revision of a Currently Approved
Information Collection
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States
Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104-13) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces
the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) intention to
request a revision to a currently approved information collection,
Long-Term Contracting (7 CFR 630) Conservation Programs.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by October 13, 1998.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Marcella Graham, Agency OMB
Clearance Officer, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O.
Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013-2890, (202) 720-5699.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Long-Term Contracting Conservation Programs.
OMB Number: 0578-0013.
Expiration Date of Approval: November 30, 1998.
Type of Request: To continue, with change, a currently approved
collection for which approval will expire.
Abstract: The primary objective of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service is to work in partnership with the American people
to conserve and sustain our natural resources. The purpose of Long-Term
Contracting information collection is to provide for programs to extend
cost sharing and technical assistance through Long-Term Contracts to
landowners and others for making land use changes and to install
measures to conserve, develop, and utilize the soil, water, and related
natural resources on their lands. Federal financial and technical
assistance is based on a conservation plan which is made a part of an
agreement or contract for a period of time of no less than 5 years, nor
anymore than 15 years. Under the terms of the agreement, the
participant agrees to apply, or arrange to apply, the conservation
treatment specified in the conservation plan. In return for this
agreement, Federal cost-share payments are made to the land user, or
third party, upon successful application of the conservation treatment.
Information collected is used by the NRCS to ensure the proper
utilization of program funds. The NRCS-LTP-001 or the CCC-1250 is the
initial documents used by USDA program participants to indicate their
desire to participate in one of the programs (7 CFR 622.20, 7 CFR
624.9, 7 CFR 636.5, 7 CFR 752.5, and 7 CFR 1467.5). The NRCS-LTP-002 or
the CCC-1251 is used by USDA participants to acknowledge their
agreement to comply with the terms and conditions of the conservation
plan for which they will receive cost-share assistance (7 CFR 622.3, 7
CFR 624.10, 7 CFR 636.8, 7 CFR 752.8, and 7 CFR 1467.7(c)). The NRCS-
LTP-011 or CCC-1252, NRCS-LTP-11A or CCC-1252A, NRCS-LTP-11B or CCC-
1252B, NRCS-LTP-11BE, NRCS-LTP-11E, NRCS-LTP-12 or CCC-1253, and the
NRCS-LTP-12E are used to record conservation treatment decisions made
between eligible participants and USDA for a specified period of time,
including practice/system operation and maintenance requirements for
the applicable conservation program (7 CFR 622.3(c), 7 CFR 624.3(b), 7
CFR 631.10, 7 CFR 632.21, 7 CFR 634.23, 7 CFR 636.7, 7 CFR 701.16, 7
CFR 701.40, 7 CFR 702.7, 7 CFR 752.7, 7 CFR 1410.22, and 7 CFR
1467.11). The NRCS-LTP-13 is used to record progress in applying the
conservation plan, as well as needs for revision or modification of the
conservation plan, and any need for follow-up assistance (7 CFR
622.3(c), 7 CFR 624.4, 7 CFR 631.22, 7 CFR 632.23, 7 CFR 634.27(i), 7
CFR 636.2(c), 7 CFR 701.24, 7 CFR 701.43, 7 CFR 702.21, 7 CFR 752.13, 7
CFR 1410.55, and 7 CFR 1467.14). The NRCS-LTP-20 or CCC-1255, the
Warranty Easement Deed, is the basic document used by a landowner to
grant and convey to NRCS an easement with appurtenant rights of access
to the easement area (7 CFR 1467.10). The NRCS-LTP-20A or the CCC-
1255A, the Option to Purchase is the equivalent of a real estate option
[[Page 43368]]
contract for purchasing land (7 CFR 1467.8). The NRCS-LTP-21 or CCC-
1256, the Subordination Agreement and Limited Lien Waiver is used to
subordinate mortgages and obtain limited lien waivers, when applicable,
to the United States with respect to any and all interests of the
subordinating party in, or related to, the easement area (7 CFR
1467.10(c). The NRCS-LTP-24 or CCC-1257, the Notification of Intent to
Continue, is used by program applicants who have been notified of
funding approval to indicate his/her intent to continue in the program
(7 CFR 1467.7(b). NRCS will ask for 3-year OMB approval within 60 days
of submitting the request.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 0.19 hours per response.
Respondents: Farms, individuals, or households, or State, local, or
Tribal governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 893,770.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 170,109.
Copies of this information collection and related instructions can
be obtained without charge from Marcella Graham, the Agency OMB
Clearance Officer, at (202) 720-5699.
Comments: 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
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, such as through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technologic collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be
sent to: Marcella Graham, Agency OMB Clearance Officer, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. Box 2890,
Washington, DC 20013-2890.
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.
Signed at Washington, DC on August 6, 1998.
Gary R. Nordstrom,
Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 98-21665 Filed 8-12-98; 8:45 am]
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