[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 214 (Monday, November 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66433-66434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26889]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends
to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 4, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele L. Brooks, Director, Program
Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural Development, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162 South Building, Washington,
DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202)690-1078. FAX: (202) 720-8435.
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
[[Page 66434]]
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an information collection that RUS
is submitting to OMB for extension.
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: Michele
L. Brooks, Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Ave. SW., STOP 1522, Room 5162 South Building, Washington, DC 20250-
1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078, FAX: (202) 720-8435.
Abstract
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the ``Recovery
Act''), Congress appropriated $2.5 billion of budget authority for
establishing the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) which may extend
loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband
deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of advanced
communications services and infrastructure, the program will advance
the objectives of the Recovery Act to spur job creation and stimulate
long-term economic growth and opportunity.
The collection of information for this program is vital to RUS to
ensure compliance with the provisions of this Notice and to fulfill the
requirements of the Recovery Act. In summary, the collection of
information is necessary in order to implement this program.
1. Reporting and Registration Requirement Under Section 1512 of the
Recovery Act
a. This award requires the recipient to complete projects or
activities which are funded under the Recovery Act and to report on use
of Recovery Act funds provided through this award. Information from
these reports will be made available to the public.
b. The first report is due no later than ten calendar days after
the initial calendar quarter in which the recipient receives the
assistance award funded in whole or in part by the Recovery Act, or by
October 10, 2009. Thereafter, reports shall be submitted no later than
the tenth day after the end of each calendar quarter.
c. Recipients and their first-tier recipients must maintain current
registrations in the CCR (http://www.ccr.gov.) at all times during
which they have active federal awards funded with Recovery Act funds. A
DUNS number is one of the requirements for registration in the CCR.
d. The recipient shall report the information described in section
1512(c) using the reporting instructions and data elements that will be
provided online at http://www.FederalReporting.gov, unless the
information is pre-populated.
2. Agencies' Additional Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis
Copies of all forms, regulations, and instructions referenced in
this NOFA may be obtained from RUS. Data furnished by the applicants
will be used to determine eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing
the data is voluntary; however, the failure to provide data could
result in program benefits being withheld or denied.
The following estimates are based on the average over the past
three years the program has been in place.
Title: Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).
OMB Control Number: 0572-0142.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 3.5 hours per response.
Respondents: Business or other for profits; not-for-profit
institutions; and State, local, and Tribal.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 282.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.5.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1,995.
Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours) on Respondents: 6,905.
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.
Dated: October 26, 2012.
John Charles Padalino,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-26889 Filed 11-2-12; 8:45 am]
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