[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85920-85921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28661]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

November 23, 2016.
    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 (1) 
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; (2) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and 
clarity of the information to be collected; (4) 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 December 
29, 2016 will be considered. Written comments should be addressed to: 
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), New Executive Office 
Building, 725-17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. Commenters are 
encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: 
[email protected] or fax (202) 395-5806 and to Departmental 
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-
7602. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling (202) 720-
8958.
    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 Utility Service

    Title: Rural Energy Savings Program.

[[Page 85921]]

    OMB Control Number: 0572-0151.
    Summary of Collection: Passage of section 6407 of the Farm Security 
and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171; 116 Stat. 424 as 
amended) created the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113), provided 
authorization and funding to provide zero-percent loans to Rural 
Utilities Service borrowers or other eligible entities to relend to 
consumers for cost-effective energy efficiency measures. On June 21, 
2016, the agency announced the RESP through a Notice of Funding 
Availability opening the program to applications so as to comply with 
the legislative mandate. The program is carried out through the Rural 
Utilities Service (RUS).
    Need and Use of the Information: The application process consists 
of two steps. Step 1: An applicant seeking financing must submit a 
Letter of Intent to apply in an electronic Portable Document Format 
(pdf). The Letter of Intent contains the tax identification number, 
legal name and organization status; verification of rural status 
(counties to be served and populations); financial status; point of 
contact; description of program; implementation plan; and a list of 
eligible energy efficiency measures to be implemented. Step 2: RESP 
application--after review of the letter of intent, RUS notifies the 
eligible entity if it is invited to submit the loan application. 
Required application information is used to determine a borrower's 
ability to meet financial obligations, includes analyses and document 
review of the applicant's historical, current, and projected costs, 
revenues, cash flows, assets, and other factors that may be relevant on 
a case by case basis. The collection of information is essential to the 
mission of the agency and the RESP, and is necessary so that RUS can 
establish applicant and project eligibility.
    Description of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 33.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,422.

Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-28661 Filed 11-28-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-15-P