Emergency Memo

USDA
AIM

United States Department of Agriculture

Rural Development
National Office
Rural Housing Service
1400 Independence
Avenue, SW
Stop 0787, Rm 0180
Washington, DC
20250
Voice 202.720.1500
Fax 202.690.0471

TO:

Vlad Dorjets
Senior Desk Officer
Office of Management and Budget

FROM:

Tony Hernandez
Administrator
Rural Housing Service

SUBJECT: Request for Emergency Approval of a New Information Collection
Request for Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training
Grant Rule
Rural Development (RD) is requesting emergency review and approval of a new
information collection including approval to use a new form, RD 3570-4 to collect
this information. This new information collection addresses application and reporting
requirements for the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant
rule published on January 14, 2016. This rule implements a new grant program,
authorized under Section 6006 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), for
projects that support providing technical assistance in developing essential
community facility projects.
We are requesting emergency approval because RD will not be able to implement
this new grant program including the associated notice of solicitation of applications
in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, as the use of normal clearance procedures is likely to
prevent or disrupt the collection of information from applicants to submit the new
form with their application prior to the obligation deadline of June 30, 2016. In order
to obligate new grants prior to June 30th, the collection of new information along
with the new form must be submitted to the RD by May 15, 2016. The 60 day notice
for comments is embedded in the rule. Due to the need to consider comments
received and then issue another notice for the Federal Register for an additional
thirty days of comment, RD would not be able to complete the information collection
process before the deadline for applicants to participate in the new grant program in
FY 2016.
RD considers it imperative to begin processing applications this fiscal year for
projects that support technical assistance and training projects. The Technical
Assistance and Training Grant program being implemented through the new rule is
an important priority to this Administration and the Secretary of Agriculture.
1400 Independence Ave, S.W. Washington DC 20250-0700
Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF),
found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_ftling_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form.
You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by
mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410,
by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected].

To effectively implement the Technical Assistance and Training Grant rule in FY 2016, RD is
requesting OMB approve this information collection, including the use of the new form, by
February 15, 2016. Please note that after the 60 day comment period closes we will submit the
collection package for a 3 year approval addressing any comments received.
In compliance with OMB regulations (5 CFR Part 1320), which implements the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the information collection and recordkeeping
requirements that may be imposed by this section are submitted to OMB for emergency review
and approval.
Attached are the Supporting Statement and spreadsheet, as well as the new form, RD Form 35704, Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Agreement.