In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.13, this information collection is approved for 6 months as an emergency clearance to meet the requirements of the 2018 Farm Bill. If the Agency decides to continue use of the collection past the approved emergency clearance time period, it must resubmit an ICR to OMB under the normal PRA clearance process. RUS must also discontinue the previously approved collection 0572-0130, which this collection replaces.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
08/31/2020
6 Months From Approved
528
0
0
20,942
0
0
0
0
0
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), is authorized by Title VI, Rural Broadband Access, of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (RE Act), to provide loans, loan/grant combinations 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 areas in the States and Territories of the United States. 7 CFR part 1738 prescribes the types of loans available, facilities financed, and eligible applicants, as well as minimum equity requirements to be considered for a loan. In addition, 7 CFR part 1738 outlines the process through which RUS will consider applicants under the priority consideration required in Title VI.
Rural Development (RD) is requesting emergency review and approval of a new information collection for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to implement its revised regulation, Rural Broadband Access Loan, Loan/Grant Combination and Loan Guarantees. The revised regulation makes changes that were introduced through the Agricultural Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). This new information collection addresses changes which include an increase in the number of respondents and the inclusion of Public Notice requirements for the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program and Community Connect Program. The Agency will publish the rulemaking action in the Federal Register as an interim final rule. The Administrative Procedures Act exempts from prior notice rules any actions "relating to agency management or personnel or to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts" (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A)). RD has been given a Congressional deadline of December 2019 to implement the changes outlined in the 2018 Farm Bill for this particular regulation.
US Code:
7 USC 901
Name of Law: Rural Electricification and Telephone Service
PL:
Pub.L. 115 - 334 6201
Name of Law: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018
PL: Pub.L. 115 - 334 6201 Name of Law: Agricultue Improvement Act of 2018
This is a new ICR because it includes a new information collection, but relative to the previous ICR, this one is an increase The number of estimated respondents increased from 18 respondents in the previous collection to 50 respondents for this collection. The increase in respondents also increased the annual burden hours from 7,305 in the previous collection to 20,942 for this collection. The Agriculture Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) was enacted to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes. Included in the Farm Bill were significant changes to the Rural Broadband Access Program. These changes included the addition of a loan/grant combination and requirements for Public Notice. The Public Notice requirement also impacted the Telecommunication Infrastructure and the Community Connect Program as well, so it was incorporated into this package.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Rural Broadband Loans, Loan/Grant Combination, and Loan Guarantees SLT