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.
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