In accordance
with 5 CFR 1320.13, this information collection is pre-approved for
3 months as an emergency clearance to meet deadlines associated
with new funding appropriated in the 2018 Farm Bill. If the Agency
decides to continue use of this collection past the approved
emergency clearance time period, it must resubmit an ICR to OMB
under the normal PRA clearance process and include responses to any
public comments it has received.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
02/28/2021
6 Months From Approved
159
0
0
239
0
0
0
0
0
The Rural Utilities Service, Rural
Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Housing Service, agencies
that comprise the Rural Development Mission Area within the United
States Department of Agriculture, are issuing a final rule to
establish the authority authorized by Section 6210 of the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which will assist rural
families and small businesses in gaining access to broadband
service by permitting recipients of a loan, grant, or loan
guarantee from RD to use up to 10 percent of the amount provided to
construct broadband infrastructure in areas not served by minimum
acceptable level of broadband service. The collection of
information described in this package is necessary for the
identified RD programs that have established their respective
programs requirements, to determine an applicant’s ability to
borrow under the terms of Sec. 6210 of the 2018 Farm Bill and
comply with statutory, regulatory, and administrative eligibility
requirements for loan assistance. Applicants for RD programs that
wish to will apply under the appropriate program regulation and
follow the application requirements of that specific regulation. As
part of that submission, applicants are required to provide a
service area map, where applicable, of their entire service
territory.
Approval of an emergency
approval for this new collection is important because the “Smart
Utility” authority will not be able to be implemented, as the use
of normal clearance procedures is likely to prevent the collection
of information from applicants which, in turn, will have negative
consequences on the intended recipients. The 60-day notice for
comments is included in the final rule and comments on the “Smart
Utility” information collection request is requested in order to
submit the regular request to obtain a 3-year approval from OMB
after receiving the 6-month OMB emergency approval. Due to the need
to consider comments received and then issue another notice for the
Federal Register for an additional thirty days of comment, the
Agencies would not be able to complete the information collection
process. Please note that after the 60-day comment period closes,
the Agencies will submit the collection package for a 3-year
approval addressing any comments received.
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.
Special Authority to Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs