60 day Notice

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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2024 / Notices

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applicants and grantees who may be one
of the following: persons, States,
political subdivisions of States and
other entities organized under the laws
of States, including for profit and nonprofit corporations, associations,
partnerships, limited liability
partnerships (LLPs) cooperatives, trusts,
sole proprietorships, State and local
governments (including independent
state agencies or units of State or local
governments), Indian tribes, other Tribal
entities and Alaska Native Corporations.
Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Businesses or other
for-profits.
Number of Respondents: 40.
Frequency of Responses:
Recordkeeping: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 826.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR part 1738 Rural
Broadband Loans, Loan/Grant
Combinations, and Loan Guarantees.
OMB Control Number: 0572–0154.
Summary of Collection: 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. The
regulation for this program, 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.
The term of the loan or loan/grant
combination is based on the expected
composite economic life based on the
depreciation rates of the facilities
financed. The term of the loan or loan/
grant combination can be as high as 35
years. These loans are secured by a first
lien on the borrower’s broadband
system. In the interest of protecting loan
security and accomplishing the
statutory objective of a sound program
of rural broadband service access, Title
VI of the RE Act further requires that
RUS make or guarantee a loan only if
there is reasonable assurance that the
loan, together with all outstanding loans
and obligations of the borrower, will be
repaid in full within the time agreed;
the information gathered in this
collection will help RUS determine that
reasonable assurance.

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Need and Use of the Information:
Lending entities who wish to participate
in this program must submit an
application and/or certain information
to Rural Development (RD). This
information will be used to determine
an applicant’s eligibility to borrow
under the terms of the RE Act and that
the applicant complies with statutory,
regulatory, and administrative eligibility
requirements for loan assistance. This
information is also used by RUS to
determine that the Government’s
security for loans is reasonably adequate
and that the loans will be repaid within
the time agreed.
Description of Respondents:
Individuals or Households.
Number of Respondents: 90.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 829.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: Technical Assistance and
Training and Training for Innovative
Regional Wastewater Treatment
Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Pilot Grant
Program.
OMB Control Number: 0572–0157.
Summary of Collection: Technical
Assistance and Construction for
Innovative Regional Wastewater
Treatment Solutions (TAC–RWTS) grant
program is a competitive grant program
which the Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
administers. The program is authorized
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989;
16 U.S.C. 1005; Division B, Title VII
General Provisions, Section 783 of the
Further Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116–94); and Division
BA, Title VII General Provisions,
Section 771 of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116–
260). The program is implemented
through 7 CFR part 1775, Technical
Assistance Grants, and the provisions of
this NOFO. Other Federal statutes and
regulations are listed at 7 CFR 1775.8,
Other Federal statutes.
Need and Use of the Information: The
RUS National Office staff will use the
information collected to determine
applicant eligibility, project feasibility,
and the applicant’s ability to meet the
grant and regulatory requirements.
Based on funding availability for each
Fiscal Year and the dollar amount
requested by applicants, it may not be
possible to fund all applications for the
amount requested. If a particular
application/project cannot be funded for
the full amount, the applicant will be
requested to submit revised documents
to reflect the revision in the scope of the
project based on the amount that can be
awarded. Failure to collect proper
information could result in improper

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determinations of eligibility, improper
use of funds, or hindrances in making
grants authorized by the TAC–RWTS
program.
Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 9.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 423.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024–18007 Filed 8–12–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket No.: RUS–24–TELECOM–0025]

Notice of a Revision to a Currently
Approved Information Collection
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice and request for
comments.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the Rural Utilities
Service’s (RUS or the Agency), an
agency with the United States
Department of Agriculture, Rural
Development, intention to request a
revision to a currently approved
information collection package for the
Telecommunications System
Construction Policies and Procedures.
The Agency invites comments on this
information collection for which the
Agency intends to request approval
from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by October 15, 2024 to be
assured of consideration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pamela Bennett, Rural Development
Innovation Center—Regulations
Management Division, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522,
South Building, Washington, DC 20250–
1522. Telephone: (202) 720–9639. Email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB
regulation (5 CFR part 1320)
implementing provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104–13) requires that interested
members of the public and affected
agencies have an opportunity to
comment on information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an
information collection that the Agency
is submitting to OMB for revision.
SUMMARY:

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lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1

Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 13, 2024 / Notices
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) The accuracy
of the Agency’s estimate of the burden
of the proposed collection of
information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) 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 may be sent by the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
www.regulations.gov and, in the
‘‘Search’’ box, type in the Docket No.
located at the beginning of this notice.
A link to the Notice will appear. You
may submit a comment here by
selecting the ‘‘Comment’’ button or you
can access the ‘‘Docket’’ tab, select the
‘‘Notice,’’ and go to the ‘‘Browse &
Comment on Documents’’ Tab. Here you
may view comments that have been
submitted as well as submit a comment.
To submit a comment, select the
‘‘Comment’’ button, complete the
required information, and select the
‘‘Submit Comment’’ button at the
bottom. Information on using
Regulations.gov, including instructions
for accessing documents, submitting
comments, and viewing the docket after
the close of the comment period, is
available through the site’s ‘‘FAQ’’ link
at the bottom.
A federal agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, nor shall a person be subject
to a penalty for failure to comply with
a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number. Data furnished
by the applicants will be used to
determine eligibility for program
benefits. Furnishing the data is
voluntary; however, failure to provide
data could result in program benefits
being withheld or denied.
Title: Telecommunications System
Construction Policies and Procedures.
OMB Control Number: 0572–0059.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: In order to facilitate the
programmatic interest of the RE Act,
and, in order to assure that loans made
or guaranteed by the Agency are

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adequately secured, the Agency, as a
secured lender, has established certain
forms for materials, equipment and
construction of electric and
telecommunications systems. The use of
standard forms, construction contracts,
and procurement procedures helps
assure the Agency that appropriate
standards and specifications are
maintained, the Agency’s loan security
is not adversely affected; and the loan
response. In an effort to improve
customer service provided to RUS rural
borrowers, the Agency continues to
revise, consolidate, and/or streamline its
current contracts and contracting
procedures.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 2.32 hours per
response.
Respondents: Public bodies, not for
profits or Indian Tribes.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
1,435.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
3,337.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 2.33.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 7,705 Hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from Pamela Bennett,
Rural Development Innovation Center—
Regulations Management Division,
USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW,
South Building, Washington, DC 20250–
1522. Email: [email protected].
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–18012 Filed 8–12–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket No. RUS–24–WATER–0018]

Notice of Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice; request for comments.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the
Rural Utilities Service (RUS or Agency),
an agency within the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Rural Development (RD), announces its
intention to request a revision to a
currently approved information
collection package for Water and Waste

SUMMARY:

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65843

Disposal Loans and Grants (WWLG),
Water and Waste Facility Loans and
Grants to Alleviate Health Risks for
Colonias, Water and Waste Facility
Loans and Grants to Alleviate Health
Risks on Tribal Lands, Emergency
Community Water Assistance Grants
(ECWAG), and Grants for Rural Alaskan
Village (RAVG) programs. The Agency
invites comments on this information
collection for which it intends to
request approval from the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by October 15, 2024 to be
assured of consideration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Katherine Anne Mathis, RD Innovation
Center—Regulations Management
Division, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW, Washington, DC 20250, Telephone:
202–713–7565, email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB
regulation (5 CFR part 1320)
implementing provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.
L. 104–13) requires that interested
members of the public and affected
agencies have an opportunity to
comment on information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR
1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an
information collection that the Agency
is submitting to OMB for extension.
Comments are invited on (a) whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of
the Agency’s estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) 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 may be submitted
electronically through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal, regulations.gov/. In
the ‘‘Search for dockets and documents
on agency actions’’ box enter the Docket
No. RUS–24–WATER–0018 and click
the ‘‘Search’’ button. From the search
results, click on or locate the document
title: ‘‘Notice of Revision of a Currently
Approved Information Collection’’ and
select the ‘‘Comment’’ button. Before
inputting comments, commenters may

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