Special Authority to Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs (Smart Utility)

Forms and Documents

Document	Type	Status	Availability
2025_Smart Utility Supporting Statement.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2024-12-23	Available
2025_Smart Utility spreadsheet.xlsx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2024-12-23	Repair queued
2024-23490.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2024-12-23	Available

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
242734	Special Authority to Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs	Other-Written	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0572-0156	ICR Reference No: 202411-0572-003
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202107-0572-001
Agency/Subagency: USDA/RUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Special Authority to Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs (Smart Utility)
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 01/21/2025

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved	01/31/2025
Responses	159	159
Time Burden (Hours)	239	239
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: 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.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 7 USC 1981 (e)
   US Code: 7 USC 908
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 82207	10/10/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 7071	01/21/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Special Authority to Enable Funding of Broadband and Smart Utility Facilities Across Select Rural Development Programs

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	159	159	0	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	239	239	0	0	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 01/21/2025

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