Dec 2025 Justification for Non-Substantive Change to 0596-0257

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USDA, Forest Service

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)/Information Collection Request (ICR)

Justification for a Nonmaterial/Non-substantive Change Request Formally OMB 83c

OMB Control 0596-0257: Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program

The USDA Forest Service is requesting a nonmaterial/non-substantive change for information collection 0596-0257: Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program. This request is for approval of a nonmaterial/non-substantive change to FS Form 1500-0051 which serves as the data collection form for the Community Wood program grants (authorized by 7 USC 8113 - Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program. These changes are being requested to ensure program alignment with Administration priorities and simplify the data collection form. The requested change below does not increase the burden-cost spreadsheet which was associated with the initial data collection approval.

Proposed Changes Related to the Data Collection

• Removed duplicative language from the form which is already appropriately captured in the program’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) document. This simplifies the data collection form.

  • Submission requirements (Page 2)

  • Instructions for filling out form sections including the following: Project Description, Project Impact, Technical Criteria, Qualification of Team and Partners, and Annual Progress Report and Final Reports (Pages 3-4)

  • Leveraged fund requirement and calculations, allowable/unallowable expenses, and guidance on federal forms (Pages 9-10)

• Added the following statement underneath each narrative section in the application “Part 1: Narrative”.

  • “Review program instructions and Notice of Funding Opportunity for more information.”

• Reformatted the form to have the budget tables on one page for ease of data entry.

• Changed the word, “mandatory” to “required to obtain or retain benefits” (page 15)