[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 218 (Monday, November 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 66592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26653]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service, an agency 
delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 
Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to Rural 
Development and/or the Agency, invites comments on this information 
collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) will be requested.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 9, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Brooks, Director, Program 
Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA Rural Development, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 1522, Room 5818 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078. Fax: (202) 720-
8435.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) 
regulation (5 CFR 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 Rural 
Development is submitting to OMB for approval.
    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 to: Michele 
Brooks, Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, USDA 
Rural Development, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 1522, Room 5818 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 690-1078. 
Fax: (202) 720-8435.
    Title: 7 CFR 1728, Electric Standards and Specifications for 
Materials and Construction.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-0131.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Rural Development makes loans and loan guarantees in 
accordance with the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq., (RE Act). Section 4 of the RE Act requires that the Agency 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. In order to 
facilitate the programmatic interests of the RE Act, and, in order to 
assure that loans made or guaranteed by the Agency are adequately 
secure, Rural Development, as a secured lender, has established certain 
standards and specifications for materials, equipment, and the 
construction of electric systems. The use of standards and 
specifications for materials, equipment and construction units helps 
assure the Agency that: (1) Appropriate standards and specifications 
are maintained; (2) Rural Development loan security is not adversely 
affected; and (3) loan and loan guarantee funds are used effectively 
and for the intended purposes. 7 CFR 1728 establishes Agency policy 
that materials and equipment purchased by Agency electric borrowers or 
accepted as contractor-furnished material must conform to Agency 
standards and specifications where they have been established and, if 
included in Rural Development IP 202-1, ``List of Materials Acceptable 
for Use on Systems of Agency Electrification Borrowers'' (List of 
Materials), must be selected from that list or must have received 
technical acceptance from Rural Development.
    Estimate of Burden: This collection of information is estimated to 
average 2.32 hours per response.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for profits.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 38.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.30.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,760 hours.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Gale 
Richardson, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 720-
0992. FAX: (202) 720-8435.
    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.

    Dated: November 4, 2008.
James R. Newby,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-26653 Filed 11-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P