Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0559]

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: National Cemetery System, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the National

Cemetery System (NCS), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted

the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission

describes the nature of the information collection and its expected

cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 8, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron

Taylor, Information Management Service (045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8015

or FAX (202) 273-5981. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0559.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title and Form Number: State Cemetery Data, VA Form 40-0241.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0559.

Type of Review: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval has expired.

Abstract: VA Form 40-0241 is used to collect information regarding

the number of interments conducted at state veteran's cemeteries each

year. This information is necessary for budget and oversight purposes.

In addition, NCS's State Cemetery Grants Service uses the information

to answer questions which arise during the course of the year to

respond to Congressional correspondence and to project and predict the

need for burial space and the demand for state grants. Burial

information provides the usage rates and helps in the prediction of

when a cemetery needs to develop additional acreage (request a grant to

expand) or is going to close. The amount of acreage used helps the

State Cemetery Grants Service and National Cemetery System anticipate

closing and the requirement for additional cemeteries (either state or

national). Lower burial rates may indicate problems such as ineffective

outreach or poor maintenance that should be investigated. The

information is used in conjunction with the information gained from the

national cemeteries to consider where to place national or state

cemeteries. Title 38 CFR, Section 39.3, points out that ``the Secretary

and any authorized representative (in this case the State Cemetery

Grants Service) will have access to and the right to examine all

records, books, papers or documents related to the grant.'' Title 38

CFR, Section 39.5, discusses follow-up procedures once a cemetery is

established and points out the need for audits.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required

to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a

currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register notice with a

60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of

information was published on April 8, 1997 at page 16890.

Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government.

Estimated Annual Burden: 52 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 60 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Estimated Annual Responses: 52.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the

information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, Allison Eydt, OMB

Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room

10235, Washington, DC 20503 (202) 395-4650. Please refer to ``OMB

Control No. 2900-0559'' in any correspondence.

Dated: July 18, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

Donald L. Neilson,

Director, Information Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97-20746 Filed 8-6-97; 8:45 am]

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