Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

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's (RUS)

invites comments on this information collection for which RUS intends

to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 19, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue Arnold, Financial Analyst, Office

of the Assistant Administrator, Electric Program, Rural Utilities

Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1560, Room 4024 South

Building, Washington, D.C. 20250-1560. Telephone: (202) 690-1078. FAX:

(202) 690-0717. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Electric Loan Application and Related Reporting Burdens.

OMB Control Number: 0572-0032.

Type of Request: Extension of a previously approved information

collection, with change.

Abstract: The Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et

seq.), as amended (RE Act) authorizes and empowers the Administrator of

RUS to make and guarantee loans to furnish and improve electric service

in rural areas. These loans are amortized over a period of up to 35

years and secured by the borrower's electric assets. In the interest of

protecting loan security, monitoring compliance with debt convenants,

and ensuring that RUS loan funds are used for purposes authorized by

law, RUS requires that borrowers prepare and submit for RUS evaluation,

certain studies and reports. Some of these studies and reports are

required only once for each loan application; others must be submitted

periodically until the loan is completely repaid.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average 6 hours per response.

Respondents: Small business or organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 754.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 16,834.

Copies of this information collection, and related form and

instructions, can be obtained from Dawn Wolfgang, Program Development

and Regulatory Analysis, at (202) 720-0812.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether this 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 burden of the

proposed collection of information; (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 respondents,

including through the use of automated collection techniques or other

forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to: F. Lamont

Heppe, Jr., Director, Program Development and Regulatory Analysis,

Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1522,

1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1522. FAX: (202) 720-

4120.

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.

[[Page 19473]]

Dated: April 14, 1998.

Blaine D. Stockton, Jr.,

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.

[FR Doc. 98-10344 Filed 4-17-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-15-P