Notice2023-08172
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 18, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture Department
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 74 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 23618]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08172]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 18, 2023 /
Notices
[[Page 23618]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following
information collection requirement(s) to Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments are requested regarding: whether
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will
have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; ways to
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; 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 regarding this information collection received by May 18,
2023 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of
the publication of this notice on the following website
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular information
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: Broadband Technical Assistance Program.
OMB Control Number: 0572-NEW.
Summary of Collection: The Rural eConnectivity Program (ReConnect)
was authorized under 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., and Public Law 115-141, 779.
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will use technical
assistance funds appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58). Applications received under the FOA
will be administered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the
Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States
Department of Agriculture. The assistance instrument for this program
will be through cooperative agreements which RD is authorized to
administer pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4).
This FOA provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to
eligible entities to ensure technical assistance and training is
delivered to rural communities in need of high-speed internet and rural
broadband providers. Program funds must be used to support broadband
technical assistance activities which include, but are not limited to,
project planning and community engagement, operations support,
financial sustainability, environmental compliance, engineering,
accessing federal resources, and data collection and reporting. The
goal of the program is to support the expansion of high-speed internet
into unserved rural communities.
Need and Use of the Information: Applications submitted for
consideration will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness.
Applications determined to be eligible will be evaluated according to
the scoring criteria outlined in the FOA. The scoring criterion is
targeted to applicants that demonstrate strong work plans,
organizational capacity, clear performance metrics, and the ability to
reach the most rural communities. Points are also available for
projects benefitting targeted groups such as Tribes and Tribal
Entities, colonias, persistent poverty counties, and distressed energy
communities.
Failure to collect proper information from applicants could hinder
the government's selection of funding recipients, and result in
improper determinations of assistance, increase legal costs to the
recipients as well as encumber customer service and, ultimately, slow
the deployment of assistance to rural areas in need of high-speed
internet. The timing of technical assistance is critical due to the
historic levels of broadband funding made available under the IIJA. The
programs created and funded under the IIJA are beginning to disburse
funding and technical assistance is critical to ensure unserved rural
communities are able to participate in these programs, successfully
implement projects and properly manage funds.
Description of Respondents: Individuals and Households.
Number of Respondents: 50.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1,255.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-08172 Filed 4-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
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