Notice2023-27845
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
December 19, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture Department
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 87735]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27845]
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Notices
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 19, 2023 /
Notices
[[Page 87735]]
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 January
22, 2024 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: Rural eConnectivity (ReConnect) Program.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0152.
Summary of Collection: On March 23, 2018, Congress passed the
Consolidated Appropriations Act 2018 (the Fiscal Year 2018
Appropriations (Pub. L.115-141)) which established the broadband loan
and grant Reconnect program, the Rural eConnectivity (ReConnect)
Program. One of the essential goals of the ReConnect Program is to
expand broadband service to rural areas without sufficient access to
broadband, defined as 100 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 20
Mbps upstream. For this purpose, Congress provided the Rural Utilities
Service (RUS) with $600 million and expanded its existing authority to
make loans and grants. Loans and grants are limited to the costs of the
construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and equipment
for broadband service in eligible communities. The Fiscal Year 2018
Appropriations also authorized technical assistance to assist the
agency in expanding needed service to the most rural communities. For
fiscal year (FY) 2019, Congress funded an additional $550 million for
the pilot. For FY 2022, the ReConnect program received $800 million.
There was a second application round in FY 22 and the budget was
further expanded to $1.15 billion.
In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and
infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term rural economic
development and opportunities in rural America. One of those
opportunities is precision agriculture (PA). PA is a new concept
adopted in rural America used to increase production, reduce labor
time, and ensure the effective management of fertilizers and irrigation
processes. PA is the science of improving crop yields and assisting
management decisions using high technology sensor and analysis tools.
The use of this technology requires a robust broadband connection. The
awards made under this program will bring high speed broadband to farms
which will ultimately increase productivity.
Need and Use of the Information: Pursuant to the Reconnect Program
authorization in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L.
115-141, 779 (2018)), RUS is to conduct a Reconnect broadband program
under the RE Act. On February 21, 2021, the ReConnect Regulation, 7 CFR
1740, was established. 7 CFR 1740.49 of the regulation states that
applicants are required to submit an application for loans and loan
guarantees containing the information that RUS shall require, and that
the project meet the minimum level of broadband in the service area. 7
CFR 1740.80 sets out the reporting requirements.
In the broadband regulations implementing the RE Act broadband
statute, 7 CFR 1740.60 contains the elements of the application intake
that are required in the Reconnect program. Moreover, pursuant to 7 CFR
1740.44 adequate financial, investment, operational, reporting, and
managerial controls are also required in the loan documents. Lastly,
all the certifications asked for are required by 7 CFR 1740.46, most of
which are already required by federal law.
The Agency is required to analyze the potential environmental
impacts, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
for Applicant projects or proposals seeking funding. Applicants are
encouraged to refer to 7 CFR part 1970 for all Rural Development's
environmental policies. All Applicants must follow the requirements in
7 CFR part 1970 and are required to complete an Environmental
Questionnaire, to provide a description of program activities, and to
submit all other required environmental documentation as requested in
the application system or by the Agency after the application is
submitted. It is the Applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary
federal, tribal, state, and local governmental permits and approvals
necessary for the proposed work to be conducted.
Description of Respondents: Businesses or other for-profits; Not-
for-profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 480.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On Occassion.
Total Burden Hours: 1,468,032.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-27845 Filed 12-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
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