Notice2026-00584
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
January 14, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture Department
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1497-1499]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00584]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 February
13, 2026 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: Request for Approval to Sell Capital Assets.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0020.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is a
credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It makes
mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric,
telecommunications, and water and waste facilities in rural areas. In
addition to providing loans and loan guarantees, one of the Agency's
main objectives is to safeguard loan security until the loan is repaid.
Accordingly, the Agency manages loan program in accordance with the
Rural Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended (RE
Act) and as prescribed by Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Circular A-129, Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax
Receivables, which states that agencies must, based on a review of a
loan application, determine that an applicant complies with statutory,
regulatory, and administrative eligibility requirements for loan
assistance. In addition, Section (d) of Sec. 904 of the RE Act states
that ``Loans under this section shall not be made unless the Secretary
finds and certifies that in his judgment the security therefore is
reasonably adequate and such loan will be repaid within the time
agreed.''
Need and Use of the Information: RUS is committed to meeting the
requirements of the E-Government Act,
[[Page 1498]]
which requires Government agencies in general to provide the public the
option of submitting information or transacting business electronically
to the maximum extent possible. RUS Form 369 requires a signature by
authorized representatives of a business entity. USDA eAuthentication
is the system used by USDA agencies to enable customer to obtain
accounts that will allow them to access USDA Web Application and
services via the internet. This includes things such as submitting
forms electronically, completing surveys online, and checking the
status of USDA accounts. USDA will only accept eAuthentication Accounts
from individuals. Currently, USDA eAuthentication does not have the
mechanism to issue accounts to business, corporations or other
entities. Therefore, RUS cannot accept electronic signature or
submission of these documents. However, the agency does make these
forms available in a .pdf format for customers and the agency requests
approval to continue posting of the form on the agency website.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business
or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 35.
Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Quarterly.
Total Burden Hours: 168.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR part 1786, Prepayment of RUS Guaranteed and Insured
Loans to Electric and Telephone Borrowers.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0088.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Electrification (RE) Act of 1936,
as amended, authorizes and empowers the Administrator of RUS to make
loans in the States and Territories of the United States for rural
electrification and furnishing and improving electric and telephone
service in rural areas and to assist electric borrowers to implement
demand side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and
off-grid renewable energy systems. The RE Act also authorizes and
empowers the Administrator of RUS to provide financial assistance to
borrowers for purposes provided in the RE Act by guaranteeing loans
made by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation,
the Federal Financing Bank (FFB), and other lending agencies.
This information collection package contains the paperwork and
reporting burden for 7 CFR part 1786, subpart E, ``Discounted
Prepayments on RUS Notes in the Event of a Merger of Certain RUS
Electric Borrowers,'' subpart F, ``Discounted Prepayments on RUS
Electric Loans,'' and subpart G, ``Refinancing and Prepayment of RUS
Guaranteed FFB Loans Pursuant to Section 306(C) of the RE Act.'' 7 CFR
1786, subparts E and F are authorized by Section 306(B) of the RE Act
of 1936, as amended, and subpart G is authorized by Section 306(C) of
the RE Act of 1936, as amended.
The overall goal of Subparts E and F is to allow Agency borrowers
to prepay their RUS loan and the overall goal of Subpart G is to
refinance. Subpart E allows certain electric borrowers to prepay
outstanding RUS Notes at the Discounted Present Value of the RUS Notes
with private financing. Subpart F allows borrowers to prepay, with
private financing or internally generated funds, outstanding RUS Notes
evidencing electric loans at the Discounted Present Value of the RUS
Note. Subpart G allows the borrower of an electric or telephone loan
made by the FFB and guaranteed by RUS to prepay and refinance a loan or
an advance on the loan, or any portion of the loan or advance, after
meeting certain conditions using the procedures prescribed in the
borrower's note.
Need and Use of the Information: Rural Development is committed to
meeting the requirements of the E-Government Act, which requires
Government agencies in general to provide the public the option of
submitting information or transacting business electronically to the
maximum extent possible. There are no preset forms in this collection
and borrowers are not precluded from submitting the necessary
information in electronic format. Borrowers can also submit the
necessary information in a letter and any attachments are in formats
the borrowers use in their everyday business.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions.
Number of Respondents: 38.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 76.
Rural Utility Service
Title: Seismic Safety of New Building Construction, 7 CFR 1792,
Subpart C.
OMB Control Number: 0572-0099.
Summary of Collection: Seismic hazards present a serious threat to
people and their surroundings and exist in most of the United States,
not just the West Coast. Unlike hurricanes, times and location of
earthquakes cannot be predicted. Most earthquakes strike without
warning and, if of substantial strength, strike with great destructive
forces. Most earthquake related fatalities result from structure
collapse and falling objects. Therefore, it is important in the United
States and its territories to design structures according to seismic
standards in order to mitigate losses from earthquakes.
To reduce risks to life and property from earthquakes, Congress
enacted the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95-124,
42 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) (amended) directing establishment and
maintenance of an effective earthquake reduction program. As a result,
the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) was
established. The objectives of the NEHRP include the development of
model building codes to establish technologically and economically
feasible design and construction methods to make new and existing
structures earthquake resistant. The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) was designated as the agency with the primary
responsibility to plan and coordinate the NEHRP. The Interagency
Committee on Seismic Safety in Construction (ICSSC) was established to
assist the Federal departments and agencies develop and incorporate
earthquake hazards reduction measures in their ongoing programs.
Need and Use of the Information: RUS is committed to complying with
the E-Government Act to promote the use of the internet and other
information technologies to provide increased opportunities for citizen
access to Government information and services, and for other purposes.
There are no forms associated with this collection, and Borrowers and
Grant Recipients may include the acknowledgement in the form of a
statement on the title page of the drawings included with the final
plans and specifications or they may submit a letter to the Agency with
the required information. Acknowledgment letters can be submitted
electronically as an attachment to an email or can be submitted in hard
copy. The Agency continues to research alternatives to develop a system
for collecting the information electronically.
Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; Business
or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 10.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 8.
Rural Utilities Service
Title: 7 CFR 1717 Subpart D, Mergers and Consolidations of Electric
Borrowers.
[[Page 1499]]
OMB Control Number: 0572-0114.
Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the
Agency) is a credit agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It
makes mortgage loans and loan guarantees to finance electric,
telecommunications, and water and wastewater facilities in rural areas.
Loan programs are managed in accordance with the Rural Electrification
Act (RE Act) of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., as amended, and as
prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-129,
Policies for Federal Credit Programs and Non-Tax Receivable, which
states that agencies must, based on a review of a loan application,
determine that an applicant complies with statutory, regulatory, and
administrative eligibility requirements for loan assistance.
Need and Use of the Information: Rural Development is committed to
meeting the requirements of the E-Government Act, which requires
Government agencies in general to provide the public the option of
submitting information or transacting business electronically to the
maximum extent possible. There is no feasible alternative to requiring
that the information be submitted to the Agency via hard copy, at this
time, with computer generated charts and graphs as supporting data
where appropriate. Borrowers use their own software to prepare letters,
board resolutions, and supporting analysis. The relatively small number
of respondents does not make it financially feasible to automate this
collection of information.
Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 2.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 31.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-00584 Filed 1-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 14, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.