Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP)

OMB Control No: 0572-0151	ICR Reference No: 201604-0572-004
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: USDA/RUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP)
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 06/10/2016
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 06/02/2016
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 05/31/2016
Terms of Clearance: In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, this information collection is approved for 6 months as an emergency clearance to meet the statutory obligation to implement Section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. If the Agency decides to continue use of the collection past the approved emergency clearance time period, it must resubmit an ICR to OMB under the normal PRA clearance process and address comments received in response to the related Notice of Funding Availability.

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	12/31/2016	6 Months From Approved
Responses	212	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	1,354	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: The Rural Energy Savings Program helps rural families and small businesses achieve cost savings by providing loans to qualified consumers to relend funds to rural consumers for the purpose of implementing energy efficiency measures.

Emergency Justfication: On December 18, 2015, the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2029) received Congressional approval. Section 744 of H.R. 2029 appropriated funding to carry out section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a) provided that the Secretary of Agriculture launch the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) authorized by the section during the 2016 Fiscal Year and that the program be carried out through USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS). RUS has determined that issuing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is the best course of action to allow the program to launch in FY 2016. The NOFA must be published and applicants allowed adequate time to submit applications which the program must, in turn, review prior to the close of the 2016 Fiscal Year. A normal clearance process would delay the actual implementation of the program and render the allocation ineffective if the program were not implemented. The collection is vital for the agency to make informed decisions regarding the eligibility of borrowers, to ensure that funds obtained from the Government are awarded and used for the purpose for which the funding was made.

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 114 - 113 744 Name of Law: 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill    US Code: 7 USC 8107a Name of Law: Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: PL: Pub.L. 114 - 113 x Name of Law: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title Form No. Form Name Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) SF 100, RUS Form 266, AD-1047, AD-1048, AD-1049 EEO-1 Employer Information Report ,   Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and other Responsibility Matters (Primary Covered Transactions) ,   Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion (Lower Tier Covered Transactions) ,   Certificate Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements ,   Compliance Assurance

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	212	0	212	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,354	0	1,354	0	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection and emergency review is requested. The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) was authorized in section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a). On December 18, 2015, the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2029) received Congressional Approval and section 744 of the bill appropriated funding to carry out Section 6407 provided that the Secretary launch the RESP program during FY 2016 and that the program be carried out through USDA Rural Utilities Service. The agency has determined that the issuance of a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is the best course of action to allow the program to launch in FY 2016, and the collection of information is vital for the agency to make informed decisions to administer the program and maintain the Federal government security interest. The agency is requesting approval for an annual burden of 1,354 based upon an estimate of 20 annual respondents and as described in the attached Supporting Statement.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $408,197

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Rebecca Hunt 202 205-3660 [email protected]

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
		(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
		(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
		(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
		(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
		(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
		(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
		(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
			(i) Why the information is being collected;
			(ii) Use of information;
			(iii) Burden estimate;
			(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
			(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
			(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
		(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
		(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
		(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Certification Date: 05/31/2016

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