2017-23185. 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Congressional Earmarks

AGENCY:

Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 30 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: November 24, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax:[phone], Email: OIRA [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anna P. Guido, Reports Management Officer, QMAC, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Anna P. Guido at [e-mail] or telephone [phone]. This is not a toll-free number. Person with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at [phone]. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Guido.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the information collection for a period of 60 days was published on June 16, 2017 at 81 FR 27719.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: Congressional Earmark.

OMB Approval Number: 2506-0179.

Type of Request: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved collection.

Form Number: SF-424.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: The Department's Office of Policy Development and Coordination administers congressionally mandated grants, known as earmarks. These projects have been identified in the annual appropriation of funds to the Department and in the accompanying conference reports or congressional record accompanying each appropriation. Earmarks generally fall into two categories: Economic Development Initiative-Special Project (EDI-SP) and Neighborhood Initiative (NI) grants.

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Coordination and its Environmental Officers in the field use this information to make funds available to entities directed to receive funds appropriated by Congress. This information is used to collect, receive, review and monitor program activities through applications, semi-annual reports, and close out reports. The information that is collected is used to assess performance. Grantees are units of state and local government, nonprofits and Indian tribes. Respondents are initially identified by congress and generally fall into two categories: Economic Development Initiative-Special Project (EDI-SP) grantees and Neighborhood Initiative (NI) grantees. The agency has used the application, semi-annual reports and close out reports to track grantee performance in the implementation of approved projects.

Information collection	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Responses per annum	Burden hour per response	Annual burden hours	Hourly cost per response	Annual cost
SF-425	450.00	2.00	900.00	.50	450.00	$33.06	$14,877.00

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:

(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to these questions.

Authority: Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

Dated: October 17, 2017.

Anna P. Guido,

Department Reports Management Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.