2019-24719. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Public Assistance Program

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a revision of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning information collected for the Public Assistance (PA) program eligibility determinations, grants management, and compliance with Federal laws and regulations.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use only one of the following means to submit comments:

(1) Online. Submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA-2019-0025. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

(2) Mail. Submit written comments to Docket Manager, Office of Chief Counsel, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street SW, 8NE, Washington, DC 20472-3100.

All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov,, and will include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act notice that is available via the link in the footer of www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Rachel Hildebrand, Process Improvement Section Chief, Public Assistance Program Delivery Branch, 202-646-3484. You may contact the Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5207 (the Stafford Act), authorizes grants to assist State, Tribal, and local governments and certain Private Non-Profit entities with the response to and recovery from disasters following Presidentially declared major disasters and emergencies. 44 CFR part 206 specifies the information collections necessary to facilitate the provision of assistance under the Public Assistance (PA) Program. 44 CFR 206.202 describes the general application procedures for the PA Program.

FEMA is seeking a revision to the already existing collection of information, OMB Control Number 1660-0017, because FEMA proposes changing the title from “Request for Appeals and Recommendation/No Forms” to “Request for Appeals or Arbitrations and Recommendations/No Forms.” Section 1219 of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018, which amended Section 423(d) of the Stafford Act (42 U.S.C. 5189a), provides a right of arbitration to certain applicants of the PA Program that have a dispute concerning the eligibility for assistance or repayment of assistance. Plus, the annual cost to the Federal Government is increasing from $805,311.96 to $1,891,473. Finally, there has been a change in the annual burden hours due to a correction of errors in burden estimates. For example, in the past, FEMA incorrectly used 1.3 hours to represent 1.5 hours for FEMA Form 009-0-91.

Collection of Information

Title: Public Assistance Program.

Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection.

OMB Number: 1660-0017.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form-009-0-49 Request for Public Assistance; FEMA Form 009-0-91 Project Worksheet (PW); FEMA Form 009-0-91A Project Worksheet (PW)—Damage Description and Scope of Work Continuation Sheet; FEMA Form 009-0-91B Project Worksheet (PW)—Cost Estimate Continuation Sheet; FEMA Form 009-0-91C Project Worksheet (PW)—Maps and Sketches Sheet; FEMA Form 009-0-91D Project Worksheet (PW)—Photo Sheet; FEMA Form 009-0-120 Special Considerations Questions; FEMA Form 009-0-121 PNP Facility Questionnaire; FEMA Form 009-0-123 Force Account Labor Summary Record; FEMA Form 009-0-124 Materials Summary Record; FEMA Form 009-0-125 Rented Equipment Summary Record; FEMA Form 009-0-126 Contract Work Summary Record; FEMA Form 009-0-127 Force Account Equipment Summary Record; FEMA Form 009-0-128 Applicant's Benefits Calculation Worksheet; FEMA Form 009-0-111, Quarterly Progress Report; FEMA Form 009-0-141, FAC-TRAX System.

Abstract: The information collected is utilized by FEMA to make determinations for Public Assistance grants based on the information supplied by the respondents.

Affected Public: State, local or Tribal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,012.

Estimated Number of Responses: 398,068.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 466,025.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $ 29,601,921.

Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: N/A.

Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: N/A.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $1,891,473.

Comments

Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data collection is necessary for the proper performance of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Maile Arthur,

Deputy Director, Information Management Division, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.