2023-12154. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF)

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

60-Day notice of renewal and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning this instrument, which is used by Federally-regulated lending institutions when making, increasing, extending, renewing or purchasing each loan for the purpose of determining whether flood insurance is required and available.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before August 7, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA–2023–0015. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

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:

Susan Bernstein, Insurance Specialist, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, Marketing and Outreach Branch at (303) 701–3595 or [e-mail]. You may contact the Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at email address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 1365 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA) (42 U.S.C. 4104b), as added by section 528 of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103–325, title V), requires that FEMA develop a standard hazard determination form for recording the determination of whether a structure is located within an identified Special Flood Hazard Area and whether flood insurance is available. Regulated lending institutions, Federal Agency lenders, the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Government National Mortgage Association must complete this form for any loan made, increased, extended, renewed or purchased by these entities. The requirement for Federally-regulated lending institutions to determine whether a building or mobile home securing a loan is located in an area having special flood hazards and whether flood insurance is available has been in effect since the enactment of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, although the use of a standard form was not required until the enactment of the section 1365 of the NFIA. The establishment of the SFHDF has enabled lenders to provide consistent information.

Collection of Information

Title: Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF).

Type of Information Collection: Extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection.

OMB Number: 1660–0040.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form FF–119–FY–22–128 (formerly 086–0–32), Standard Flood Hazard Determination Form (SFHDF).

Abstract: This form is used by Federally-regulated lending institutions, Federal Agency lenders, the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, and the Government National Mortgage Association. Federally-regulated lending institutions complete this form when making, increasing, extending, renewing or purchasing each loan for the purpose is of determining whether flood insurance is required and available. FEMA is responsible for maintaining the form and making it available.

Affected Public: Business and other for-profit; and Individuals or Households.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 26,616,265.

Estimated Number of Responses: 26,616,265.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,871,200.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $254,426,016.

Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.

Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $1,764.

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.

Millicent Brown Wilson,

Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.