2013-19642. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Environmental Review Procedures for Entities Assuming HUD Environmental Review Responsibilities

AGENCY:

Office of Environment and Energy, Office of Community Planning and Development, 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 60 days of public comment.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: October 15, 2013.

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: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone [phone] (this is not a toll-free number) or email at [e-mail] for a copy of the proposed forms or other available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Danielle Schopp, Director, Office of Environment and Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Room 7250, Washington, DC 20410-7000. For telephone and email communication, contact Elizabeth Zepeda, Environmental Planning Division, [phone] or email: [e-mail]. This phone number is not toll-free. Hearing or speech-impaired individuals may access this number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: Environmental Compliance Recordkeeping Requirements.

OMB Approval Number: 2506-0087.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Form Number: HUD-7015.15.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: 24 CFR Part 58, “Environmental Review Procedures for Entities Assuming HUD Environmental Responsibilities” requires units of general local government receiving HUD assistance to maintain a written environmental review record for all projects receiving HUD funding documenting compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality, related federal environmental laws, executive orders, and authorities, and Part 58 procedure. When the environmental review record is complete, HUD recipients use HUD-7015.15—“Request for Release of Funds and Certification” to certify their compliance with all applicable environmental laws and authorities. HUD (or the State for certain State-administered HUD grant programs) approves the certification allowing for the conditionally awarded or formula-allocated funds to be released to the recipient. Various laws that authorize this procedure are listed in 24 CFR 58.1(b).

Respondents (i.e. affected public): The respondents are state and local governments receiving HUD funding who are required to submit HUD-7015.15.

Estimation of the Total Number of Hours To Prepare the Information Collection Including Number of Respondents, Frequency of Response and Hours of Response

Information collection	Number of respondents	Frequency of response	Responses per annum	Burden hour per response	Annual burden hours	Hourly cost per response	Annual cost
Total	18,785	1	18,785	.6	11,271	30	$338,130

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

Dated: August 6, 2013.

Mark Johnston,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs Program.