2021-21434. 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality; OMB Control No: 2506-0177

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 1, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to [e-mail] or www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

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 her 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 25, 2021 at 86 FR 33333.

A. Overview of Information Collection

Title of Information Collection: 24 CFR part 50—Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality.

OMB Approval Number: 2506-0177.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Form Number: N/A.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use: HUD requests its applicants to supply environmental information that is not otherwise available to HUD staff for the environmental review on an applicant's proposal for HUD financial assistance to develop or improve housing or community facilities. HUD itself must perform an environmental review for the purpose of compliance with its environmental regulations found at 24 CFR part 50, Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality. Part 50 implements the National Environmental Policy Act and implementing procedures of the Council on Environmental Quality, as well as the related federal environmental laws and executive orders. HUD's agency-wide provisions—24 CFR 50.3(h)(1) and 50.32—regulate how individual HUD program staffs are to utilize such collected data when HUD itself prepares the environmental review and compliance. Separately, individual HUD programs each have their own regulations and guidance implementing environmental and related collection responsibilities. For the next three years, this approved collection will continue unchanged under this OMB control number to assure adequate coverage for all HUD programs subject to Part 50.

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 to respondents	128	1	128	3	384.00	$46.72	$17,940.48
Total to Federal govt. *	1,572	1	1,572	3	4,716.00	46.72	220,331.52
Total *	1,700	1	1,700	3	5,100	46.72	238,272.00

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) If the information will be processed and used in a timely manner;

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

(4) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 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.

C. Authority

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

Colette Pollard,

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