05-17627. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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 and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed information collections. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), this notice seeks comments concerning information required by FEMA to amend or revise National Flood Insurance Program Maps to remove certain property from the 1-percent annual chance floodplain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

With the passage of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, an owner of a structure, with a federally backed mortgage, located in the 1-percent annual chance floodplain, was required to purchase federal flood insurance. This was in response to the escalating damage caused by flooding and the unavailability of flood insurance from commercial insurance companies. As part of this effort, FEMA mapped the 1-percent annual chance floodplain in communities. However, due to scale limitations, individual structures that may be above the base flood cannot always be shown as being out of the 1-percent annual chance floodplain. FEMA will issue a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or a Letter of Map Revision—Based on Fill (LOMR-F) to waive the Federal requirement for flood insurance when data is submitted to show that the property or structure is “reasonably safe from flooding” and at or above the elevation of the base flood.

Collection of Information

Title: Right to Submit Technical or Scientific Data to Correct Mapping Deficiencies.

Type of Information Collection: Revision of a Currently Approved Collection.

OMB Number: 1660-0015.

Form Numbers: FEMA Forms 81-87, 81-87A, 81-87B.

Abstract: The certification forms (referred to as MT-1 series forms) are designed to assist requesters in gathering information that FEMA needs to determine whether a certain property is likely to be flooded during the flood event that has a 1-percent annual chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (base flood). FEMA Form 81-87, Property Information, describes the location of the property, what is being requested, and what data are required to support the request. FEMA Form 81-87A, Elevation Information, indicates what the Base (1-percent annual chance) Flood Elevation (BFE) for the property is, how the BFE was determined, the lowest ground elevation on the property, and/or the elevation of the lowest adjacent grade to any structures on the property. This information is required in order for FEMA to determine if the property that the requester would like removed from the SFHA FEMA Form 81-87B, Community Acknowledgment, requires that a community official certify that the request complies with minimum floodplain management criteria specified in 44 CFR 60.3, as per NFIP regulations 44 CFR 65.5(a)(4).

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 57,300.

Annual Burden Hours

Project/activity (survey, form(s), focus group, etc.)	Number of respondents (A)	Frequency of responses (B)	Burden hours per respondent (C)	Annual responses (A × B)	Total annual burden hours (A × B × C)
81-87	18,272	Annual (1)	1.63	18,272	29,783
81-87A	18,272	Annual (1)	1.25	18,272	22,840
81-87B	3,389	Annual (1)	1.38	3,389	4,677
Total	39,933		4.26	39,933	57,300

Estimated Cost. Cost to respondents is estimated to be $1,325,597 annually, while the cost to the Federal Government is estimated to be $94,300 annually.

Comments: Written 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 submissions of responses. Comments should be received within 60 days of the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons should submit written comments to Chief, Records Management Section, Information Resources Management Branch, Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, Department of Homeland Security, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Ms. Cecilia Lynch, FEMA, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration at [phone] for additional information. You may contact the Records Management Section for copies of the proposed collection of information at facsimile number [phone] or email address: [e-mail].

Dated: August 26, 2005.

Deborah A. Moradi,

Acting Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, Information Technology Services Division.