[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8706-8708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4073]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden we (FEMA) invite comments on our information 
collections associated with our grant and cooperative agreement 
programs. We previously published in the Federal Register an 
information collection notice for our non-disaster grant programs. This 
notice pertains to our non-disaster and disaster grant programs. This 
notice seeks comments concerning the collection of information that 
will encompass the financial and administrative reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements associated with FEMA functional and program 
activities funded through grants and cooperative agreements.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA awards a variety of grant and 
cooperative agreements to help carry out its strategic goals. These 
assistance agreements are made to State and local governments who are 
involved with components of emergency management. The agency recently 
instituted a grant consolidation effort in order to maximize 
flexibility for our State partners while increasing accountability for 
measurable results.
    The FEMA awards are for disaster and non-disaster programs, and 
FEMA is seeking to have efficient and effective grant administration 
practices by ensuring that the information collected is done in a 
consistent manner.
    The following programs are covered in this collection as well as 
any other ad hoc programs, programs that are issued one time for a 
specific purpose, that FEMA may award:
    Non-Disaster Programs
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.105-Community 
Assistance Program-State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE)--To ensure 
that communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program 
(NFIP) are achieving flood loss reduction measures consistent with 
program direction. The CAP-SSSE is intended to identify, prevent and 
resolve floodplain management issues in participating communities 
before they develop into problems requiring enforcement action.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.526-National Urban 
Search and Rescue (US&R) Response System--To develop an immediately 
deployable, national response capability to locate and extricate, and 
medically stabilize victims of structural collapse during a disaster, 
while simultaneously enhancing the US&R response capabilities of State 
and local governments.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.535-Mitigation 
Assistance (MA)--To provide financial and technical assistance to 
States to create and maintain comprehensive State hazard mitigation 
capability.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.535-Flood Mitigation 
Assistance (FMA)--To assist States and communities in implementing 
measures to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood damage to 
buildings, manufactured homes, and other structures insurable under the 
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.549-Chemical 
Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP)--To enhance emergency 
preparedness capabilities of the States and local communities at each 
of the eight chemical agent stockpile storage facilities. The purpose 
of the program is to assist States and local communities in efforts to 
improve their capacity to plan for and respond to accidents associated 
with the storage and ultimate disposal of chemical warfare materials.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.550-National Dam 
Safety Program (NDSP)--To encourage the establishment and maintenance 
of effective State programs intended to ensure dam safety, to protect 
human life and property, and to improve State dam safety programs.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.551-Project Impact 
Grants (PI)--To encourage the implementation of a sustained pre-
disaster mitigation program with activities that reduce the existing 
risk of natural hazard losses within the geographic location of the 
designated communities and to strengthen the

[[Page 8707]]

States' abilities to support these communities.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.552-Emergency 
Management Performance Grants (EMPG)--To encourage the development of 
comprehensive emergency management, including for terrorism consequence 
management, at the State and local level and to improve emergency 
planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery 
capabilities.
    Disaster Programs
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.539-Crisis Counseling 
(SCC)--To provide immediate crisis counseling services, when required, 
to victims of a major Federally-declared disaster for the purpose of 
relieving mental health problems caused or aggravated by a major 
disaster or its aftermath.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.543-Individual and 
Family Grants (IFG)--To provide funds for the necessary expenses and 
serious needs of disaster victims which cannot be met through other 
forms of disaster assistance or through other means such as insurance.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.544-Public Assistance 
Grants (IA)--To provide supplemental assistance to States, local 
governments, and political subdivisions to the State, Indian Tribes, 
Alaskan Native Villages, and certain nonprofit organizations in 
alleviating suffering and hardship resulting from major disasters or 
emergencies declared by the President.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 83.548-Hazard Mitigation 
Grant (HMGP)--To provide States and local governments financial 
assistance to implement measures that will permanently reduce or 
eliminate future damages and losses from natural hazards through safer 
building practices and improving existing structures and supporting 
infrastructure.
    Collection of Information
    Title: FEMA Assistance Programs (formerly Financial and Technical 
Assistance Under Performance Partnership Agreements).
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 3067-0206.
    Form Numbers: SF424, Application for Federal Assistance; Indirect 
Cost Agreement, FEMA Form (FF) 20-20, Budget Information--Non-
Construction; FF20-15, Budget Information--Construction; FF20-16, 
Assurances; FF76-10A, Obligating Document for Awards/Amendments; FF20-
10, Financial Status Report; FF20-17, Outlay Report and Request for 
Reimbursement for Construction Programs; FF20-18, Report of Government 
Property; SF-SAC, Data Collection form for Reporting on Audits; and SF 
270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement.
    Abstract: The collection of information focuses on Standard and 
FEMA Forms associated with the financial and administrative reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements that enable State, local governments, 
and other recipients to request and administer FEMA assistance 
agreements. This request may be electronic or written. FEMA is 
instituting a process of using a subset of its OMB approved forms for 
grant administration in its disaster assistance programs. The following 
matrix illustrates the relationship between the individual grant/
cooperative agreement programs and use of the forms identified in this 
collection:

                               Application
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Program               SF 424    FF  20-   FF  20-   FF  20-
-----------------------------------------------20--------15--------16---
CAP.............................        X         X   ........        X
US&R............................        X         X   ........        X
MA..............................        X         X   ........        X
FMA.............................        X         X   ........        X
SCC.............................        X   ........  ........  ........
IFG.............................        X         X   ........        X
IA..............................        X         X   ........        X
HMGP............................        X         X   ........        X
CSEPP...........................        X         X   ........        X
NDSP............................        X         X   ........        X
PI..............................        X         X   ........        X
EMPG............................        X         X         X         X
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                                  Award
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Program                             FF 76-10A
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAP.......................................................            X
US&R......................................................            X
MA........................................................            X
FMA.......................................................            X
SCC.......................................................  ............
IFG.......................................................  ............
IA........................................................  ............
HMGP......................................................  ............
CSEPP.....................................................            X
NDSP......................................................            X
PI........................................................            X
EMPG......................................................            X
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                                 Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Program              FF  20-10   FF  20-   FF  20-   FF  20-
-----------------------------------------------17--------18--------19---
CAP............................         X   ........        X         X
US&R...........................    SF 270   ........  ........  ........
MA.............................         X   ........  ........  ........
FMA............................         X   ........        X         X
SCC............................         X   ........  ........  ........
IFG............................         X   ........  ........  ........
IA.............................         X   ........  ........  ........
HMGP...........................         X   ........  ........  ........
CSEPP..........................         X   ........        X         X
NDSP...........................    SF 270   ........  ........  ........
PI.............................         X   ........  ........  ........
EMPG...........................         X         X         X        X
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Governments, non-profit
  organizations.
Estimated Total Annual Burden and Recordkeeping Hours: Non-disaster
  37,777; Disaster--217,090; Total--254,867.
In the notice of January 11, 1999, we listed the burden hour information
  for non-disaster assistance programs as follows. FEMA Form 20-22,
  Narrative Form, is no longer being used in this collection.


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                                                                                      Annual
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Hours per       reporting    Record-keeping
 FEMA forms and other reporting     respondents    response  (B)   response  (C)  hours (A x B x   burden hours
                                        (A)                                             C)
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FF20-10 Financial Status Report               56               2             9.8         1,097.6            22.4
 . . . (semi-annual)............
FF20-15 Budget Information                    56               5              17           4,760              56
 Construction Program...........
FF20-16 Summary Sheet for                     56               1             1.5              84            11.2
 Assurances and Certifications..
FF20-17 Outlay Report and                     56              15              17          14,280             168
 Request for Reimbursement for
 Construction...................
FF20-18 Report of Government                  56               1               6             336            11.2
 Property.......................
FF20-19 Report of Unobligated                 56              20               2           2,240             224
 Balance of Federal Funds.......
FF20-20NC Budget Information Non              56              10             9.8           5,488             112
 Construction...................
FF76-10A Obligating Document for              56               1             1.5              84            11.2
 Award..........................
SF424 Application for Federal                 56               1               2             112            11.2
 Assistance.....................
Reading and Understanding.......              56               1              12             672            11.2

[[Page 8708]]

 
Indirect Cost Agreement.........              56               2              50           5,600            22.4
Budget Deviations...............              56               2             5.8           649.4            22.4
SF Data Collection..............              56               1              30           1,680            11.2
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    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............          37,083          694.40
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    The following chart shows burden hour information for FEMA disaster 
assistance programs: (Under ``Frequency of Response,'' 64 equals the 
average number of disasters per year.)

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                                                                                      Annual
                                     Number of     Frequency of      Hours per       reporting    Record-keeping
 FEMA forms and other reporting     respondents    response  (B)   response  (C)  hours (A x B x   burden hours
                                        (A)                                             C)
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FF20-10 Financial Status Report               56             256             9.8       140,492.8         2,867.2
 (quarterly)....................
FF20-16 Summary Sheet for                     56              64             1.5           5,376          716.80
 Assurances and Certifications..
FF20-18 Report of Government                  56              64               6          21,504          716.80
 Property.......................
FF20-20 Budget Information Non                56              64             9.8        35,123.2          716.80
 Construction...................
SF424 Application for Federal                 56              64               2           7,168          716.80
 Assistance.....................
SF Data Collection..............              56               1              30           1,680            11.2
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    Total.......................  ..............  ..............  ..............         211,344       5,745.60
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Estimated Cost: $400,000.00.

    Comments: We are soliciting written comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed data collection is necessary for 
the proper performance of our responsibilities, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that we used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of information collection on those who must 
respond, including permitting electronic submission of responses 
through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology; and
    (e) Help FEMA to more accurately identify and quantify respondent 
costs.

DATES: Please send any comments on or before April 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments to Muriel B. Anderson, FEMA 
Information Collections Officer, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
500 C Street, SW, Room 316, Washington, DC 20472, (tel.) (202) 646-
2625, (facsimile) (202) 646-3524, (email) [email protected]. 
Also, contact Ms. Anderson for copies of the proposed collection of 
information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Ramsey, Office of Financial 
Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW, Room 
350, Washington, DC 20472, (tel.) (202) 646-4531.

    Dated: February 14, 2000.
Reginald Trujillo,
Director, Program Services Division, Operations Support Directorate.
[FR Doc. 00-4073 Filed 2-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P