[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 32 (Thursday, February 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10482-10483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-3820]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 32 / Thursday, February 15, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 10482]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Food Stamp Program State Agency Options

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on proposed information collections. The information collection 
requirements described in this notice are limited to those which are 
described in Sec. 273.9(d) and Sec. 273.11(b) of the Noncitizen 
Eligibility and Certification Provisions final rule (published November 
21, 2000 at 65 FR 70133) governing administration of the homeless 
shelter deduction, establishing and reviewing standard utility 
allowances, and establishing methodologies for offsetting the cost of 
producing self-employment income.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 16, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) 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) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Comments may be sent to Margaret 
Batko, Assistant Branch Chief, Certification Policy Branch, Program 
Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may 
also be faxed to the attention of Ms. Batko at (703) 305-2486. The 
Internet address is: [email protected]. All written comments 
will be open for public inspection at the office of the Food and 
Nutrition Service during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia, 
22302, Room 800.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will be a matter of public 
record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ms. Batko at (703) 305-2516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Food Stamp Program State Agency Options.
    OMB Number: 0584-0496.
    Form Number: None.
    Expiration Date: 1/31/01.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection, formerly part of OMB 0584-0064. The information was moved 
to OMB 0584-0496 since the four collections are not related to 
household case files, as addressed in OMB 0584-0064.
    Abstract: The collections covered under OMB Number 0584-0064 
address information that will become part of a household's case file. 
The information collection and burden estimates associated with the 
following 4 collections, which were previously part of OMB Number 0584-
0064, are assigned to OMB Number 0584-0496 because these collections 
are not related to household files.
    1. Homeless shelter estimate--7 CFR 273.9(d): Section 5(e) of the 
Act, 7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(5), as amended by section 809 of PRWORA, allows 
State agencies to use a homeless shelter cost estimate as a separate 
deduction (instead of allowing only the amount that exceeds 50 percent 
of income under the excess shelter cost deduction). We estimate that 20 
State agencies will choose this option and that these States will spend 
1 hour updating the estimate for an annual burden of 20 hours. This 
represents no change from what we anticipated in the previous 
information collection burden calculations.
    2. Establishing and reviewing standard utility allowances--7 CFR 
273.9(d): State agencies may establish standard utility allowances to 
be used in lieu of actual utility costs in determining a deduction from 
household income for shelter expenses. Currently 52 State agencies have 
a standard that includes heating or cooling costs and 29 have a 
standard for utility costs other than heating or cooling. In addition, 
43 State agencies have a telephone allowance standard. We also estimate 
that State agencies will continue to review the standards yearly, 
although they will no longer be required to do so, to determine if 
increases are needed due to the cost of living. We estimate a minimum 
of 2.5 hours annually to make this review and adjustment (2.5 hours  x  
52 State agencies = 130 hours). Total burden for this provision is 
estimated to be 130 hours per year. This is a decrease in total hours 
from the previous burden estimate. In the previous information 
collection burden assessment, we anticipated 10 State agencies would 
develop one or more additional standards each year. Currently, we 
believe the States that would incorporate a new standard, such as the 
telephone allowance, have already done so. Therefore, we do not 
anticipate additional standards which would result in additional burden 
hours.
    3. Mandatory utility standards--7 CFR 273.9(d): Section 809 of 
PRWORA amended Section 5(e)(7)(c) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 2014(e)(7)(c)) 
to allow State agencies to mandate use of standard utility allowances 
when the excess shelter cost deduction is computed instead of allowing 
households to claim actual utility costs provided the standards will 
not increase program costs. To date, there are 11 State agencies which 
have selected to mandate the use of standard utility allowances. We do 
not anticipate additional burden on the State to calculate the standard 
utility allowance since each of these eleven State agencies is already 
calculating the standard utility allowance. Therefore, the total annual 
burden associated with mandatory utility standards is zero.

[[Page 10483]]

    4. Establishing methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-
employment income--7 CFR 273.10. In accordance with Section 5(d)(9) of 
the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2014(d)(9), the gross amount of self-employment 
income is reduced by the cost of producing such income. Section 5(m) of 
the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2014(m), as amended by section 812 of PRWORA, allows 
State agencies to use a reasonable estimate of self-employment costs 
rather than actual costs to compute net income from self-employment 
provided the method will not increase program costs. Requests to use 
such estimates must be submitted to FNS and must include a description 
of the proposed method; the number, type and percent of households 
affected; and documentation indicating that the procedure would not 
increase Program costs. We estimate that 10 State agencies will submit 
requests of this type each year for the next three years. It is 
estimated that these States will incur a one-time burden of at least 10 
working hours gathering and analyzing data, developing the methodology, 
determining the cost implication, and submitting a request to FNS for a 
total burden of 100 hours annually. State agencies are not required to 
periodically review their approved methodologies. We do not anticipate 
that State agencies will voluntarily review their methodologies for 
change on a regular basis, thus burden is not being assessed for this 
purpose at this time.
    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 93.
    Estimated Annual Burden on Respondents: 250.

    Dated: February 8, 2001.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 01-3820 Filed 2-14-01; 8:45 am]
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