[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 53 (Monday, March 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15479-15480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6674]


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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 new information collections. In accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), this 
notice seeks comments concerning a national review of local mitigation 
planning.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There are three FEMA programs that provide 
either direct funding or insurance incentives in order to promote 
mitigation planning at the local level. They are the Flood Mitigation 
Assistance Program (FMA), the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), 
and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating 
System. Project Impact funds may also be used for local mitigation 
planning but will be excluded from this evaluation since the program 
has a separate evaluation instrument with the University of Delaware.
    Anecdotal information regarding the value of hazard mitigation 
planning in producing viable and effective mitigation actions exists, 
but this has never been studied in a systematic way. The purpose of 
this review will be to (1) assess the impact that FEMA's local 
Mitigation planning initiatives have had on local planning; (2) 
identify communities with successful mitigation plans and (3) document 
``best practices'' that led to the formulation of successful plans. For 
example, there is the assumption that the FMA planning requirement 
promotes successful projects. However, there is a need to objectively 
evaluate whether this is a true statement, and if so, why. As a result, 
this objective review will give us a better opportunity to understand 
planning effectiveness and ``best practices''.

Collection of Information

    Title. Review of Local Mitigation Planning Initiatives and 
Practices.
    Type of Information Collection. New.
    OMB Number: NEW.
    Abstract. The purpose of this information collection, in the form 
of a survey, is to support the FEMA Mitigation Directorate and the 
Office of the Inspector General in conducting a national review of 
local mitigation planning. The goal of the survey is to determine the 
extent to which communities are formulating, adopting and adhering to 
local mitigation plans, and to review the overall quality of these 
plans. Additional goals are to document the ``best practices'' and 
identify characteristics of successful planning programs at the local 
level.
    Affected Public: Local or Tribal Governments.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 563.

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                                                   Annual                                  Burden       Annual
                                      No. of     frequency    No. of questions/average   hours per      burden
       Year of FEMA survey          respondent   of survey       minutes to answer      respondents  hours  (A x
                                     (A) \1\        (B)                                    (C) \2\      B x C)
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2001.............................          125            1  36/2.5 minutes...........         1.50       187.50
2002.............................          125            1  36/2.5 minutes...........         1.50       187.50
2003.............................          125            1  36/2.5 minutes...........         1.50       187.50
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    Total........................          375            1    .......................     \3\ 1.50      562.50
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\1\ The audit sampling plan calls for 90 communities to be contacted. However, we anticipate that we may need to
  interview more than one official per community because a single official may not know the answer to all survey
  questions. We assumed that less than half of the 90 communities would require a second interview. Even if all
  90 communities require a second interview, neither respondent would answer all of the survey questions.
\2\ Burden hours were calculated by: 1. Multiplying the number of questions by the average number of minutes
  required to answer each question (i.e., 36 questions  x  2.5 minutes = 90 minutes) and 2. Dividing the product
  of 1) by 60 minutes (i.e., 90 minutes/60 minutes = 1.50 hours).
\3\ The respondents are State or local community officials that hold positions of authority within their
  organizations. Based on their positions as experts in their field, they are generally expected to offer their
  professional opinions about Federal programs and initiatives. We anticipate that the interview may take longer
  than a typical survey because we are not offering the respondent a choice of answers. Our respondents will
  need time to formulate an answer and explain it.


[[Page 15480]]

    Estimated Annual Cost to Respondents: $3,750. We estimate that it 
will take approximately $30.00 per respondent per year to complete the 
survey.

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 submission of responses. 
Comments should be received within 60 days of the date of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Muriel 
B. Anderson, FEMA Information Collections Officer, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW, Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rosemary Krueger, Program Analyst, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mitigation Directorate, Program 
Support Division, Planning Branch, (202) 646-4189 for additional 
information. For copies of the proposed collection of information 
contact Ms. Anderson at (202) 646-2625, by facsimile (202) 645-3347, or 
by e-mail at [email protected].

    Dated: March 12, 2001.
Reginald Trujillo,
Director, Program Services Division, Operations Support Directorate.
[FR Doc. 01-6674 Filed 3-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P