[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 134 (Friday, July 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46190-46191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17555]


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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 revised information collections. In accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
this notice seeks comments concerning the Elevation Certificate and the 
Floodproofing Certificate. The Elevation certificate is required by the 
NFIP to certify the elevations of the buildings so the policy can be 
properly rated. It also provides documentation to verify the 
community's enforcement of building ordinances, which is important to 
the NFIP mitigation and floodplain management activities.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Muriel 
B. Anderson, Chief, Records Management Section, Program Services and 
Systems Branch, Facilities Management and Services Division, 
Administration and Resource Planning Directorate, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Jhun de la Cruz, Insurance 
Examiner, Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, (202) 646-
2650 for additional information. You may contact Ms. Anderson for 
copies of the proposed collection of information at telephone number 
(202) 646-2625 or facsimile number (202) 646-3347 or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 
regulations require the elevation or floodproofing of newly constructed 
structures in designated special flood hazard areas. As part of the 
agreement for making flood insurance available in a community, the NFIP 
requires the community to adopt a floodplain management ordinance 
containing certain minimum requirements intended to reduce future flood 
losses. One such requirement is that the community require that 
residential buildings be elevated to above the base flood elevation 
and, to enforce this requirement, obtain the elevation of the lowest 
floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved 
structures, and maintain a record of all such information. These data 
should be generated and retained as part of the community's permit 
issuance and building inspection processes. The Elevation Certificate 
is one convenient way for a community to comply with this requirement; 
however, it is not prescribed. The Floodproofing Certificate may 
similarly be used to establish the required record in those instances 
when floodproofing for non-residential structures is a permitted 
practice.

[[Page 46191]]

    The Elevation Certificate/Floodproofing Certificate is an adjunct 
to the application for flood insurance and is required for proper 
rating of Post-FIRM structures, which are buildings constructed after 
publication of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), for flood insurance 
in Special Flood Hazard Areas (44 CFR 61.7,61.8). In addition, the 
Elevation Certificate is needed for Pre-FIRM structures being rated 
under Post-FIRM flood insurance rules. The standardized format of the 
Elevation
    Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate for Non-Residential 
Structures (FEMA Forms 81-31 and 81-65) provide the community officials 
and others documents, which may be used to readily record needed 
information.

Collection of Information

    Title: Post Construction Elevation Certificate/FloodProofing 
Certificate.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 3067-0077.
    Form Numbers: FEMA Form 81-31, Elevation Certificate, and FEMA Form 
81-65, Flood Proofing Certificate.
    Abstract: The Elevation Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate 
are adjuncts to the application for flood insurance. The certificates 
are required for proper rating of post Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) 
structures, which are buildings constructed after publication of the 
FIRM, for flood insurance in Special Flood Hazard Areas. In addition, 
the Elevation Certificate is needed for pre-FIRM structures being rated 
under post-FIRM flood insurance rules. The certificates provide 
community officials and others standardized documents to readily record 
needed information.
    The certificates are supplied to insurance agents, community 
officials, surveyors, engineers, architects, and NFIP policyholders/
applicants. The community officials or other professionals provided the 
elevation data required to document conformance with floodplain 
management regulations and for the applicants so that actuarial 
insurance rates can be charged for insuring property against the flood 
hazard.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households, Business or Other For-
Profit, Not-For-Profit Institutions, Farms, and State, Local or Tribal 
Governments.

                                     Estimated Total Annual Burden (C) Hours
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                                                     Number of                                     Annual burden
                   FEMA forms                       respondents    Frequency of      Hours per     hours  (A  x
                                                        (A)        response  (B)     response        B  x  C)
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81-31...........................................          54,515               1               3          63,545
81-65...........................................             180               1            3.25             910
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................          54,695                                         164,455
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    Estimated Cost: The estimated annual cost to the respondents is 
approximately $12,306,375 (54,695  x  $225 (average cost)). This 
estimated cost is based on a fee of $150$300 charged to the applicant 
by the private sector professional completing the Elevation or 
Floodprooofing certificates. The estimated annual cost to the Federal 
government to process, analyze and maintain this information is 
approximately $77,485.
    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.

    Dated: July 3, 2002.
Reginald Trujillo,
Branch Chief, Program Services and Systems Branch, Facilities 
Management and Services Division, Administration and Resource Planning 
Directorate.
[FR Doc. 02-17555 Filed 7-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P