[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20400-20401]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-10233]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, Homeland Security.

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 registration intake for the 
Disaster Assistance Registration information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The legal basis for the collection of 
information in support of the applicant as well as administrative 
policy is contained in the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 93-288, as amended, and 44 Code of 
Federal Regulations (44 CFR) part 206. In support of disaster victims, 
it is the policy of FEMA to provide an orderly and continuing means of 
assistance by the Federal Government to State and local governments, in 
carrying out their responsibilities to alleviate the suffering and 
damage that result from major disasters and emergencies. In addition 
FEMA complies with the provisions of Title IV of the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Title 8 
United States Code, sections 1601 et seq., with respect to 
determination of eligibility or disaster assistance for applicants who 
are not U.S. citizens.

Collection of Information

    Title: Disaster Assistance Registration.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0002.
    Form Numbers: FEMA Forms 90-69 (English), 90-69A (Spanish), 
Application Registration for Disaster Assistance, and FEMA Forms 90-69B 
(English), 90-69C (Spanish), Declaration and Release.
    Abstract: The information serves as the application for FEMA's 
Individuals and Households Program with regard to Housing Assistance 
and Other Needs Assistance and is relayed to other Federal and State 
agencies administering disaster relief programs appropriate to the 
applicants needs. Without this information, eligibility for disaster 
assistance cannot be determined. The information is obtained by 
telephone calls to the Teleregistration Center or from a face-to-face 
interview. Applicants are provided a statement regarding the privacy 
act and they sign a statement certifying the accuracy of their 
information.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households; Federal Government; 
State, Local or Tribal Governments; Business or Other For-Profit; Not-
For-Profit Institutions; Farms.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    No. of                                         Annual burden
                  FEMA forms                      respondents     Frequency of      Hours per      hours  (A x B
                                                      (A)         response (B)     response (C)        x C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
90-69, 90-96A.................................         482,584               1          19 min.          152,818
90-69B, 90-69C................................    308,884 (65%               1           2 min.           10,295
                                                  of responses
                                                are inspected)
                                               -----------------
    Total.....................................         482,584  ...............         21 min.          163,113
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Cost: The total estimated annual cost to the applicant 
for FEMA Forms 90-69, 90-69A, 90-69B, and 90-69C is $978,678. The cost 
is determined by the average hourly rate of $6.00 per respondent times 
the estimated 163,113 burden hours.
    Cost to the Federal Government regarding the forms pertain to three 
main activities: (1) Cost for Contract Inspectors to obtain signatures 
on the 90-69B, Declaration and Release, form. Cost estimates are 
computed by using the Contractor hourly rate of $45 times the average 
of two minutes to obtain the signature from the applicant times the 
projected number of respondents who actually receive an inspection 
(308,854) for an estimated total annual cost of $463,275. (2) Cost to 
take the electronic registrations in NEMIS computed by using the 
Registrar's hourly rate of GS 5/1, $12.50 plus the cost estimate for 
NEMIS per hour of $5.29 = $17.79 times the projected annual burden 
hours for ninety-five percent of the projected annual respondents 
(145,177), for an estimated total annual cost of $2,582,699. (3) Cost 
to enter paper applications into NEMIS are computed by using the 
Registrar's hourly rate of GS 5/1, $12.50 plus the cost estimate for 
NEMIS per hour of $5.29 = $17.79 times the projected annual burden 
hours for five percent of the projected annual paper form respondents 
(3,217), for an estimated total annual cost of $57,230.
    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.

[[Page 20401]]

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Muriel 
B. Anderson, Chief, Records Management Branch, Information Resources 
Management Division, Information Technology Services Directorate, 
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: Kathy Fields, Chief, National 
Processing Service Center, Recovery Division, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, 
Department of Homeland Security at (940) 891-8501 for additional 
information. You may contact Ms. Anderson for copies of the proposed 
collection of information at (202) 646-2625, facsimile number (202) 
646-3347, or e-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: April 16, 2003.
Edward W. Kernan,
Division Director, Information Resources Management Division, 
Information Technology Services Directorate.
[FR Doc. 03-10233 Filed 4-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-01-P