[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67749-67750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-25660]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice of emergency clearance request and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has submitted a 
request for emergency processing of two information collection requests 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance 
under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 
104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.). FEMA is requesting OMB to review and 
approve the requests by December 1, 2004. The two information 
collection requests propose revisions to currently approved collections 
under OMB control numbers 1660-0071 and 1660-0072, which are used by 
grantees to apply for and report on eGrant awards and by FEMA to 
evaluate, award, and monitor expenditures and program/project 
performance for Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and the Flood Mitigation 
Assistant (FMA) program activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed information collection 
requests, upon approval by OMB, will enable FEMA to open the FY 2005 
eGrant application periods for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) 
program and the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, which are 
essential to FEMA's mission to lead America to prepare for prevent, 
respond to, and recover from disasters. The PDM grant program is the 
only source of Federal pre-disaster funding available to States and 
local governments for hazard mitigation. Hazard mitigation is an 
ongoing effort to lessen the impact disasters have on people's lives 
and property through damage prevention measures such as removing homes 
from the floodplain, engineering buildings and infrastructure to 
withstand earthquakes, installing safe rooms and retrofitting buildings 
to withstand high winds from tornadoes or hurricanes. The Disaster 
Mitigation Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-390) authorizes and funded the Pre-
Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program to provide a continuous source of 
pre-disaster mitigation funding independent of disaster declarations to 
assist States and local communities to take actions to reduce the 
overall risks to populations and to properties from future disasters. 
The Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program is an annual program 
targeted toward reducing flood damages and risks to people and 
properties. The National Flood Insurance Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-264) 
amended the FMA program by expanding the authorized funds from $20 
million to $40 million annually to reduce the risk of floods to the 
nation's insured properties. Based on comments received from the FY 
2003 PDM grant applicants, sub-grant applicants, and participants in 
the program evaluation and grant award process, FEMA has revised the 
eGrant application to solicit information that is more relevant to the 
evaluation of competitive applications for PDM and the evaluation of 
mitigation proposals in general for both the FMA and PDM programs.

[[Page 67750]]

    In addition to program specific changes to the sub-grant 
application for PDM and FMA eGrants, the information collection 
requests have been revised to include as part of the eGrant quarterly 
and final reporting requirement, the financial and performance status 
reports, outlay reports, property management reports, and closeout 
reports required of each grant awarded. FEMA encourages the use of the 
PDM and FMA eGrants application described in this notice; however, 
applicants may also use the Agency's grant administration paper-based 
forms currently under OMB control number 1660-0025 to apply.

Information Collection Requests

1. Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program

    Title: Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program eGrants.
    OMB Number: 1660-0071.
    Abstract: FEMA uses the PDM program eGrant application, evaluation, 
and award process to provide Federal grant assistance to grantees 
(State and federally recognized tribal government) who administer grant 
awards for sub-grantee applicants (State-level agencies, federally 
recognized Indian tribal governments, local governments, public 
colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and 
regional planning districts and councils of governments). Private-non-
profit (PNP) organizations and private colleges and universities are 
not eligible sub-applicants; however, a relevant State agency or local 
government may apply to the grant applicant for assistance on their 
behalf. The grant assistance must be used to develop mitigation plans 
in accordance with section 322 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 
to implement pre-disaster mitigation projects that reduce the risks of 
natural and technological hazards on life and property, and to provide 
information and technical assistance on cost-effective mitigation 
activities.
    Affected Public: The category of affected public includes State, 
local and tribal governments.
    Number of Responses: 1,176 (Grantees (applicants)--56 States and 
territories and sub-grantees (sub-applicants)--20 per State or 
territory.) Sub-applicants submit their eGrant applications to the 
States to review, coordinate and forward PDM grant applications to FEMA 
for approval.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: FEMA has estimated the burden 
associated with this information collection request as follows:
    Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program eGrants--Grant Supplemental 
Information--Sub-grant applications.
     Benefit Cost Determination--5 hours per response.
     Environmental Review--7.5 hours per response.
     Project Narrative (including PDM Evaluation Information 
Questions)--12 hours per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50,887.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and quarterly.

2. Flood Mitigation Assistance Program

    Title: Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program eGrants.
    OMB Number: 1660-0072.
    Abstract: FEMA uses the FMA program eGrant application, evaluation, 
and award process to provide Federal grant assistance to grantees for 
three types of grants--Planning, Project, and Technical Assistance. FMA 
Planning Grants are available to States, National Flood Insurance 
Program (NFIP) participating communities, and Indian tribal governments 
to prepare Flood Mitigation Plans. FMA Project Grants are available to 
States, NFIP participating communities, and Indian tribal governments 
to implement measures to reduce flood losses. Ten percent of the 
Project Grant is made available to States, NFIP participating 
communities, Indian tribal governments, and communities in non-
participating States as a Technical Assistance Grant. The National 
Flood Insurance Reform Act (42 U.S.C. 1366), as amended by the Bunning-
Bereuter-Blumenauer Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, (Pub. L. 108-
264) authorizes the Flood Mitigation Assistance program. The FMA 
program is designed to award grants to States, NFIP participating 
communities, and Indian tribal governments so that measures can be 
taken 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.
    FEMA encourages the use of the PDM and FMA eGrants application 
described in this notice; however, applicants may also use the Agency's 
grant administration paper-based forms currently under OMB control 
number 1660-0025 to apply.
    Affected Public: The category of affected public includes State, 
local and tribal governments and not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Responses: 280.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: FEMA has estimated the burden 
associated with this information collection request as follows:
    Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program eGrants--Grant 
Supplemental Information--Sub-grant applications.
     Benefit Cost Determination--5 hours per response.
     Environmental Review--7.5 hours per response.
     Project Narrative--12 hours per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,088.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and quarterly.
    Comments: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
on the proposed information collection requests to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA at 
the following e-mail address [email protected] or 
facsimile number (202) 395-7285. We ask that you submit comments not 
later than December 1, 2004, to ensure consideration of your comments 
before OMB evaluates and acts on these requests.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection requests should be made to Muriel 
B. Anderson, Section Chief, Records Management, FEMA at 500 C Street, 
SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472, facsimile number (202) 646-3347, 
or e-mail address [email protected].

    Dated: November 12, 2004.
Edward W. Kernan,
Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, Information 
Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 04-25660 Filed 11-18-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-13-P