[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 159 (Thursday, August 18, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48576-48577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16382]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, U.S. Department of 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 the Elevation Certificate and the 
Floodproofing Certificate. The Elevation Certificate is required by the 
NFIP to certify the elevations of the buildings to determine the proper 
flood insurance rate. It can also be used by communities to document to 
what height new buildings and substantial improvements in Special Flood 
Hazard Areas were elevated so that communities can verify building 
compliance including the lowest floor determination.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 
regulations require the elevation or floodproofing of new or 
substantially improved 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 minimum NFIP requirements intended to 
reduce future flood losses. One such requirement is that the community 
require that buildings be elevated to or above the base flood elevation 
and, 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 records. The Elevation Certificate is 
one convenient way for a community to document building compliance; 
however, it is not a prescribed form. The Floodproofing Certificate may 
similarly be used to establish the floodproofed design elevation in 
those instances when floodproofing of non-residential structures is 
permitted.
    The Elevation Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate are used in 
conjunction with the application in order to properly rate Post-FIRM 
structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas (44 CFR 61.7, 61.8) for flood 
insurance. Post-FIRM are those buildings constructed after publication 
of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). 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 (FEMA Forms 81-31) and Floodproofing Certificate for Non-
Residential Structures (FEMA Forms 81-65) provide community officials 
with needed data in order to verity building elevation information and 
determine compliance with the community's floodplain management 
ordinance.

Collection of Information

    Title: Post Construction Elevation Certificate/Floodproofing 
Certificate.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0008.
    Form Numbers: FEMA Form 81-31, Elevation Certificate, and FEMA Form 
81-65, Flood Proofing Certificate.
    Abstract: The Elevation Certificate and Floodproofing Certificate 
are used in conjunction with 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 the 
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 building elevation information.
    The certificates are supplied to insurance agents, community 
officials, surveyors, engineers, architects, and NFIP policyholders/
applicants. Surveyors, engineers, and architects complete the Elevation 
Certificate. Engineers and architects complete the Floodproofing 
Certificate. Community officials are provided the building elevation 
information required to document and determine compliance with the 
community's floodplain management ordinance. NFIP policyholders/
applicants provide the appropriate certificate to insurance agents. The 
certificate is then used in conjunction with the flood insurance 
application so that the building can be properly rated for flood 
insurance.
    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 Hours:

                                                                   Annual Burden Hours
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                                           No. of                                                                             Annual       Total Annual
  Project/Activity (Survey, Form(s),     Respondents       Frequency of Responses (B)       Burden Hours Per  Respondent     Responses     Burden Hours
          Focus Group, etc.)                 (A)                                                        (C)                    (AxB)          (AxBxC)
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Elevation Certificate, FEMA Form 81-           48,300  One per structure.................  3.50 hours...................          48,300         169,050
 31 and Instructions.
Floodproofing Certificate, FEMA Form              130  One per structure.................  3.25 hours...................             130             423
 81-65.
Web-based Training Module (Surveyors           48,300  One per structure.................  0.25 hour....................          48,300          12,075
 Video, Surveyors Guide for EC, and
 Bldg. Diagrams and Photo).
                                      -----------------
    Total............................          48,430  ..................................  .............................          48,430         181,548
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[[Page 48577]]

    Estimated Cost: The cost to the respondent is estimated to be a fee 
of $200-$500 charged to the applicant by the private sector 
professional completing the Elevation or Floodproofing Certificate. The 
annual cost to 48,300 respondents x an average cost of $350 is 
estimated to be approximately $16,950,500 annually.
    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 George 
S. Trotter, Acting Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Jhun de la Cruz, Insurance 
Examiner, Mitigation Division, (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].

    Dated: August 11, 2005.
George S. Trotter,
Acting Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 05-16382 Filed 8-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-11-P