[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17926-17927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6757]


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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, DHS.

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 a proposed revised information collection. In accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments 
concerning the e-Grants application used to determine whether 
mitigation activities proposed for funding meets eligibility criteria. 
To better reflect all of the mitigation grant programs using the 
mitigation e-Grants application, the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) 
e-Grant Program, the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) e-Grant Program and 
the Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) e-Grant Program have been combined 
and renamed to be called the Mitigation Grant Program/e-Grants.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Collection of Information

    Title: Mitigation Grant Program/e-Grants (previously named Flood 
Mitigation Assistance (e-Grants)).
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0072.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Abstract: The States will utilize the Mitigation Grant Program/e-
Grants, automated application to report to FEMA on a quarterly basis, 
certify how funding is being used and to report on the progress of 
mitigation activities funded under grant awards, made to Grantees by 
FEMA. FEMA will use this system to review the Grantees quarterly 
reports to ensure that mitigation grant activities are progressing on 
schedule and to track the expenditure of funds.
    Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal Government, and Federal 
Government.

[[Page 17927]]



                                       Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Number of                                           Annual
 Data collection activities/     respondents    Frequency  of  Hours  burden per     responses     Annual burden
          instrument                 (A)       responses  (B)     response  (C)       (D+A*B)     hours  (E=C*D)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FMA
    Benefit-Cost                           56               2  5 hours..........             112             560
     Determination.
    Environmental Review.....              56               2  7.5 hours........             112             840
    Project Narrative--Sub-                56               4  12 hours.........             224           2,688
     grant Application.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal for FMA e-                56  ..............  24.5.............             448           4,088
         Grants Supplemental
         Information.
PDM
    Benefit-Cost                           56              20  5 hours..........           1,120           5,600
     Determination.
    Environmental Review.....              56              20  7.5 hours........           1,120           8,400
    Project Narrative--Sub-                56              20  12 hours.........           1,120          13,440
     grant application
     (including PDM
     Evaluation Information
     Questions \5\).
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal for PDM e-                56  ..............  24.5.............           3,360          27,440
         Grants Supplemental
         Information.
RFC
    Benefit-Cost                           56               1  5 hours..........              56             280
     Determination.
    Environmental Review.....              56               1  7.5 hours........              56             420
    Project Narrative--Sub-                56               2  12 hours.........             112           1,344
     grant application.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal for RFC e-                56  ..............  24.5.............             224           2,084
         Grants Supplemental
         Information.
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Totals...........              56  ..............  24.5.............           4,032          33,612
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Cost: The total annual estimated costs to States and 
tribal governments for information collection associated with the 
mitigation grant programs is $891,726.36. This calculation is based on 
the number of annual burden hours for wage rates for Urban and Regional 
Planners, responsible for collecting the information or completing the 
e-Grants information at the State level. The cost for developing e-
Grants system is approximately $4.4 million. System enhancements will 
continue into future years, at an average cost to FEMA of $750,000 
annually in contract costs.
    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 must be submitted on or before June 
11, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Chief, 
Records Management and Privacy, Information Resources Management 
Branch, Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Room 609, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Cecelia Rosenberg, Section 
Chief, Mitigation Division, (202) 646-3321 for additional information. 
You may contact the Records Management Branch for copies of the 
proposed collection of information at facsimile number (202) 646-3347 
or e-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: April 2, 2007.
John A. Sharetts-Sullivan,
Chief, Records Management and Privacy Information Resources Management 
Branch, Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. E7-6757 Filed 4-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-11-P