[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 121 (Monday, June 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34699-34700]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12200]


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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 (FEMA), 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 information required by FEMA to amend or revise National 
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Maps to remove certain property from the 
1-percent annual chance floodplain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With the passage of the Flood Disaster 
Protection Act of 1973, an owner of a structure, with a federally 
backed mortgage, located in the 1-percent annual chance floodplain, was 
required to purchase federal flood insurance. This was in response to 
the escalating damage caused by flooding and the unavailability of 
flood insurance from commercial insurance companies. As part of this 
effort, FEMA mapped the 1-percent annual chance floodplain in 
communities. However, due to scale limitations, individual structures 
that may be above the base flood cannot always be shown as being out of 
the 1-percent annual chance floodplain. FEMA will issue a Letter of Map 
Amendment (LOMA) or a Letter of Map Revision--Based on Fill (LOMR-F) to 
waive the Federal requirement for flood insurance when data is 
submitted to

[[Page 34700]]

show that the property or structure is ``reasonably safe from 
flooding'' and at or above the elevation of the base flood. Requestors 
can check on the status of their Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA), Letter 
of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F), Conditional Letter of Map 
Amendment (CLOMA), and Conditional Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill 
(CLOMR-F) request by visiting FEMA's Mapping Information Platform Web 
site at https://hazards.fema.gov.

Collection of Information

    Title: Revisions to National Flood Insurance Program Maps: 
Application Forms and Instructions for (C)LOMAs and (C)LOMR-Fs.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0015.
    Form Numbers: FEMA Forms 81-87, 81-87A, 81-87B.
    Abstract: The certification forms (referred to as MT-1 series 
forms) are designed to assist requesters in gathering information that 
the FEMA needs to determine whether a certain property is likely to be 
flooded during a flood event that has a one-percent annual chance of 
being equaled or exceeded in any given year (base flood). FEMA Form 81-
87, Property Information, describes the location of the property, what 
is being requested, and what data are required to support the request. 
FEMA Form 81-87A, Elevation Information, indicates what the Base (one-
percent annual chance) Flood Elevation (BFE) for the property is, how 
the BFE was determined, the lowest ground elevation on the property, 
and/or the elevation of the lowest adjacent grade to any structures on 
the property. This information is required in order for FEMA to 
determine if the property that the requester would like removed from 
the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) is at or above the BFE. FEMA Form 
81-87B, Community Acknowledgment, requires that a community official 
certify that the request complies with minimum floodplain management 
criteria specified in 44 CFR 60.3, as per NFIP regulations 44 CFR 
65.5(a)(4).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, business or other for-
profit organizations, and state and local or tribal government.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 58,150.

                                               Annual Burden Hours
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                                  Number of       Frequency of     Burden hours       Annual       Total annual
  Project/activity (survey,      respondents       responses      per respondent     responses     burden hours
    form(s), focus group,     ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       worksheet, etc.)              (A)              (B)               (C)         (D) = (AxB)     (E) = (CxD)
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Form 81-87, Property                   18,272  Annual (1).......            1.63          18,272          29,783
 Information Form (Homeowners/
 Representatives of
 Homeowner).
Form 81-87A, Elevation Form            18,272  Annual (1).......            1.25          18,272          22,840
 (Surveyors/Engineers).
Form 81-87B, Community                  3,389  Annual (1).......            1.38           3,389           4,677
 Acknowledgment Form
 (Community Officials).
On-line LOMA/LOMR-F Tutorial            1,700  Annual (1).......            0.5            1,700             850
 (Homeowners).
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total....................          41,633  .................            4.76         19,972*          58,150
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* The total number of annual responses represents the total number of collection packages received. Estimated
  number of collection packages received in a given year is 19,972.

    Estimated Cost: Cost to respondents is estimated to be $1,258,199 
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 must be submitted on or before August 
24, 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 Ms. Cecelia Lynch, FEMA, 
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration at (202) 646-7045 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: June 13, 2007.
John A. Sharetts-Sullivan,
Chief, Records Management and Privacy, Office of Management 
Directorate, Information Technology Services Division, Information 
Resources Management Branch, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. E7-12200 Filed 6-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-11-P