[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 21, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65584-65585]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22711]


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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; 60-day notice and request for comments; collection type 
extension, without change, of a currently approved collection, OMB: 
1660-0010, Form Number(s): No form numbers associated with this 
collection.

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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 continuing information collection. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks 
comments concerning the information collection outlined in 44 CFR part 
71, as it pertains to application for National Flood Insurance Program 
(NFIP) insurance for buildings located in Coastal Barrier Resource 
System (CBRS) communities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA) 
(Pub. L. 97-3480) and the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act (CBRA) (Pub. 
L. 101-591) are Federal laws that were enacted on October 1, 1982, and 
November 16, 1990, respectively. The legislation was implemented as 
part of a Department of the Interior (DOI) initiative to preserve the 
ecological integrity of areas DOI designates as coastal barriers and 
otherwise protected areas. The laws provide this protection by 
prohibiting all Federal expenditures or financial assistance including 
flood insurance for residential or commercial development in areas 
identified with the system. When an application for flood insurance is 
submitted for buildings located in CBRS communities, documentation must 
be submitted as evidence of eligibility.
    FEMA regulation 44 CFR part 71 implements the CBRA. The 
documentation required in 44 CFR 71.4 is provided to FEMA for a 
determination that a building which is located on a designated coastal 
barrier and for which an application for flood insurance is being made, 
is neither new construction or a substantial improvement, and is, 
therefore, eligible for NFIP coverage. If the information is not 
collected, NFIP policies would be provided for buildings, which are 
legally ineligible for it, thus exposing the Federal Government to an 
insurance liability Congress chose to limit.

Collection of Information

    Title: Implementation of Coastal Barrier Resources Act.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0010.
    Form Numbers: No forms.
    Abstract: When an application for flood insurance is submitted for 
buildings located in CBRS communities, one of the following types of 
documentation must be submitted as evidence of eligibility: (a) 
Certification from a community official stating the building is not 
located in a designated CBRS area, (b) A legally valid building permit 
or certification from a community official stating that the building's 
start of construction date preceded the date that the community was 
identified in the system or (c) Certification from the governmental 
body overseeing the area indicating that the building is used in a 
manner consistent with the purpose for which the area is protected.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other for 
profits; not-for-profit institutions; farms; Federal Government; and 
State, local or tribal governments.
    Number of Respondents: 60.
    Frequency of Response: One time.
    Hours Per Response: 1.5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 90 hours.

                                                                   Annual Burden Hours
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                                                                        Number  of      Frequency of     Burden hours        Annual        Total annual
  Project/activity (survey, form(s), focus group, worksheet, etc.)     respondents       responses     per  respondent     responses       burden hours
                                                                                (A)              (B)                (C)  (D) = (A x B)          (E) = (C x D) 
Documentation:
    44 CFR Section 71.4............................................              60                1              1.5               60               90
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        Total......................................................              60                1              1.5               60               90
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    Estimated Cost: $600 (60 respondents x $10 per respondent). The 
cost to the respondent, i.e., applicant for flood insurance, is the 
cost if any, to obtain the required documentation from local officials. 
Fees charged, if any, to the applicants, are nominal, i.e., the cost of 
photocopying the public record. Information of this type is frequently 
provided upon request free of charge by the community as a public 
service. The average cost to the respondent is estimated to be $10, the 
cost to make phone calls, mail a written request, or make a trip to a 
local office to obtain the document, and includes any copying fees, 
which may be charged by the local office.
    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

[[Page 65585]]

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 January 22, 2008.

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 
(Mail Drop Room 301, 1880 S. Bell Street, Arlington, VA 22202).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Robin Williamson, Risk 
Insurance Branch, Mitigation Division, at 703-605-0755 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: November 8, 2007.
John A. Sharetts-Sullivan,
Director, Records Management Division, Office of Management, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
 [FR Doc. E7-22711 Filed 11-20-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-11-P