[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 160 (Thursday, August 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42047-42048]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19721]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / 
Notices  

[[Page 42047]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program Recipient Claims

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on proposed information collections. This collection is a revision of a 
currently approved collection associated with initiating and conducting 
Federal collection actions against households with delinquent 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the 
Food Stamp Program) recipient debts.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 19, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) 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) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to 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.
    Send comments to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration Branch, 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, 
USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Jane 
Duffield at 703-605-0795. Comments will also be accepted through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
    All written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Room 
818.
    All comments will be summarized and included in the request for 
Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection. 
All comments will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Rowe at (703) 305-2480.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program Recipient Claims.
    OMB Number: 0584-0446.
    Form Number: None.
    Expiration Date: December 31, 2009.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 13(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as 
amended (7 U.S.C. 2022(b)), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP) regulations at 7 CFR 273.18 require State agencies to 
refer delinquent debtors for SNAP benefit over-issuance to the U.S. 
Department of the Treasury for collection. The Debt Collection 
Improvement Act of 1996, 31 U.S.C. 3701, et seq., requires these debts 
to be referred to Treasury for collection when they are 180 days or 
more delinquent. Through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), 31 CFR Part 
285, payments such as Federal income tax refunds, Federal salaries and 
other Federal payments payable to these delinquent debtors will be 
offset and the amount applied to the delinquent debt. TOP places a 
reporting burden on State agencies and Individuals/Households (former 
SNAP recipients) who owe delinquent debts as detailed in the following 
charts.
    We are basing our estimate on an average of the number of records 
for claims the States sent to TOP for calendar years 2006, 2007 and 
2008.

                                                    Table 1--Reporting for Individuals or Households
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           (e) Estimated
                                                                           (c) Number of   (d) Number of   total annual    (f) Hours per     (g) Total
             Reporting burden per activity                 (b) Form No.     respondents    responses per     responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                            respondent         (cxd)                           (exf)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading State issued notice............................             N/A          253,671               1         253,671           .0835      21,181.528
Reading FNS issued letter to Federal employees.........             N/A            3,000               1           3,000           .0835         250.5
Phone inquiries and informal appeals for State notice..             N/A           17,757               1          17,757           .25         4,439.25
Phone Inquires and informal appeals for FNS letter.....             N/A              900               1             900           .25           225
Formal appeals to State................................             N/A            1,522               1           1,522           .5            761
Formal appeals to FNS..................................             N/A               20               1              20           .5             10
Summary of Reporting Burden............................  ...............     \1\ 253,671            1.09         276,870  ..............      26,867.278
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ I/H counted once.


[[Page 42048]]


                                                          Table 2--Reporting for State Agencies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           (e) Estimated
                                                                           (c) Number of   (d) Number of   total annual    (f) Hours per     (g) Total
             Reporting burden per activity                 (b) Form No.     respondents    responses per     responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                            respondent         (cxd)                           (exf)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State agency notice production.........................             N/A               53   4,786.2452           253, 671           .0167      4,236.3057
Responding to phone inquiries and informal appeals for              N/A            \1\53     335.03773            17,757           .25        4,439.25
 State notice..........................................
Responding to formal appeals to State..................             N/A               53      28.716981            1,522           .5           761
Providing documents for formal appeals to FNS..........             N/A               53       0.3773584              20           .5            10
Submit yearly certification letter.....................             N/A               53       1                      53           .5            26.5
System accountability file.............................             N/A               53       1                      53         11.5           609.5
Address file...........................................             N/A               53       8                     424          1.6346        693.0704
Match/No match report..................................             N/A               53       8                     424          6.5         2,756
Testing New system.....................................             N/A                5       1                       5          7              35
State agency profile...................................             N/A               53       1                      53          0.25           13.25
Weekly Files...........................................             N/A               53      52                   2,756          1.5         4,134
Weekly files--Post data................................             N/A               53      52                   2,756          1.5         4,134
Summary of Reporting Burden............................  ...............          \1\ 53   5,273.4716            279,494  ..............     21,847.875
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ States counted once.

    The current reporting burden for individuals/households and State 
governments is 380,053 respondents and 68,921 hours. The proposed 
reporting burden, totaled from Tables 1 and 2, is 253,724 respondents 
and 48,715.153 hours. This reduction of 20,205.847 reporting hours is 
due to a combination of fewer notices being mailed by States and acted 
on by individuals/households; a decrease in required documents and 
activities for State governments; and, changes due to agency 
adjustments.
    TOP places a recordkeeping burden on State governments which is 
contained in the following Table 3. There is no recordkeeping burden 
for individuals and households.

                                                        Table 3--Recordkeeping for State Agencies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           (e) Estimated
                                                                           (c) Number of   (d) Number of   total  annual   (f) Hours per     (g) Total
           Recordkeeping burden per activity               (b) Form No.     respondents    responses per     responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                            respondent         (cxd)                           (exf)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weekly Files...........................................             N/A               53              52           2,756            0.25             689
Summary of Recordkeeping Burden........................  ...............          \1\ 53              52           2,756  ..............             689
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ States counted once.

    The current recordkeeping burden is based on 53 respondents and 530 
burden hours. The proposed burden is for 53 respondents and 689 hours. 
This represents an increase of 159 recordkeeping hours due to the way 
that responses are considered with a corresponding reduction in the 
time per response.

    Dated: August 11, 2009.
Julia Paradis,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E9-19721 Filed 8-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P