[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8693-8694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04048]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-7002-N-03]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Protection and 
Enhancement of Environmental Quality

AGENCY: Office of Community Planning and Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment 
from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. 
The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: April 30, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports 
Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
451 7th Street SW, Room 4176, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone 202-
402-3400 (this is not a toll-free number) or email at 
[email protected] for a copy of the proposed forms or other 
available information. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may 
access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Liz Zepeda, Environmental Specialist, 
Office of Environment and Energy, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410; email Liz Zepeda 
at [email protected] or telephone 202-402-3988. This is not a 
toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access 
this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service 
at 800-877-8339.
    Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from 
Ms. Zepeda.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is 
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in 
Section A.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: 24 CFR Part 50--Protection and 
Enhancement of Environmental Quality.
    OMB Approval Number: 2506-0177.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: HUD 
requests its applicants to supply environmental information that is not 
otherwise available to HUD staff for the environmental review on an 
applicant's proposal for HUD financial assistance to develop or improve 
housing or community facilities. HUD itself must perform an 
environmental review for the purpose of compliance with its 
environmental regulations found at 24 CFR part 50, Protection and 
Enhancement of Environmental Quality. Part 50 implements the National 
Environmental Policy Act and implementing procedures of the Council on 
Environmental Quality, as well as the related federal environmental 
laws and executive orders. HUD's agency-wide provisions--24 CFR 
50.3(h)(1) and 50.32--regulate how individual HUD program staffs are to 
utilize such collected data when HUD itself prepares the environmental 
review and compliance. Separately, individual HUD programs each have 
their own regulations and guidance implementing environmental and 
related collection responsibilities. For the next three years, this 
approved collection will continue unchanged under this OMB control 
number to assure adequate coverage for all HUD programs subject to part 
50.
    Respondents (i.e., affected public): Businesses, not-for-profit 
institutions, and local governments receiving HUD funding.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,800.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 1,800.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Hours per Response: 3.
    Total Estimated Burdens: 5,400.

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                                      Number of       Frequency of    Responses per   Burden hour per   Annual burden   Hourly cost per
      Information collection         respondents        response          annum           response          hours           response       Annual cost
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Total............................           1,800                1            1,800                3            5,400           $40.74         $219,996
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    Number of responses per annum was based on a combination of data 
and estimates. Most, but not all, HUD programs complete their part 50 
environmental reviews using the HUD Environmental Review Online System 
(HEROS). There were 1,565 part 50 environmental reviews completed in 
HEROS in calendar year 2017. HUD estimates that, with the additional 
part 50 environmental reviews completed outside of HEROS, roughly 1,800 
part 50

[[Page 8694]]

environmental reviews were completed overall in 2017.
    This information collection may be completed by a number of 
different types of respondents, but most applicants hire a consultant 
to assist with this collection. Hourly cost per response based was on 
hourly mean wage of environmental engineers working in technical 
consulting services (Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172081.htm).

B. Solicitation of Public Comment

    This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected parties concerning the collection of information described in 
Section A on the following:
    (1) 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;
    (2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to 
these questions.

    Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

    Dated: February 15, 2018.
Lori Michalski,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2018-04048 Filed 2-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4210-67-P