[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 167 (Thursday, August 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52945-52946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18859]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program Emergency Allotments (COVID-19)

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection. The Families First Coronavirus 
Response Act of 2020, enacted March 18, 2020, includes a general 
provision that allows the Department of Agriculture to issue emergency 
allotments (EA) based on a public health emergency declaration by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public 
Health Service Act related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a State has 
also issued an emergency or disaster declaration. This is a new 
collection for activities associated with administering emergency 
allotments.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 26, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Kelly Stewart, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, via email to 
[email protected]. 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 responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Kelly 
Stewart at 703-305-2435 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 shall 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 
that were 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 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

Abstract

    The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (Pub. L. 116-
127), enacted March 18, 2020, includes a general provision that allows 
the Department of Agriculture to issue emergency allotments (EA) based 
on a public health emergency declaration by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act 
related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a State has also issued an 
emergency or disaster declaration. The Department obtained approval 
through an emergency clearance to collect the information as described 
in this Notice (OMB Control Number 0854-0652; expiration 9/30/2020). 
USDA anticipates the need to collect the data beyond the expiration 
date and is seeking approval of this Information Collection Request in 
order to meet the continuing information collection and reporting 
requirements detailed in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 
2020.
    As authorized by Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, 
State agencies impacted by COVID-19 may submit a waiver request to 
their FNS Regional Office for approval to provide a EA to households to 
bring all households up to the maximum benefit due to pandemic related 
economic conditions. State agency waivers will generally be approved 
under one or more the following conditions as it relates to COVID-19:
     Residents of the State are confirmed to have contracted 
COVID-19.
     Some or all areas of the State are containment or 
quarantine zones.
     Businesses have closed or significantly reduced their 
hours.
     The State's residents have experienced economic impacts 
due to job suspensions or losses.
     The State's residents have been directed to practice 
social distancing.
    Once the State's waiver has been approved by FNS, the State may 
provide the EA without contacting the household. Following waiver 
approval, FNS will require State Agencies to attest to FNS on a monthly 
basis the EA waiver is still needed. Both the initial waiver and the 
monthly attestation are conducted via email. FNS expects 53 State 
agencies will submit one initial EA waiver to FNS. Currently 51 State 
agencies are operating under an EA waiver. It is possible that States 
may have more than one declared public health emergency over the next 
year as COVID-19 rates ebb and flow, therefore we are including hours 
for these initial waiver requests in this IC as a precautionary 
measure. Each initial EA waiver submission should take approximately 
one hour to complete. Each monthly email attesting to the continued 
need for the EA waiver is expected to take 15 minutes to complete.
    Section 18(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, 
requires that, ``In any fiscal year, the Secretary shall limit the 
value of those allotments issued to an amount not in excess of the 
appropriation for such fiscal year.'' Because the EA waiver increases 
the monthly benefit of participants above the amount originally 
anticipated for this fiscal year, the amount of benefits issued and 
redeemed must be carefully tracked to ensure FNS does not exceed its 
appropriation. As such, it is necessary for FNS to collect information 
from State agencies

[[Page 52946]]

operating EA on a more frequent basis than would be reported normally. 
Generally, States report disaster-related SNAP participation and 
issuance data to FNS on the FNS-292B, Report of Disaster Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Benefit Issuance, within 45 days of terminating 
disaster assistance.
    While a State is operating under an EA waiver, FNS requires the 
State to submit bi-weekly FNS-292B reports. The burden for a State 
agency to submit FNS-292B reports during normal operations is currently 
captured under the information collection for the Food Programs 
Reporting System (FPRS), OMB Control Number 0584-0594 (expiration date 
7/31/2023). However, FNS is including the burden for submitting this 
form more frequently under this information collection.
     FNS-292B--.4 hours per response x 53 State Agencies x 26 
weeks = 551 hours.

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                                                                                                     Number of     Frequency of    Total annual    Responses per     Hours per     Annual burden
           Respondent category                    Instruments                    Form               respondents      response        responses      respondent       response         (hours)
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State Agencies..........................  Bi-weekly EA Reporting to   FNS-292B..................              53              26           1,378              26             0.4          551.20
                                           FNS.
                                          Initial Waiver Request--    N/A.......................              53               1              53               1               1              53
                                           Emergency Allotment.
                                          Monthly EA Attestation....  N/A.......................              53              12             636              12            0.25             159
                                                                                                 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................  ..........................  ..........................              53              39           2,067              39     0.369230769             763
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    Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 39.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 2,067.
    Estimated Time per Response: .37 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 763.

Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-18859 Filed 8-26-20; 8:45 am]
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