[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 16, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 8843]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03302]



[[Page 8843]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Expedited OMB Review and Public Comment: Office of Community 
Services Data Collection for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Program Quarterly Performance and Management Reports (New Collection)

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and 
Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for 
Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS), requested expedited review of an information collection 
request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and is inviting 
public comments on the proposed collection. The forms are necessary to 
provide data to the Administration, Congress, and other stakeholders in 
its oversight of recipients' performance in administering the Low 
Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), particularly the 
supplemental LIHEAP funds available through the American Rescue Plan. 
The information collection is essential to the mission of the agency 
and the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to 
disrupt and prevent the collection of information.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is 
soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information 
collection described in this notice.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be submitted by emailing 
[email protected]. All requests should identify the title of 
the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Description: The LIHEAP Quarterly Performance and Management Report 
will provide OCS information necessary to oversee recipients' 
performance in administering historic levels of LIHEAP funding and 
reaching the most vulnerable households this winter. The report 
solicits data on total households assisted (and the total households 
assisted during the same quarter of the previous FY for comparison); 
the number of occurrences that LIHEAP prevented the loss of home 
energy/the number of occurrences that LIHEAP restored home energy; 
estimated use of LIHEAP funds by LIHEAP funding source; LIHEAP 
information (e.g., training and technical assistance needs, changes to 
program policies, collaboration with other federal utility assistance 
programs, etc.); and any explanation needed regarding the reliability 
and/or validity of the responses in prior sections. The quarterly 
report is not an abbreviated version of the LIHEAP Annual Report or 
Performance Data Form, it is a different form that was designed to 
focus on how states are leveraging LIHEAP to mitigate rising energy 
costs this winter and to track the spend down of LIHEAP supplemental 
funding.
    Respondents: LIHEAP grant recipients.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                               Total number of   Average burden
                 Instrument                   Total number of   responses per      hours per       Total annual
                                                respondents       respondent        response       burden hours
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Quarterly Performance and Management Report.             206                3               12            7,416
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,416.
    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments 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; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication. Comments will be considered and any 
necessary updates to materials made prior to, and responses provided 
in, the submission to OMB that will follow this public comment period.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 8621.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-03302 Filed 2-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-80-P