[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17832-17833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06140]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection for the
Weatherization Assistance Program
AGENCY: Office of State and Community Energy Programs, U.S. Department
of Energy.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE or the Department), pursuant to
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), intends to extend for three
years, an information collection request with the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB). The information collection request, Historic
Preservation for Energy Efficiency Programs, was initially approved on
December 1, 2010, under OMB Control No. 1910-5155 and expired on
September 30, 2015. The information collection request was previously
approved on February 24, 2020, under OMB Control No. 1910-5155 and its
current expiration date was February 28, 2023. This extension will
allow DOE to continue data collection on the status of the
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), the State Energy Program
(SEP), and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)
Program. Program activities will ensure compliance with the National
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
DATES: Comments regarding this propose information collection must be
received on or before April 24, 2023. If you anticipate that you will
be submitting comments but find it difficult to do so within the period
allowed by this notice, please advise the OMB Desk Officer of your
intention to make a submission as soon as possible. The Desk Officer
may be telephoned at (202) 881-8585.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should
be directed to Michael Tidwell, EE-5W, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121 or by email or phone
at [email protected], (240) 285-8937.
Additional information and reporting guidance concerning the
Historic Preservation reporting requirement for the WAP, SEP, and EECBG
programs are available for review at: www.energy.gov/eere/wipo/downloads/wpn10-12-historic-preservation-implementation.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the
extended 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
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 respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
This information collection request contains: (1) OMB No.: 1910-
5155; (2) Information Collection Request Title: ``Historic Preservation
for Energy Efficiency Programs''; (3) Type of Review: Extension of a
Currently Approved Information Collection; (4) Purpose: To collect
information on the status of the Weatherization Assistance Program,
State Energy Program, and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant Program activities.
State Energy Program (SEP): This ICR will include Historic
Preservation reporting for SEP Annual Appropriations, Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) appropriations for SEP, and two new sub-
programs of SEP established by IIJA--the Energy Efficiency Revolving
Loan Program and the Energy Auditor Training Grant Program. SEP Annual
Appropriations: On March 15, 2022, the President signed the
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which appropriated $63,000,000
to SEP. As noted in SEP Program Notice 10-008E and 10-008F, SEP
Grantees are required to complete Annual Historic Preservation Reports.
SEP IIJA Appropriations: On November 15, 2021, the President signed the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which appropriated
$500,000,000 for SEP to
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provide Formula Grants to its Grantees (State Energy Offices). Grantees
will use Formula Grants for similar activities as their Annual
Appropriations grants, and Grantees will similarly be required to
submit Annual Historic Preservation Reports for these IIJA grants.
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program: The
IIJA appropriated $250,000,000 to SEP to establish the Energy
Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program, through
which SEP will provide Capitalization Grants to SEP Grantees to
establish revolving loan fund financing programs for energy efficiency
projects in residential and commercial buildings. The grants will be
allocated in part according to SEP's existing allocation formula, and
development and implementation of financing programs are already a
subset of activities for which Grantees can and have used Annual
Appropriations grants. Energy Auditor Training Grant Program: The IIJA
appropriated $40,000,000 to SEP to establish the Energy Auditor
Training Grant Program, through which SEP will provide grants to
certain SEP Grantees to train individuals to conduct energy audits or
surveys of commercial and residential buildings.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG): This ICR
will also include Historic Preservation reporting for the financing
programs funded by the EECBG Program under the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that grantees are required to report on into
perpetuity. Through section 40552(b) of IIJA, Congress appropriated
$550,000,000 to the EECBG Program for fiscal year 2022, to remain
available until expended. The EECBG Program provides Federal grants to
states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to assist eligible
entities in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions, to
reduce total energy use, and to improve energy efficiency as outlined
by the Program's authorizing legislation, title V, subtitle E of the
Energy Independence, and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). EECBG Program
grantees will be required to submit Annual Historic Preservation
Reports. EECBG does not receive annual appropriations but was
previously funded by ARRA in 2009. A portion of ARRA EECBG Program
grantees that chose to fund and administer financing programs continue
to report annually on Historic Preservation and are included in this
ICR.
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP): The third and final
component of this ICR is the Historic Preservation Reporting for the
WAP Formula and Competitive Grant activities. On March 15, 2022, the
President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which
appropriated $334,000,000 to the WAP. In addition, the IIJA
appropriated $3.5 billion for WAP. These funds are available for WAP
formula activities along with WAP competitive grant recipients, all of
which will be required to complete annual Historic Preservation
Reports. (5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,863; (6) Annual
Estimated Number of Total Responses: 3,105; (7) Annual Estimated Number
of Burden Hours: 6,548; (8) Annual Estimated Reporting and
Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $363,217.56.
Statutory Authority: Title V, National Historic Preservation Act of
1966, Public Law 89-665 as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on March 20,
2023, by Kathleen Hogan, Principal Deputy Under Secretary for
Infrastructure, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of
Energy. That document with the original signature and date is
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on March 21, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-06140 Filed 3-23-23; 8:45 am]
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