[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 169 (Friday, September 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60473-60474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18889]



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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2022-0033; OMB No. 1660-NW160]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Floodplain 
Administrator (FPA) National Training Assessment

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: 30-Day notice of new collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a new 
information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the training needs of 
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Floodplain Administrators 
(FPAs) throughout the United States.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 2, 2023.

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 should be made to Director, 
Information Management Division, 500 C St. SW, Washington, DC 20472, 
email address: [email protected] or 
Michael Gumpert, National Floodplain Management Training Coordinator, 
FIMA, Floodplain Management Division, [email protected], 
702-415-6499.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) 
is authorized by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (title XIII 
of Pub. L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4001, et seq.). The general 
purpose of the NFIP is both to offer primary flood insurance to 
properties with significant flood risk, and to reduce flood risk 
through the adoption of floodplain management standards. Communities 
volunteer to participate in the NFIP to have access to federal flood 
insurance, and in return are required to adopt minimum standards. 
Nationally, as of December 2021, over 22,000 communities in 56 states 
and jurisdictions participate in the NFIP. Each ``Participating 
Community'' (FEMA's term for participating units of local government) 
is obligated to appoint a Floodplain Administrator who is directly 
responsible for managing the NFIP in their community. It is common for 
Participating Communities to assign the FPA role to employees who are 
also simultaneously responsible for other roles such as Police Chief, 
Town Clerk, Grants Manager, Finance Manager. FPAs are a diverse group 
with varied abilities, schedules, learning styles, geographies, and 
resources. A Training Strategy is needed to direct FEMA's limited FPA 
Training budget into training solutions that address the unique needs 
of FPA's as well as their varied abilities, schedules, learning styles, 
geographies, and resources. To be effective, the aforementioned FPA 
Training Strategy must be grounded in an accurate understanding FPAs' 
varied needs, abilities, schedules, learning styles, geographies, and 
resources. To achieve this understanding, a Training Assessment must be 
performed.
    FEMA is requesting a three-year clearance to collect information 
from Floodplain Administrators (FPA) regarding their training needs, 
floodplain management experiences, and demographics to produce improved 
outcomes for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The data will 
be used to help FEMA, State, Tribal, and Territorial NFIP Offices, and 
Floodplain Associations to develop training strategies and solutions 
that effectively and efficiently address the diverse abilities, 
schedules, learning styles, geographies and resources of Floodplain 
Administrators who implement this Federal Government program on behalf 
of their local communities. The information collection, to be 
administered by an independent, third-party research organization, will 
allow for a data-informed approach to understanding the needs and 
expectations of an important and specific group of FEMA partners and 
customers for their development and program administration. By using 
this approach, FEMA will be able to gain important insights about 
Floodplain Administrators and how to improve its offerings and support 
as well as to allocate resources more effectively. The ultimate 
objective is to reduce the socio-economic impact of floods through 
better preparation of Floodplain Administrators to assist communities 
adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations that help mitigate 
flooding effects and thus support property owners, renters, and 
businesses to recover faster after a flooding event.
    The primary law that supports the information collection efforts is 
the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, 31 U.S.C. 1116, 
which has as one of its purposes ``improve Federal programs 
effectiveness and public accountability by promoting a new focus on 
results, service quality, and customer satisfaction.''
    This proposed information collection previously published in the 
Federal Register on January 3, 2023, at 88 FR 86 with a 60-day public 
comment period. No comments were received. The purpose of this notice 
is to notify the public that FEMA will submit the information 
collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for 
review and clearance. Comments that you submit in response to this 
notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Collection of Information

    Title: Floodplain Administrator (FPA) National Training Needs 
Assessment.
    Type of Information Collection: New information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-NW160.
    FEMA Forms: FEMA Form FF-206-FY-22-159, Floodplain Administrator 
Training Needs Assessment.
    Abstract: The online survey will collect information from 
Floodplain Administrators regarding their training needs, floodplain 
management experiences, and demographics. The data will be used to help 
FEMA, State, Tribal, and Territorial NFIP Offices, and Floodplain 
Associations to develop training strategies and solutions that 
effectively and efficiently address those needs to produce improved 
outcomes for the National Flood Insurance Program.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government.

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    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,323.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 6,323.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,162.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $137,895.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $421,298.

Comments

    Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption 
above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the Agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 
evaluate 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) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Millicent Brown Wilson,
Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2023-18889 Filed 8-31-23; 8:45 am]
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