[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11310-11311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03059]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2024-0007; OMB No. 1660-0103]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, 
Comment Request; Property Acquisition and Relocation for Open Space

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

ACTION: 60-Day notice of revision 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 revision of 
a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks 
comments concerning the property acquisition and relocation for open 
space process as part of FEMA's administration of mitigation grants 
programs and the removal of five instruments from the inventory of this 
collection that are approved under other OMB Control Numbers.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please submit 
comments at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA-2024-0007. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    All submissions received must include the Agency name and Docket 
ID. Regardless of the method used to submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any 
personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy and 
Security Notice that is available via a link on the homepage of http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennie Orenstein, Branch Chief, FEMA/
Mitigation Directorate's Policy, Tools and Training Branch, at 
[email protected] or (202) 212-4071. You may contact the 
Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection 
of information at email address: FEMA-

[[Page 11311]]

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 16, 2009, FEMA published a 
Final Rule on Property Acquisition and Relocation for Open Space (44 
CFR part 80) that governs property acquisitions for FEMA's four Hazard 
Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant programs, three of which, Pre-
Disaster Mitigation, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and the 
Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program are authorized 
under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 93-288, as amended) (42 U.S.C. 5133, 5170c, and 
5135) and the fourth (Flood Mitigation Assistance) under Section 1366 
of the National Flood Insurance Act (NFIA) of 1968 (Pub. L. 90-448, as 
amended) (42 U.S.C. 4001 et seq.). 44 CFR part 80 requires the 
collection of information from grant applicants to ensure the voluntary 
nature of the property acquisitions and to ensure that the property 
acquired remains in open space in perpetuity.
    States, federally-recognized Tribes (Tribes) and Territories as 
applicants/recipients, per 44 CFR 80.5(b)(3), are responsible for 
collecting and reviewing applications for acquisition projects to 
ensure that the proposed activities comply with 44 CFR part 80. States, 
Territories and Tribes must ensure that the property acquisition is 
voluntary in nature. The subapplication they submit to FEMA for 
proposed projects must include information to enable FEMA's 
determination of eligibility, technical feasibility, cost 
effectiveness, and environmental and historic preservation compliance 
(44 CFR 80.5(b)(4)). Per 44 CFR 80.5(b), once the property is acquired, 
States, Territories and Tribes, as well as FEMA and the subrecipients, 
must enforce the terms of 44 CFR part 80 and the deed restrictions to 
ensure that the property remains committed to open space use in 
perpetuity. States, Territories and Tribes must report on property 
compliance with open space requirements after the grant is awarded.
    With this revision, FEMA is removing five instruments off the 
inventory for this information collection because each of these five 
instruments are approved for use in a different information collection 
with its own OMB Control Number. These five instruments will still be 
used but do not require to be approved for use by OMB twice.

Collection of Information

    Title: Property Acquisition and Relocation for Open Space.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0103.
    FEMA Forms: FEMA Form FF-206-FY-21-124 (formerly 086-0-31), 
Statement of Voluntary Participation for Acquisition of Property for 
Purpose of Open Space.
    Abstract: FEMA and State, Tribal and local recipients of FEMA 
mitigation grant programs will use the information collected to meet 
the Property Acquisition requirements to implement acquisition 
activities under the terms of grant agreements for acquisition and 
relocation activities. FEMA and State/local grant recipients will also 
use the information to monitor and enforce the open space requirements 
for all properties acquired with FEMA mitigation grants.
    Affected Public: State, local or Tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 573.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 573.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 573.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $36,557.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $425,794.

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. 2024-03059 Filed 2-13-24; 8:45 am]
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