[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48185-48187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12288]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-7080-N-24]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: HUD 
Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) OMB Control No.: 2506-0202

AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In 
accordance with the

[[Page 48186]]

Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested 
parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this 
notice is to allow for an additional 30 days of public comment.

DATES: Comments Due Date: July 5, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. 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. Interested 
persons are also invited to submit comments regarding this proposal and 
comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number 
and should be sent to: Colette Pollard, Clearance Officer, REE, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW, Room 
8210, Washington, DC 20410-5000; email 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colette Pollard, Reports Management 
Officer, REE, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 7th Street 
SW, Room 8210, Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at 
[email protected] or telephone 202-402-3400. This is not a toll-
free number. This is not a toll-free number. HUD welcomes and is 
prepared to receive calls from individuals who are deaf or hard of 
hearing, as well as individuals with speech or communication 
disabilities. To learn more about how to make an accessible telephone 
call, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/telecommunications-relay-service-trs
    Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from 
Ms. Pollard.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is 
seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in 
Section A.
    The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the 
information collection for a period of 60 days was published on 
February 28, 2024 at 89 FR 14676.

A. Overview of Information Collection

    Title of Information Collection: HUD Environmental Review Online 
System (HEROS).
    OMB Approval Number: 2506-0202.
    Type of Request: Extension of currently approved collection.
    Form Number: HUD 4755.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use: 24 
CFR part 58, ``Environmental Review Procedures for Entities Assuming 
HUD Environmental Responsibilities'' requires Responsible Entities 
(including States, units of general local government, Indian tribes, 
territories, and Alaska native villages) receiving HUD assistance or 
carrying out environmental reviews for recipients to maintain a written 
environmental review record for all projects receiving HUD funding that 
is subject to Part 58 documenting compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality, related federal environmental laws, executive 
orders, and authorities, and Part 58 procedure. Various laws that 
authorize this procedure are listed in 24 CFR 58.1(b). 24 CFR part 50, 
``Protection and Enhancement of Environmental Quality,'' implements 
procedures for HUD to perform environmental reviews for projects where 
Part 58 procedures are not permitted by law. Under Part 50, HUD staff 
complete the environmental review records, but they may use any 
information supplied by an applicant or contractor, provided HUD 
independently evaluates the information and is responsible for its 
accuracy and prepares the environmental finding. HEROS allows users to 
complete, store, and submit their environmental review records and 
documents online. HEROS is currently optional for Responsible Entities 
and many other non-HUD users, who may continue to use paper-based 
environmental review formats or provide information to HUD staff for 
the staff to input into HEROS; however, it is mandatory for some non-
HUD users, such as those subject to the FHA Multifamily Accelerated 
Processing Guide (MAP Guide).
    This information collection also contains a new form, HEROS Access 
Form. The HEROS Access Form is required for respondents to obtain 
access to HEROS. It is an electronic form that is hosted by the company 
DocuSign on their website. HUD uses the information collected in the 
HEROS Access Form to approve requests for access to HEROS. Respondents 
fill out the form with relevant information, which is then passed on to 
a HUD staff member who assists in creating a new HEROS user account for 
the respondent.
    Respondents: The respondents are state, local, and tribal 
governments receiving HUD funding who are required to complete 
environmental reviews as well as sub-recipients, applicants, and third-
party providers who submit information to be used in the completion of 
environmental review records. The specific data has been broken down 
into two data sets: data on the HEROS system itself (``HEROS''), and 
data on the HEROS Access Form which is required to gain access to 
HEROS.

                                                                          HEROS
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                                                                                                                          Hourly cost
    Information collection        Number of        Frequency of      Responses per    Burden hour per    Annual burden   per response      Annual cost
                                 respondents         response            annum           response            hours            \1\
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Exempt/CENST reviews.........             500  34.75..............          17,376  0.75..............          13,032         $39.630      $205,312.500
Reviews that convert to                   500  12.35..............           6,147  2.................          12,294          39.630       292,000.000
 exempt.
CEST/EA reviews..............             250  11.34..............           2,834  4.................          11,336          39.630       102,200.000
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    Total....................             500  varies.............          26,357  varies............          36,662          39.630      1,452,915.06
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                                                                    HEROS Access Form
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                                             Number of     Frequency of    Responses per    Burden hour    Annual burden    Hourly cost
         Information collection             respondents      response          annum       per response        hours       per response     Annual cost
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HEROS Access Form HUD 4755..............           2,870            1.05           3,013             .10           301.3          $39.63      $11,940.52
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    Total...............................           2,870            1.05           3,013             .10           301.3           39.63       11,940.52
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Note: Average hours per response varies substantially depending on level of review. Reviews that are exempt or Categorically Excluded Not Subject To the
  related laws and authorities (CENST) take roughly 45 minutes to complete. Reviews that are Categorically Excluded Subject To the related laws (CEST)
  or require an Environmental Assessment (EA) take an average of 4 hours to complete. Some CEST reviews ``convert to exempt,'' and require roughly 2
  hours to complete.

    HUD grants \1\ cover all eligible costs including staff work. 
Hourly cost per response based on hourly mean wage of urban planners 
working for local government (Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193051.htm). This would apply only to those 
receiving HUD grants, and not to those receiving other forms of HUD 
assistance, such as lenders under FHA programs.
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    \1\ Caveat to the monetary costs for HEROS: HUD grants cover all 
eligible costs, including staff work for grant recipients, so for 
HUD grants (as opposed to other forms of HUD assistance, such as 
FHA-backed multifamily mortgages) the monetary costs are typically 
$0 for all environmental review types.
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B. Solicitation of Public Comment

    This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and 
affected parties concerning the collection of information described in 
Section A on the following:
    (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.
    (5) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to 
these questions.

C. Authority

    Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35.

Colette Pollard,
Department Reports Management Officer, Office of Policy Development and 
Research, Chief Data Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-12288 Filed 6-4-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P