[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 102 (Thursday, May 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22684-22686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-09645]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Disaster Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on this proposed information collection. This collection is an
extension, with change, of a currently approved collection. This
information collection is associated with waiver request and reporting
by State agencies to operate a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to temporarily provide food assistance to
households following a disaster.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 28, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Sasha Gersten-Paal, Director,
Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria,
VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of
Sasha Gersten-Paal at 703-305-2507 or via email to [email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov, and follow the
online instructions for submitting comments electronically. All
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will be a
matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Sasha
Gersten-Paal at 703-305-2507.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
that were 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 those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Title: Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).
Form Number: N/A.
OMB Control Number: 0584-0336.
Expiration Date: November 30, 2025.
Type of Request: Extension, with change, of a previously approved
collection.
Abstract: Pursuant to section 412 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5179) and
section 5(h)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C.
2014(h)), the Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to establish a
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), which is a
temporary program that State agencies may operate to provide food
assistance to households affected by a disaster. D-SNAP is separate and
distinct from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
because it has different standards of eligibility, is operated for a
limited duration, and only provides one month of benefits to eligible
households.
State agencies submit formal waiver requests to operate D-SNAP to
the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for approval and may only request
to operate D-SNAP in areas that have received a Presidential major
disaster declaration with authorization for Individual Assistance, also
known as an IA declaration. For a major disaster declaration, the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Office deploys
staff to conduct joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) in
conjunction with State, local, Tribal Nation, and/or territory
representatives. The Governor or Tribal Executive then submits a
declaration request. FEMA submits a recommendation to the President
regarding the declaration request and the final determinations are at
the sole discretion of the President.
In their D-SNAP waiver requests, State agencies outline the impact
of the disaster on households and/or businesses, the proposed
procedures for conducting D-SNAP, designate the areas where they wish
to operate, and provide estimates of benefit issuance. Using clearly
defined criteria, FNS created a waiver template for State agencies to
submit their D-SNAP requests electronically through the FNS
[[Page 22685]]
Waiver Information Management System (WIMS).
Once an initial waiver request to operate D-SNAP is approved by
FNS, State agencies will submit any subsequent request to modify or
extend operations to eligible areas to FNS for approval. These
modification or extension requests are typically used when a disaster
impacts different areas of a State in different ways or at different
times. Subsequent modification and extension requests require
substantially less time to prepare than the initial D-SNAP waiver
request. These requests are submitted electronically through WIMS.
Along with the waiver request to operate D-SNAP in areas that have
received an IA declaration, FNS asks that the State agency submit a
sample of their D-SNAP application for households applying for
assistance. Per FNS D-SNAP guidance, this application should include
information about the head of household, the impact of the disaster on
the household, household members, household income and resources, a
penalty warning, and USDA's nondiscrimination statement. FNS provides
State agencies with a sample application in the D-SNAP Toolkit. State
agencies submit their sample application electronically through WIMS.
Additionally, before a State agency operates a D-SNAP, FNS asks the
State agency to provide a draft of their press release for FNS to
review. State agencies are expected to issue a press release to
publicize the application period to households impacted by the disaster
that may need assistance. FNS asks State agencies to issue their press
release at least several days before the application period for D-SNAP
opens to the public. Per D-SNAP Guidance, the press release should
include information about the operation such as the counties or ZIP
Codes approved for assistance, application dates, application sites and
hours of operation, and other information that potential applicants may
need. FNS provides State agencies with an example press release in the
D-SNAP Toolkit. The draft press release is submitted by State agencies
electronically through WIMS.
During the application period for a D-SNAP, State agencies submit
daily data reports to FNS. Daily reports ensure that FNS can monitor
State agency capacity and benefit issuance to maintain a high level of
customer service and integrity in D-SNAP operations. The reporting
template includes data such as the number of new applications taken,
the number of applications approved and denied, the amount of benefits
issued, the number of pending applications, the number of supplements
approved, and the amount of supplements issued. For operations
containing a virtual component, the daily report also captures
telephonic operation and card issuance data. FNS provides State
agencies with a daily report template to provide this data to the
agency. State agencies submit daily data reports electronically through
WIMS.
Six months after the closing date of the D-SNAP application period,
State agencies will submit a post disaster report to FNS. The post
disaster report ensures that FNS understands all aspects of the D-SNAP
operation and can identify opportunities for improvement. The report
template asks that State agencies summarize the impact of the disaster,
detail the D-SNAP operation and procedures utilized, provide case
review results, and reflect on changes that could be considered in the
future. FNS provides State agencies with a post disaster report
template to provide this information to the agency. State agencies
submit post-disaster review reports electronically through WIMS.
This information collection request contains only burden estimates
associated with the State agency's waiver request and some reporting
for D-SNAP operations. All burden imposed on State agencies and
households associated with the certification of D-SNAP households
performed by State agencies is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-
0064 (SNAP Forms: Applications, Periodic Reporting, Notices; expiration
date: 05/31/2026).
Burden for the remainder of State reporting of D-SNAP data on the
FNS-292B (Report of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefit
Issuance) is approved under two separate OMB Control Numbers. The
recordkeeping burden for FNS-292B is approved under OMB Control Number
0584-0037 (expiration date: 9/30/2026), and the reporting burden for
FNS-292B is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-0594 (Food Programs
Reporting System; expiration date: 3/31/2025). None of the burden
activities for the other approved OMB control numbers cited in this
notice have been outlined in this submission.
Because it is impossible to predict the number of natural disasters
and extreme weather events that result in an IA declaration in a given
year, and because some State agencies may find that operation of a D-
SNAP is not warranted even upon receipt of an IA declaration, FNS is
revising the burden estimate for submitting a waiver request to operate
D-SNAP based on the annual average number of formal D-SNAP waiver
requests submitted and approved since this collection was last
approved. From Federal Fiscal Year 2022 to 2024, an average of 9 State
agencies requested to operate D-SNAP each year and an average of 4
State agencies requested to modify and/or extend. The number of hours
per response has not changed for submitting a waiver request, but the
estimated total burden hours has increased due to the higher number of
State agency requests.
FNS is adding several reporting activities by State agencies to
this information collection that have not been captured by previous
submissions. State agency administration of D-SNAP has evolved over
time and FNS is seeking to ensure that we are accounting for the full
amount of burden hours. Including the additional burden hours by State
agencies via the submission of the sample application, draft press
release, daily reports, and the post disaster report accurately
captures the information collection burden of administering D-SNAP.
Summary of Burden Hours
Reporting
Affected Public: State, local, Tribal Nation, territory agency or
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 49. An average of 9 State agencies
submit D-SNAP waiver requests each year, and out of those original 9
State agencies, an average of 4 State agencies will submit subsequent
waiver requests to modify or extend those already approved D-SNAPs.
Each new D-SNAP waiver request includes submitting a sample application
and draft press release. Additionally, daily reports are submitted each
day that the D-SNAP application period is open, and the post disaster
report is submitted several months later. This is an increase from the
previously approved information collection as there has been a steady
increase in the number of disasters occurring throughout the country
since the previous information collection was approved and additional
activities have been added to more accurately capture the burden of
administering D-SNAP.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 30. State agencies
submit an average of 2 D-SNAP waiver requests per year and an average
of 2 subsequent modification or extension requests per year. This
represents an increase from the previous information collection due to
the addition of the sample application, draft press release, daily
reports, and post disaster report.
[[Page 22686]]
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 260. This represents an increase
from the previous information collection due to the increasing number
of State agencies experiencing disasters and subsequently requesting to
operate D-SNAP and the addition of the sample application, draft press
release, daily reports, and post disaster report.
Estimated Time per Response: 27. Approximately 10 hours for State
agency D-SNAP waiver requests, 3 hours for each subsequent modification
or extension request, 1 hour for a sample application, 2 hours for a
draft press release, 1 hour for a daily report, and 10 hours for a post
disaster report. This is an increase from the previous information
collection due to the addition of the sample application, draft press
release, daily reports, and post disaster report.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 618. This is an
increase from the previous information collection due to the addition
of the sample application, draft press release, daily reports, and post
disaster report.
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Estimated avg.
Estimated Responses Total annual number of Estimated
Respondent number of annual per responses hours per total hours
respondents respondent response
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State agency--Submission of D- 9 2 18 10 180
SNAP Waiver Request............
State agency--Submission of D- 4 2 8 3 24
SNAP modification or extension
request........................
State agency--Submission of 9 2 18 1 18
sample application.............
State agency--Submission of 9 2 18 2 36
draft press release............
State agency--Submission of 9 20 180 1 180
daily reports..................
State agency--Submission of post 9 2 18 10 180
disaster Report................
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Total Reporting Burden...... 49 30 260 27 618
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James C. Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-09645 Filed 5-28-25; 8:45 am]
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