82 FR 43553 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Mitigation Grant Programs/e-Grants

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 179 (September 18, 2017)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved information collection for which approval has expired. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the collection of information necessary to implement grants for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 179 (Monday, September 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43553-43554]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19790]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2017-0013; OMB No. 1660-0072]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Mitigation Grant Programs/e-Grants

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on a reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved 
information collection for which approval has expired. In accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments 
concerning the collection of information necessary to implement grants 
for the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program and the Pre-Disaster 
Mitigation (PDM) program.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the proposed information 
collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the Desk 
Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Director, 
Records Management Division, 500 C Street SW., Washington, DC 20472, 
email address [email protected] or 
Jennie Orenstein, Branch Chief, HMA Division--Grants Policy, (202) 212-
4071.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FMA program is authorized by Section 
1366 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 
4104c. The FMA program, under 44 CFR part 79, provides funding for 
measures taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk of flood 
damage to buildings, manufactured homes, and other structures insured 
under the National Flood Insurance Program. The Biggert-Waters Flood 
Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-141) eliminated the 
Repetitive Flood Claims (RFC) and Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) 
programs, and made significant changes to the FMA program by 
consolidating the former RFC and SRL programs into FMA. Cost-share 
requirements were changed to allow more Federal funds for properties 
with repetitive flood claims.
    The PDM program is authorized by Section 203 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5133, 
as amended by Section 102 of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, 
Public Law 106-390, 114 Stat. 1553. It provides grants

[[Page 43554]]

for cost-effective mitigation actions prior to a disaster event to 
reduce overall risks to the population and structures, while also 
reducing reliance on funding from actual disaster declarations.
    In accordance with OMB Circular A-102, FEMA requires that all 
parties interested in receiving FEMA mitigation grants submit an 
application package for grant assistance. Applications and sub-
applications for the PDM and FMA programs are submitted via the e-
Grants system. The e-Grants system was developed and updated to meet 
the intent of the e-Government initiative, authorized by Public Law 
106-107. This initiative required that all government agencies both 
streamline grant application processes and provide for the means to 
electronically create, review, and submit a grant application via the 
Internet. Title 2 CFR 200.335, promulgated in 2013, encourages Federal 
awarding agencies and non-Federal entities to, whenever practicable, 
collect, transmit, and store Federal award-related information in open 
and machine readable formats rather than in closed formats or on paper.
    This proposed information collection previously published in the 
Federal Register on May 9, 2017 at 82 FR 21548 with a 60-day public 
comment period. No public comments were received. This information 
collection expired on June 30, 2017. FEMA is requesting a 
reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved information 
collection for which approval has expired. Although FEMA initially 
proposed to revise this information collection by adding a new 
Quarterly Progress Report form, a new form is not necessary. The e-
Grants system already collects information on the status of funded FMA/
PDM mitigation activities on a quarterly basis after award. The 
information that is collected is limited to project status, work 
completed, number of properties acquired or relocated, and addresses of 
properties acquired or relocated during a given quarter. Therefore, 
FEMA is requesting a reinstatement of the collection without change. 
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.

Collection of Information

    Title: Mitigation Grant Programs/e-Grants.
    Type of Information Collection: Reinstatement, without change, of a 
previously approved information collection for which approval has 
expired.
    OMB Number: 1660-0072.
    FEMA Forms: None.
    Abstract: FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance and Pre-Disaster 
Mitigation programs utilize an automated grant application and 
management system called e-Grants. These grant programs provide funding 
for the purpose of reducing or eliminating the risks to life and 
property from hazards. The e-Grants system includes all of the 
application information needed to apply for funding under these grant 
programs.
    Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 4,312.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 18,788.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $927,939.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: None.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: None.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: 
$6,598,456.16.

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.

    Dated: September 11, 2017.
Tammi Hines,
Acting Records Management Program Chief, Mission Support, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2017-19790 Filed 9-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-52-P