Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 35286-35288 [05-11954]

Agencies

• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 116 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35286-35288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11954]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Preparedness and 
Response Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has submitted 
the following information collection to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35). The submission describes the nature of the information collection, 
the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e., the time, 
effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and 
includes the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use.
    Title: Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.
    OMB Number: 1660-0058.
    Abstract: The collection of information is used by both State and 
FEMA Regional staff to facilitate the declaration request and grant 
administration processes of FMAGP, as well as end of year internal 
reporting of overall declaration requests and

[[Page 35287]]

estimated grant outlays. The following information collections are 
used:
    FEMA-State Agreement and Amendment. Federal assistance under 
Section 420 of the Stafford Act must be provided in accordance with the 
FEMA-State Agreement for FMAGP. The State Governor and the Regional 
Director must sign the Agreement, which contains the necessary terms 
and conditions consistent with the provisions of applicable laws, 
executive orders, and regulations, and specifies the type and extent of 
Federal assistance to be provided. The Agreement is an annual agreement 
applicable only for the calendar year in which it is signed.
    Amendments to the FEMA-State Agreement may be executed throughout 
the calendar year as necessary. One amendment, Exhibit E, must be 
completed upon each approval of a fire management assistance 
declaration. Exhibit E confirms the name, incident period, location, 
and official designation number of the fire. Other amendments modifying 
the standing agreement may be added throughout the year to reflect 
changes in the program or signatory parties.
    FEMA Form 90-133, Request for Fire Management Assistance Subgrant, 
is used by State, local and tribal governments to state their interest 
in applying for sub-grants under a approved fire management assistance 
grant. The form provides essential subgrantee contact information.
    FEMA Form 90-58, Request for Fire Management Assistance 
Declaration, is used by the State to provide information in support of 
its request for a fire management assistance declaration. This form 
must be completed by the Governor or Governor's Authorized 
Representative (GAR) and forwarded to FEMA's Regional Director for 
review and transmittal to FEMA's National Office in Washington DC. 
Additional supporting information may be furnished by the State or 
requested by FEMA after the initial request has been received.
    FEMA Form 90-32, Principal Advisor's Report, form is used to 
provide FEMA with technical assessment of a fire or fire complex for 
which the State is requesting a fire management assistance declaration. 
FEMA will review all information submitted in the State's request along 
with the Principal Advisor's assessment and Regional summary and will 
render a determination.
    A State Administrative Plan for FMAGP must be developed by the 
State for the administration of fire management assistance grants. The 
plan must describe the procedures for the administration of FMAGP, 
designate the State agency to serve as Grantee, and ensure State 
compliance with the provisions of law and regulation applicable to fire 
management assistance grants. The plan must also identify staffing 
functions, the sources of staff to fill these functions, and the 
management and oversight responsibilities of each. The plan should 
describe the procedures to notify potential applicants of the 
availability of the program, assist FEMA in determining applicant 
eligibility, review PWs, process payment of subgrants, and audit and 
reconcile subgrants. The plan should also outline the processes to be 
used to facilitate close-out of the fire management assistance grant in 
accordance with 44 CFR part 13, subpart D. The Regional Director must 
ensure that the State has an up-to-date Administrative Plan or approve 
a new plan prior to approval of the SF 424. The State may request the 
Regional Director to provide technical assistance in the preparation of 
the State Administrative Plan.
    Training sessions are provided primarily for Regional staff and 
State officials who administer FMAGP for the purpose of instructing and 
updating attendees on the laws, regulations, policies, and process that 
govern the program, as well as to discuss any program issues.
    Appeals. When a State's request for a fire management assistance 
declaration is denied, the Governor of a State or GAR may appeal the 
decision in writing pursuant to 44 CFR 204.26. The State may submit 
this one-time request for reconsideration in writing, with additional 
information, to the Director, Recovery Division. The appeal must be 
submitted within 30 days of the date of the letter denying the State's/
Indian tribal government's request. A time extension of 30 days may be 
granted by the Director if the Governor or GAR submits a written 
request for a time extension within the 30-day period. Similarly, 
applicants may appeal any cost or eligibility determination under an 
approved declaration within 60 days after receipt of the notice of the 
action that is being appealed. The request must be submitted in writing 
to FEMA through the Grantee in accordance with the appeal procedures 
detailed in 44 CFR 204.60. Appeals usually consist of a letter briefly 
describing the reason for the appeal and any new supporting 
documentation the State or applicant submits to FEMA for review.
    Duplication of Benefits. Applicants are required to notify FEMA of 
all benefits, actual or anticipated, received from other sources for 
the same loss for which they are applying to FEMA for assistance. 
Notification can be accomplished in a letter, accompanied by supporting 
documentation.
    Affected Public: State, local or tribal government and Federal 
government.
    Number of Respondents: 36.
    Estimated Time per Respondent:

                 OMB No. 1660-0058, Fire Management Assistance Grant Program Annual Burden Hours
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                                                                                                   Total annual
  Project/activity (survey,      Number of      Frequency or    Burden hours per      Annual       burden hours
 form(s), focus group, etc.)  responses  (A)   responses  (B)    respondent  (C)     responses        (hours)
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FEMA-State Agreement and                  12  4...............  5 minutes.......              48               4
 Amendment.
Exhibit E, FEMA State                     12  4...............  5 minutes.......              48               4
 Agreement for the Fire
 Management Assistance Grant
 Program.
State Administrative Plan                 12  *1 annually.....  8 hours.........              12              96
 for Fire Management
 Assistance.
FEMA Form 90-58, Request for              12  4...............  1 hour..........              48              48
 Fire Management Assistance
 Declaration.
FEMA Form 90-133, Request                 24  4...............  10 minutes......              96              16
 for Fire Management
 Assistance Subgrant (Locals
 Only).
FEMA Form 90-32, Principal                12  4...............  20 minutes......              48              16
 Advisor's Report.
Appeals (10 States and 10                 20  1 annually......  1 hour..........              20              20
 Locals).
Duplication of Benefits (10               20  1 annually......  1 hour..........              20              20
 States and 10 Locals).
Training Sessions...........              12  1 annually......  13 hours........              12             156
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[[Page 35288]]

 
   Total Request Burden       ..............  ................  24.35 hours.....             316            377
   Hours.
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* The burden estimates in the proposed 60-day Federal Register Notice has be changed to correct the frequency
  for submitting a State Administrative Plan for Fire Management Assistance. Each State is required to develop
  or submit one (1) Plan annually to the Regional Director for approval. This change has reduced the total
  annual burden from 384 to 96 hours. Therefore the Total Requested Burden Hours has been changed from 664 to
  376 hours.

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 377.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Comments: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs at OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for the Department 
of Homeland Security/FEMA, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20503, or facsimile number (202) 395-7285. Comments 
must be submitted on or before July 18, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Muriel B. 
Anderson, Section Chief, Records Management, FEMA at 500 C Street, SW., 
Room 316, Washington, DC 20472, facsimile number (202) 646-3347, or e-
mail address FEMA-Information-Collections@dhs.gov.

    Dated: May 31, 2005.
George S. Trotter,
Acting Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 05-11954 Filed 6-16-05; 8:45 am]
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