Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request, 49665-49666 [05-16761]

Agencies

• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49665-49666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16761]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
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, 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 proposed extension of information collections. In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), this notice seeks comments concerning the collection of 
State and local hazard mitigation plans required under Section 322 of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(Stafford Act), 42 U.S.C. 5165.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This collection of information is in 
accordance with Section 322 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act or the Act), 42 U.S.C. 5165, 
enacted under Sec. 104 the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, (DMA 2000) 
Pub. L. 106-390. FEMA published regulations, 44 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) part 201, that require each state, local and tribal 
government have in place a hazard mitigation plan in order to receive 
Stafford Act assistance, excluding assistance provided pursuant to 
emergency provisions. The plan shall include sections that describe the 
planning process, an assessment of the risks, a mitigation strategy, 
and identification of plan maintenance and updating process. The 
purpose of the plan requirements is to enable State, tribal and local 
governments to better understand the risks they face from natural 
hazards and to make decisions and take actions to reduce the risks from 
those hazards. Several revisions were published since the February 26, 
2002 Interim Final Rule, including (1) to extend the date by which 
approved State and local mitigation plans will be required from 
November 1, 2003 to November 1, 2004 (October 1, 2002, 67 FR 61512), 
(2) to clarify the date by which local mitigation plans would be 
required as a condition of receiving project grant funds under the Pre-
Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program (October 28, 2003, 68 FR 61368); and 
(3) to provide State and Indian tribal governments with a mechanism to 
request an extension to the date by which they must develop State 
Mitigation Plans as a condition of grant assistance (September 13, 
2004, 69 FR 55094).

Collection of Information

    Title: State/Local/Tribal Hazard Mitigations Plans--Section 322 of 
the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0062.
    Form Numbers: None.
    Abstract: This collection is in accordance with our 
responsibilities under 44 CFR part 201 Hazard Mitigation Planning, 
which requires FEMA's approval and determination of State, local and 
tribal eligibility for Stafford Act assistance.
    Affected Public: State, local and Tribal governments.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 571,200 hours.

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                                                     Number of                                     Annual burden
              FEMA project/activity                 respondents    Frequency of      Hours per    hours (A x B x
                                                        (A)        response (B)    response  (C)        C)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Mitigation Plan Updates...................              21               1             320           6,720
Enhanced Mitigation Plan Updates................               3               1             160             480
Local Mitigation Plan Review by States..........             500               1               8           4,000
New Local or State Mitigation Plan Development..             250               1           2,080         520,000
Local Mitigation Plan Updates...................             250               1             160          40,000
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................           1,024               1           2,728         571,200
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    Estimated Cost: The total annual estimated costs to States, 
territories, tribal governments and local communities for this 
information collection associated are $15,040,900. The costs were based 
on the wage rates using data from the November, 2003, U.S. Department 
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Standard Occupation 
Classification (SOC) System for urban and regional planners (SOC Code 
Number 19-3051) where the mean hourly wage for urban and regional 
planners was $26.31 per hour. Therefore, it is estimated that 
$15,028,272 (571,200 hours x $26.31 per hour) in annual costs is the 
total cost burden for all respondents to complete this information 
collection.
    Comments: Written 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

[[Page 49666]]

responses. Comments should be received within 60 days of the date of 
this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should submit written comments to Chief, 
Records Management Section, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division, Federal Emergency Management 
Agency, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, Department of 
Homeland Security, 500 C Street, SW., Room 316, Washington, DC 20472.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Terry Baker for additional 
information. You may contact the Records Management Section for copies 
of the proposed collection of information at facsimile number (202) 
646-3347 or e-mail address: FEMA-Information-Collections@dhs.gov.

    Dated: August 16, 2005.
George S. Trotter,
Acting Branch Chief, Information Resources Management Branch, 
Information Technology Services Division.
[FR Doc. 05-16761 Filed 8-23-05; 8:45 am]
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