Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests, 65840-65841 [E8-26415]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65840-65841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26415]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests.

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SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management 
Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed 
information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995.

DATES: An emergency review has been requested in accordance with the 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3507(j)), since public harm is reasonably likely 
to result if normal clearance procedures are followed. Approval by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been requested by November 
13, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Written comments regarding the emergency review should be 
addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Sharon Mar, Desk Officer, Department of Education, Office of 
Management and Budget; 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive 
Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or faxed to (202) 395-6974.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Director of OMB 
provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity 
to comment on information collection requests. The Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) may amend or waive the requirement for public 
consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval 
process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate 
State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's 
ability to perform its statutory obligations. The IC Clearance 
Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of 
Management, publishes this notice containing proposed information 
collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental review of the 
information collection. Each proposed information collection, grouped 
by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., 
new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) 
Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and 
proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of 
collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. ED invites 
public comment.
    The Department of Education is especially interested in public 
comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection 
necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this 
information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the 
estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on 
respondents, including through the use of information technology.

    Dated: October 31, 2008.
Angela C. Arrington,
IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, 
Office of Management, Office of Postsecondary Education.
    Type of Review: New.
    Title: Higher Education Disaster Relief, Pre-Application 
Information Form.
    Abstract: The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and 
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 110-329) provides $15 
million in awards to institutions of higher education located in areas 
affected by hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters occurring 
during 2008 for which the President declared a major disaster under 
Title IV

[[Page 65841]]

of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
of 1974. Emergency clearance is requested for the Pre-Application form, 
which is needed to collect information to determine the size of 
institutional awards under the Higher Education Disaster Relief 
program. Congress expects awards to be made within 60 days of the 
enactment of Public Law 110-329. The law was enacted September 30, 
2008. Refer to Status of Appropriations Bills at https://thomas.loc.gov/
home/approp/app09.html.
    Additional Information: The U.S. Department of Education (the 
Department) requests that OMB grant an emergency clearance by November 
13, 2008 for the application package for the FY 2009 Higher Education 
Disaster Relief program. On September 30, 2008 in the Consolidated 
Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act 
(2009), Congress provided $15 million for awards to institutions of 
higher education located in areas affected by hurricanes, floods, or 
other natural disasters occurring during 2008, for which the President 
declared a major disaster under title IV of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974. The law provides 
that the Department make awards within 60 days of enactment, or by 
November 30, 2008.
    The Department intends to follow the same procedures used in FY 
2006 and FY 2007 to allocate funds in the Hurricane Education Recovery 
Awards grant program. The proposed information collection for the 2009 
Higher Education Disaster Relief program is nearly identical to that 
approved in 2006 and 2007, and would include the following quantitative 
measures:
     Revenue lost as a result of natural disasters;
     Expenses already incurred by the institution in 
remediation of the effects of 2008 natural disasters;
     Estimated construction costs to repair or replace campus 
buildings damaged by the natural disaster; and the
     Estimated amount to be reimbursed by insurance or other 
Federal agency, foundation or charitable outlays for disaster relief.
    The Department will publish a separate Draft Closing date notice in 
the Federal Register announcing the application package. A Pre-
Application Information Form will be made available for download on the 
Department's Web site, requesting that applicants e-mail responses to a 
special Department mailbox (HEDR@ed.gov) for processing. Institutional 
allotments from the $15 million appropriation will be based on these 
responses. Once notified of their allotments, applicants will submit 
additional information through Grants.gov using already approved 
standard forms. Information specific to each registered Grants.gov 
user, including all postsecondary institutions, is already available in 
the Grants.gov system.
    Frequency: One time.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit; Not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:
    Responses: 50.
    Burden Hours: 75.
    Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request 
may be accessed from https://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse 
Pending Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 3896. When 
you access the information collection, click on ``Download 
Attachments'' to view. Written requests for information should be 
addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may also be electronically 
mailed to the Internet address ICDocketMgr@ed.gov or faxed to 202-401-
0920. Please specify the complete title of the information collection 
when making your request.
    Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements should be electronically mailed to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. 
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. E8-26415 Filed 11-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P