Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, 9979 [E9-4824]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food and Nutrition Service

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 44 (Monday, March 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 9979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4824]


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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 44 / Monday, March 9, 2009 / 
Notices

[[Page 9979]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Agency Information 
Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Disaster 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, 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 proposed information collections. This information collection is 
based on the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act and Section 5(h) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 
which provide the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to 
develop a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) 
to address the needs of families temporarily in need of food assistance 
after a disaster. The information collection under this notice is 
required for the establishment and operation of a D-SNAP.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 8, 2009.

ADDRESSES: 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 used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
respond to this information collection, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Comments may be sent to Sandra Clark, Chief, Certification Policy 
Branch, Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 
22302. Comments may also be faxed to the attention of Ms. Clark at 
(703) 305-2486. The Internet address is: Sandy.Clark@FNS.USDA.GOV. All 
written comments will be open for public inspection at the office of 
the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. 
to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, Room 812.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will be a matter of public 
record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ms. Clark at (703) 305-2495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).
    OMB Number: 0584-0336.
    Expiration Date: June 30, 2009.
    Type of Request: Extension of a previously approved collection.
    Abstract: Pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act, Pub. L. 100-707, and Section 5(h) of the Food 
and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 2014(h), the Secretary of 
Agriculture has the authority to develop a Disaster Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) to address the temporary food 
needs of families following a disaster. The information collection 
under this notice is required to be provided by State agencies in order 
to receive approval from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to 
operate a D-SNAP in response to a disaster.
    The number of disasters that occur annually and the average number 
of households affected by the disasters cannot be predicted. During the 
period from calendar year 2003 through calendar year 2008, the number 
of State requests to operate disaster programs has ranged from a low of 
five in calendar year 2006 to a high of 26 in calendar year 2005, which 
included program modifications requested by some States to accommodate 
evacuees from disasters which did not directly affect the States 
themselves. The information collection under this reporting burden is 
limited to the burden experienced by State agencies in preparing their 
requests to operate D-SNAPs. The burden associated with the actual 
operation of D-SNAPs, including the processing of applications from 
households affected by disasters, is included under OMB docket 
0584-0064 rather than this information collection. FNS 
estimates that approximately 10 hours of State agency personnel time 
are required to prepare such requests. The burden associated with 
preparing requests to operate D-SNAPs does not vary significantly from 
disaster to disaster and is relatively independent of the scope of the 
disaster. Major disasters require little additional document 
preparation time than relatively minor disasters. Based on an estimate 
of 14 State agency requests per year to operate D-SNAPs and 10 hours of 
State agency personnel time to prepare each application, FNS has 
calculated an estimated burden of 140 hours per year in an average 
year. This represents a significant increase from our previous 
estimate, which was based on an annual average of eight disaster 
programs.
    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 14.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Recipient: 1.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 140 hours.

    Dated: March 3, 2009.
E. Enrique Gomez,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. E9-4824 Filed 3-6-09; 8:45 am]
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