Notice of Information Collection and Request for Public Comment, 45186-45187 [2018-19194]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices
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development and promotion. Interviews
revealed: (1) inconsistent preparation
and use of an ITP as is required for
employees; (2) perceptions that training
requirements for flexing from an
Analyst 1 to Analyst 2 position are
clearly spelled out, but not for
advancement beyond an Analyst 2
position; (3) concerns that training
opportunities are too limited or not
available; and (4) some employees have
not had a performance review in several
years. Based on this input, the Audit
Team suggests that the DOT&PF focus
on additional ways to improve
implementation of their Training Plan.
d) Regarding training needs, DOT&PF
staff indicated a need for Section 4(f)
training, according to interviews in all
three regions and SEO. Multiple
interviewees also identified a need for
training in noise and floodplains.
Training needs cited at a lesser
frequency included ESA, cumulative
effects, Section 408, EA/EIS, QA/QC,
Planning and Environmental Linkages,
stream enhancement, NEPA, conflict
resolution and mediation. Given that the
DOT&PF is now implementing
additional environmental review
responsibilities based on the MOU, and
staff recognize the need to be prepared
to embrace those responsibilities, the
Audit Team urges the DOT&PF to
address these training needs
expeditiously, and be sensitive to
ongoing training needs.
Performance Measures
The DOT&PF has demonstrated it has
taken an active interest in developing,
monitoring, and implementing the
performance measures required by the
MOU. The March 21, 2018, DOT&PF
NEPA Assignment Self-Assessment
Summary Report contained the results
of the DOT&PF’s first report of its
assessment of NEPA Assignment and
DOT&PF procedures compliance. The
DOT&PF’s March 1, 2017, response to
FHWA’s PAIR included answers to
questions posed on performance
measures. Because of the information
provided in these two documents,
combined with the fact that a relatively
brief period of time has transpired since
the MOU became effective, the Audit
Team has not identified any
observations or successful practices
here. However, the following discussion
describes the current status of the
DOT&PF’s performance measures.
The DOT&PF’s performance measure
to assess change in communication
among the DOT&PF, Federal and State
resource agencies, and the public
resulting from assumption of
responsibilities under this MOU was
based on the experience of a single EA
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17:04 Sep 04, 2018
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project, according to DOT&PF’s selfassessment summary report. Through
interviews, the Audit Team learned that
the DOT&PF believes the resource
agencies will observe little change in
communication and consultation
because DOT&PF had been operating
under a 23 U.S.C. 326 MOU since
September 2009.
The DOT&PF’s self-assessment
summary report suggests some early
efficiencies have been observed, but the
consensus from interviews was that it is
too early to determine if substantial
increased efficiencies and timeliness
will result from the program. Some
individuals indicated that over time the
program should result in increased
efficiencies and timeliness.
Through interviews, the Audit Team
learned that data for performance
measures are being collected and
presented quarterly to DOT&PF
management for use in decisionmaking.
Also, that DOT&PF believes the existing
performance measures are
comprehensive and adequate. The
DOT&PF leadership said that
performances measures will be
evaluated annually to determine if
adjustment is needed.
Legal Sufficiency
Interviews with both staff and
management attorneys emphasized the
legal sufficiency review process
emulated FHWA’s ‘‘early legal
involvement’’ concept, i.e., bringing a
lawyer onto the reviewing team at an
early stage in project development. We
learned that DOT&PF staff do not need
to go through management to talk to an
attorney, but may call or email at any
time (and, with regard to EAs, have
done so under NEPA Assignment).
Management noted specific review steps
are to take place at the both draft and
final stages for assigned EISs and
Individual Section 4(f) Evaluations.
At this time, the Alaska Department of
Law (DOL) expressed no intention of
expanding the number of staff attorneys
assigned to document review; however,
it has a contingency plan should
workload increase significantly in
future. Specifically, should DOT&PF be
sued over an assigned project, DOL
tentatively intends to contract with
outside counsel (per 23 U.S.C.
327[a][2][G]) to handle the litigation
rather than make a single staff attorney
divide his time between document
review and defending the case. The
Transportation Section attorney would
act as support counsel to the litigators
in a manner similar to the way FHWA
counsel provide litigation support to the
U.S. Department of Justice when it
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
defends FHWA’s environmental
decisions in court. (MOU Section 6.1.1)
Next Steps
The FHWA provided this draft audit
report to DOT&PF for a 14-day review
and comment period. The Audit Team
considered DOT&PF comments in
developing this draft audit report. The
FHWA will publish a notice in the
Federal Register for a 30-day comment
period in accordance with 23 U.S.C.
327(g). No later than 60 days after the
close of the comment period, FHWA
will respond to all comments submitted
to finalize this draft audit report
pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327(g)(B). The
FHWA will publish the final audit
report in the Federal Register.
[FR Doc. 2018–19184 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund
Notice of Information Collection and
Request for Public Comment
Notice and request for public
comment.
ACTION:
The Department of the
Treasury, 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
and/or continuing information
collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Currently, the
Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund),
Department of the Treasury, is soliciting
comments concerning the Community
Development Financial Institutions
Program—Certification Application,
which will be submitted through the
Awards Management Information
System (AMIS).
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before November 5, 2018
to be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments via
email to Tanya McInnis, Acting Program
Manager for the Office of Certification,
Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation,
CDFI Fund, at ccme@cdfi.treas.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tanya McInnis, Acting Program
Manager for the Office of Certification,
Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation,
Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of
the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave.
NW, Washington DC 20220 or by phone
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
at (202) 653–0300. Other information
regarding the CDFI Fund and its
programs may be obtained through the
CDFI Fund’s website at https://
www.cdfifund.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Community Development
Financial Institutions Program—
Certification Application.
OMB Number: 1559–0028.
Type of Review: Regular Review.
Abstract: A certified Community
Development Financial Institution
(CDFI) is a specialized financial
institution that works in market niches
that are underserved by traditional
financial institutions. CDFIs provide a
unique range of financial products and
services in economically distressed
target markets, such as mortgage
financing for low-income and first-time
homebuyers and not-for-profit
developers, flexible underwriting and
risk capital for needed community
facilities, and technical assistance,
commercial loans and investments to
small start-up or expanding businesses
in low-income areas. CDFIs include
regulated institutions such as
community development banks and
credit unions, and non-regulated
institutions such as loan and venture
capital funds.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:04 Sep 04, 2018
Jkt 244001
CDFI certification is a designation
conferred by the CDFI Fund and is a
requirement for accessing financial and
technical assistance awards from the
CDFI Fund through the CDFI Program
and Native American CDFI Assistance
Program, as well as certain benefits
under the Bank Enterprise Award
Program, to support an organization’s
established community development
financing programs. A financial
institution seeking to become a certified
CDFI and qualify to access assistance
from the CDFI Fund must complete the
CDFI Certification Application. The
revised application includes four (4)
administrative changes designed to
provide clarification and consistency to
better understand the work of the CDFI
Certification Applicant.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
for-profit institutions, non-profit
entities, and State, local, and Tribal
entities participating in CDFI Fund
programs.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
300.
Estimated Annual Time per
Respondent: 37.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 11,250 hours.
Request for Comments: Comments
submitted in response to this notice will
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Frm 00100
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
45187
be summarized and/or included in the
request for OMB approval. All
comments will become a matter of
public record. Comments are invited on
all aspects of the information collection,
but commentators may wish to focus
particular attention on: (a) The cost for
CDFIs to operate and maintain the
services/systems required to provide the
required information; (b) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information to be collected; (c)
whether the collection of information is
necessary for the proper evaluation of
the effectiveness and impact of the CDFI
Fund’s programs, including whether the
information has practical utility; (d) the
accuracy of the CDFI Fund’s estimate of
the burden of the collection of
information, and; (e) ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of
information including through the use
of technology.
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4703, 4703 note,
4704, 4706, 4707, 4717; 12 CFR part 1805.
Mary Ann Donovan,
Director, Community Development Financial
Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 2018–19194 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810–70–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45186-45187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19194]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Notice of Information Collection and Request for Public Comment
ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury, 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 and/or continuing information collections, as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Currently, the
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund),
Department of the Treasury, is soliciting comments concerning the
Community Development Financial Institutions Program--Certification
Application, which will be submitted through the Awards Management
Information System (AMIS).
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 5, 2018
to be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments via email to Tanya McInnis, Acting
Program Manager for the Office of Certification, Compliance Monitoring
and Evaluation, CDFI Fund, at [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tanya McInnis, Acting Program Manager
for the Office of Certification, Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation,
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of
the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20220 or by
phone
[[Page 45187]]
at (202) 653-0300. Other information regarding the CDFI Fund and its
programs may be obtained through the CDFI Fund's website at https://www.cdfifund.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Community Development Financial Institutions Program--
Certification Application.
OMB Number: 1559-0028.
Type of Review: Regular Review.
Abstract: A certified Community Development Financial Institution
(CDFI) is a specialized financial institution that works in market
niches that are underserved by traditional financial institutions.
CDFIs provide a unique range of financial products and services in
economically distressed target markets, such as mortgage financing for
low-income and first-time homebuyers and not-for-profit developers,
flexible underwriting and risk capital for needed community facilities,
and technical assistance, commercial loans and investments to small
start-up or expanding businesses in low-income areas. CDFIs include
regulated institutions such as community development banks and credit
unions, and non-regulated institutions such as loan and venture capital
funds.
CDFI certification is a designation conferred by the CDFI Fund and
is a requirement for accessing financial and technical assistance
awards from the CDFI Fund through the CDFI Program and Native American
CDFI Assistance Program, as well as certain benefits under the Bank
Enterprise Award Program, to support an organization's established
community development financing programs. A financial institution
seeking to become a certified CDFI and qualify to access assistance
from the CDFI Fund must complete the CDFI Certification Application.
The revised application includes four (4) administrative changes
designed to provide clarification and consistency to better understand
the work of the CDFI Certification Applicant.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit institutions, non-
profit entities, and State, local, and Tribal entities participating in
CDFI Fund programs.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300.
Estimated Annual Time per Respondent: 37.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,250 hours.
Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice
will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All
comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on
all aspects of the information collection, but commentators may wish to
focus particular attention on: (a) The cost for CDFIs to operate and
maintain the services/systems required to provide the required
information; (b) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; (c) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper evaluation of the effectiveness
and impact of the CDFI Fund's programs, including whether the
information has practical utility; (d) the accuracy of the CDFI Fund's
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, and; (e) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information including
through the use of technology.
Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4703, 4703 note, 4704, 4706, 4707, 4717;
12 CFR part 1805.
Mary Ann Donovan,
Director, Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.
[FR Doc. 2018-19194 Filed 9-4-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-70-P
