Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 47281 [2021-18155]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 47281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18155]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 24, 2021 / 
Notices

[[Page 47281]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

August 19, 2021.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
are requested regarding; whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to 
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.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by 
September 23, 2021 will be considered. Written comments and 
recommendations for the proposed information collection should be 
submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the 
following website www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Food and Nutrition Service

    Title: Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT).
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0660.
    Summary of Collection: This is a revision of the currently approved 
information collection. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 
2020 (FFCRA, Pub. L. 116-127), enacted March 18, 2020, included a 
general provision that allows the Department of Agriculture to approve 
state plans to provide temporary emergency Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program (SNAP) assistance to households with children who 
would otherwise receive free or reduced-price meals if not for their 
schools being closed due to the COVID-19 emergency (also known as 
Pandemic EBT, or P-EBT). The authority for P-EBT under FFCRA expired on 
September 30, 2020. The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other 
Extensions Act (Pub. L. 116-159), enacted October 1, 2020 extended the 
authority for P-EBT through September 30, 2021. This legislation also 
expanded the program to include childcare facilities affected by the 
closures and schools with reduced attendance hours. The Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), enacted December 27, 2020, 
provided additional eligibility requirements and State flexibilities 
for both school and childcare components of this program. The American 
Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2) enacted March 11, 2021, added a 
summer component to P-EBT for school children and children in childcare 
and extended P-EBT through the end of COVID-19 emergency declaration.
    Need and Use of the Information: This information collection is 
necessary to ensure that households impacted by COVID-19 receive 
emergency food assistance and that State agencies and schools receive 
reimbursement of their administrative costs.
    States impacted by COVID-19 could issue P-EBT benefits to SNAP 
(currently participating in SNAP) and non-SNAP (not currently 
participating in SNAP) households with children who have temporarily 
lost access to free or reduced-price school meals due to pandemic 
related school closures, reduced school hours, or reduced school 
attendance. These households are eligible for P-EBT if they meet the 
following eligibility standards:
     Households include a child or children who, if not for a 
COVID-19 related school closure, reduced school hours, or reduced 
school attendance, would have received a receive free or reduced-price 
school meals under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as 
amended, and
     The child's school has been closed, had reduced hours, or 
reduced attendance due to pandemic for at least 5 consecutive days.
    FNS will provide funding to each State's SNAP State agency for 100% 
of P-EBT-related administrative costs. Such funding will be available 
for the necessary, allowable, and reasonable State agency and school 
costs associated with the administration of P-EBT incurred during FY 
2021. This includes administrative costs associated with the issuance 
of retroactive FY 2020 benefits incurred in FY 2021. States interested 
in the 100% funding will be expected to submit a P-EBT administrative 
cost plan for the intended period of operations for USDA approval.
    The estimates for the number of burden hours have increased from 
the numbers included in the original 60 Day Notice by 12,844,628 burden 
hours. There were 27 burden hours added due to a reporting requirement 
which was mistakenly omitted when the 60 Day Notice was published. As a 
result, from comment received to add burden for the time it takes 
schools to provide eligibility data to State agencies and for State 
agencies to determine eligibility and complete administrative costs 
plans. There is an increase of 12,844,601 burden hours.
    Description of Respondents: State Agencies, Private Sector 
(Business-not-for profit), Individuals and Households.
    Number of Respondents: 675,820.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Once, Quarterly, Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 16,529,556.

Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-18155 Filed 8-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P