Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I, II and III Data Collection Form, 57399 [2024-15394]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 57399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15394]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2024-SCC-0089]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Higher 
Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) I, II and III Data Collection 
Form

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of 
Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a revision of a currently approved 
information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 13, 2024.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use https://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2024-SCC-0089. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal 
mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov 
site is not available to the public for any reason, the Department will 
temporarily accept comments at [email protected]. Please include the 
docket ID number and the title of the information collection request 
when requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that 
comments submitted after the comment period will not be accepted. 
Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail 
or delivery should be addressed to the Manager of the Strategic 
Collections and Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, LBJ, Room 6W203, 
Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Karen Epps, (202) 453-6337.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department, in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), 
provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to 
comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of 
information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its 
information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting 
burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. The Department is soliciting comments on the 
proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. 
The Department 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 the respondents, including 
through the use of information technology. Please note that written 
comments received in response to this notice will be considered public 
records.
    Title of Collection: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) 
I, II and III Data Collection Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1840-0850.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments; 
Private Sector.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 270.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,160.
    Abstract: Under the current unprecedented national health 
emergency, the legislative and executive branches of government have 
come together to offer relief to those individuals and industries 
affected by the COVID-19 virus under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 
Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief 
Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), and the American Rescue Plan 
(ARP). In each of these statutes, targeted relief to institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) was made available under the Higher Education 
Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). HEERF, originally established by section 
18004(a) of the CARES Act, Public Law 116-136 (March 27, 2020) and 
expanded through CRRSAA and ARP, authorizes the Secretary of Education 
to allocate formula grant funds to participating IHEs to address 
impacts of the COVID-19 virus.
    This information collection requests approval for a revision to a 
previously approved collection that includes annual reporting 
requirements to comply with the requirements of the HEERF program and 
obtain information on how the funds were used. The revision simplifies 
the collection by substantially reducing the number of items because 
specific grant activities within HEERF have expired and many of the 
items have become moot. In accordance with the Recipients Funding 
Certification and Agreements executed by HEERF grantees, the Secretary 
may specify additional forms of reporting.

    Dated: July 9, 2024.
Kun Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-15394 Filed 7-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P