Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request; Administrative Plan for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, 99890-99891 [2024-29011]

Agencies

• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 99890-99891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29011]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2024-0023; OMB No. 1660-0026]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review, Comment Request; Administrative Plan for the Hazard Mitigation 
Grant Program

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: 30-Day notice of extension and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the 
information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and 
Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. FEMA invites the general public to 
take this opportunity to comment on an extension of a currently 
approved information collection. In accordance with the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments 
concerning the State Administrative Plan for the procedural guide that 
details how the State will administer the Hazard Mitigation Grant 
Program (HMGP).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 10, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Director, 
Information Management Division, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472, 
email address [email protected] or 
Travis Battiest, Section Chief for Tools, SOPS, and Implementation, 
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division, Mitigation Directorate, FEMA, at 
(202) 714-8052 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FEMA regulations in 44 CFR 206.437 require 
development and updates to the Administrative Plan by Applicants or 
Recipients as a condition of receiving Hazard Mitigation Grant Program 
(HMGP) funding under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 93-288, as 
amended) (42 U.S.C. 5170c). Applicants or Recipients can be any State 
of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, or the government of a Federally-recognized Tribe that chooses 
to act as an Applicant or Recipient.
    The regulation at 44 CFR 206.437 requires a State to have a FEMA-
approved Administrative Plan to receive HMGP funding. At its minimum, 
the Administrative Plan will include the designated State agency or 
Indian Tribal government that will act as the Recipient, identify the 
State Hazard Mitigation Officer or Tribal Hazard Mitigation Officer, 
identify staffing requirements, and establish a guide for 
implementation activities and procedures to account for non-Federal 
cost sharing. Additional information requirements are guided by the 
type of mitigation activities being pursued.
    The State, territorial, or Tribal government must establish 
procedures to guide the administration of the HMGP in the 
Administrative Plan, as outlined in the listed activities below.

[[Page 99891]]

FEMA will review the information provided to ensure proper 
documentation of each activity.
    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adopted in its entirety 
the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit 
Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR part 200) on December 26, 2014. 
This rule eliminates overlapping and duplicative requirements for 
stakeholders, including States, territories and Indian Tribal 
governments, by using general terms such as ``recipient'' or ``pass-
through entity.'' FEMA is also avoiding unnecessary duplication, 
overlap and the demand for maintenance of requirements under HMGP in 
two documents, the State Administrative Plan, and the Tribal 
Administrative Plan. FEMA instead is offering and referring to one 
common set of requirements in an ``Administrative Plan.'' The term 
``State Administrative Plan'' is now referred to ``Administrative Plan 
for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.''
    This proposed information collection previously published in the 
Federal Register on August 19, 2024, at 89 FR 67101 with a 60-day 
public comment period. Three public comments were received. Two of the 
comments discuss policy concerns with the HMGP and are not germane to 
this information collection. The third public comment is a statement of 
support from a private non-profit organization and FEMA thanks them for 
their comment.
    The purpose of this notice is to notify the public that FEMA will 
submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of 
Management and Budget for review and clearance.

Collection of Information

    Title: Administrative Plan for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
    Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved 
information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0026.
    FEMA Forms: Not applicable.
    Abstract: The State Administrative Plan for the Hazard Mitigation 
Grant Program (HMGP) is a procedural guide that details how the State, 
territory, or Tribal government will administer the HMGP. The State, 
territory, or Tribal government (who acts as a recipient) must have a 
current administrative plan approved by the appropriate FEMA Regional 
Administrator before receiving HMGP funds. The administrative plan may 
take any form including a chapter within a comprehensive State, 
territory, or Tribal mitigation program strategy.
    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 70.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 560.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $37,257.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $26,581.

Comments

    Comments may be submitted as indicated in the ADDRESSES caption 
above. Comments are solicited to (a) evaluate whether the proposed data 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the Agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) 
evaluate 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) enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) 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, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Millicent Brown Wilson,
Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2024-29011 Filed 12-10-24; 8:45 am]
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