Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 78 / Monday, April 23, 2012 / Notices 24215 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

This Notice also lists the following 

information: 

Title of Proposal: Continuum of Care 

Homeless Assistance—Technical 

Submission. 

Description of the need for the 

information and proposed use: 

Information to be used to obtain more 

detailed technical information not 

contained in the original Continuum of 

Care Homeless Assistance Grant 

Application. 

Agency form number: HUD–40090– 

3a. 

Members of affected public: 

Applicants that are successful in the 

Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance 

Grant competition. 

Estimation of the total number of 

hours needed to prepare the information 

collection including number of 

respondents, frequency of response, and 

hours of response: 500 responses, per 

annum (500 x 1 form), nine hours to 

prepare HUD–20090–3a, 4,500 hours 

total reporting. 

Status of the proposed information 

collection: Revision of currently 

approved package 2506–0183. 

Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, 

as amended. 

Dated: April 17, 2012. 

Yolanda Cha ́vez, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9690 Filed 4–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

[Docket No. FR–5618–N–01] 

Section 8 Housing Assistance 

Payments Program—Fiscal Year (FY) 

2012 Inflation Factors for Public 

Housing Agency (PHA) Renewal 

Funding 

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Policy Development and 

Research, HUD. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The FY 2012 HUD 

Appropriations Act requires that HUD 

apply ‘‘an inflation factor as established 

by the Secretary, by notice published in 

the Federal Register’’ to adjust FY 2012 

renewal funding for the tenant-based 

rental assistance voucher program or 

housing choice voucher (HCV) program 

of each PHA. For FY 2011 and FY 2010, 

renewal funding was based on annual 

adjustment factors (AAFs) and HUD 

published separate Renewal Funding 

AAFs for this purpose. The Renewal 

Funding AAFs, based only on Consumer 

Price Index (CPI) data for rents and 

utilities, have been replaced by inflation 

factors that incorporate additional 

economic indices to measure the 

expected change in the per unit cost 

(PUC) for the HCV program. 

DATES: Effective Date: April 23, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael S. Dennis, Director, Housing 

Voucher Programs, Office of Public 

Housing and Voucher Programs, Office 

of Public and Indian Housing, telephone 

number 202–708–1380; or Geoffrey 

Newton, Economist, Economic and 

Market Analysis Division, Office of 

Policy Development and Research, 

telephone number 202–402–6058, for 

technical information regarding the 

development of the schedules for 

specific areas or the methods used for 

calculating the inflation factors, 

Department of Housing and Urban 

Development, 451 7th Street SW., 

Washington, DC 20410. Hearing- or 

speech-impaired persons may contact 

the Federal Relay Service at 800–877– 

8339 (TTY). (Other than the ‘‘800’’ TTY 

number, the above-listed telephone 

numbers are not toll free.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Tables showing Renewal Funding 

Inflation Factors will be available 

electronically from the HUD data 

information page at: http:// 

www.huduser.org/huduser/datasets/rfif/ 

FY2012/FY2012_IF_Table.pdf. 

In prior years, the Department of 

Housing and Urban Development has 

been using Renewal Funding AAFs 

based on Consumer Price Index data 

published by the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics on ‘‘rent of primary residence’’ 

and ‘‘fuels and utilities’’ as the inflation 

factor to calculate the renewal funding 

for each PHA. During this period, HUD 

has undertaken several projects to better 

understand the drivers of the annual 

change in housing subsidy costs for the 

tenant-based voucher program. The 

Consolidated and Further Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2012 (Title II, of 

Division C, Public Law 112–55, 

approved November 18, 2011) provides 

that the HUD Secretary shall, for the 

calendar year 2012 funding cycle, 

provide renewal funding for each public 

housing agency (PHA) based on 

validated voucher management system 

(VMS) leasing and cost data for the prior 

calendar year and by applying an 

inflation factor as established by the 

Secretary, by notice published in the 

Federal Register. This Notice provides 

the inflation factors (that were 

announced to PHAs on March, 1, 2012) 

and describes the methodology for 

calculating them. 

II. Methodology 

The Department has focused on 

measuring the change in average PUC as 

captured in HUD’s administrative data 

in VMS. In order to predict the likely 

path of PUC over time, HUD has 

implemented a model that uses several 

economic indices that capture key 

components of the economic climate 

and assist in explaining the changes in 

PUC. These economic components are 

the seasonally-adjusted unemployment 

rate (lagged twelve months) and the 

Consumer Price Index from the Bureau 

of Labor Statistics, and the ‘‘wages and 

salaries’’ component of personal income 

from the National Income and Product 

Accounts from the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis. This model subsequently 

forecasts the expected annual change in 

average PUC from FY 2011 to FY 2012 

for the voucher program on a national 

basis by incorporating comparable 

economic variables from the 

Administration’s economic 

assumptions. For reference, these 

economic assumptions are described in 

the FY 2012 Mid-Session Review. 

The inflation factor for an individual 

geographic area is based on the change 

in the area’s Fair Market Rent (FMR) 

between FY 2011 and FY 2012. These 

changes in FMR are then scaled such 

that the voucher-weighted average of all 

individual area inflation factors is equal 

to the expected annual change in 

national PUC from FY 2011 to FY 2012, 

and also such that no area has a negative 

factor. HUD subsequently applies these 

calculated individual area inflation 

factors to eligible renewal funding for 

each PHA based on VMS leasing and 

cost data for the prior calendar year. For 

the CY 2012 PHA HCV allocation that 

was announced on March, 1, 2012, HUD 

used 1.71 percent as the annual change 

in PUC. When calculated using more 

recent VMS data through December of 

2011 and actual performance of 

economic indices through the December 

of 2011, HUD expects this annual 

change in PUC to be lower. 

III. The Use of Inflation Factors 

The inflation factors have been 

developed to account for relative 

differences in the PUC of vouchers so 

that HCV funds can be allocated among 

PHAs. HUD will continue to update the 

current model with available data in 

order to assess the expected annual 

change in PUC and intends to update 


rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
24216 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 78 / Monday, April 23, 2012 / Notices 

the methodology for future funding 

estimates. HUD is also continuing to 

review and refine the methodology, 

especially for area differences in the 

factors, which will be described in 

future inflation factor notices. 

IV. Geographic Areas 

Inflation factors based on PUC 

forecasts are produced for all Class A 

CPI cities (CPI cities with a population 

of 1.5 million or more) and for the four 

Census Regions. They are applied to 

core-based statistical areas (CBSAs), as 

defined by the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB), according to how 

much of the CBSA is covered by the CPI 

city-survey. If more than 75 percent of 

the CBSA is covered by the CPI citysurvey, the inflation factor that is based 

on that CPI survey is applied to the 

whole CBSA and to any HUD-defined 

metropolitan area, called ‘‘HUD Metro 

FMR Area’’ (HMFA), within that CBSA. 

If the CBSA is not covered by a CPI citysurvey, the CBSA uses the relevant 

regional CPI factor. Almost all nonmetropolitan counties use regional CPI 

factors. For areas assigned the Census 

Region CPI factor, both metropolitan 

and non-metropolitan areas receive the 

same factor. 

The tables showing the Renewal 

Funding Inflation Factors available 

electronically from the HUD data 

information page list the inflation 

factors for the four Census Regions first, 

followed by an alphabetical listing of 

each metropolitan area, beginning with 

Akron, OH, MSA. The inflation factors 

use the same OMB metropolitan area 

definitions, as revised by HUD, that are 

used in the FY 2012 FMRs. 

V. Area Definitions 

To make certain that they are 

referencing the correct inflation factors, 

PHAs should refer to the Area 

Definitions Table on the following Web 

page: http://www.huduser.org/huduser/ 

datasets/rfif/FY2012/ 

FY2012_AreaDef.pdf. The Area 

Definitions Table lists areas in 

alphabetical order by state, and the 

associated Census Region is shown next 

to each state name. If the area where a 

unit is located is not separately listed, 

the inflation factor for the Census 

Region that includes that area is used. 

In the six New England states, the 

listings are for counties or parts of 

counties as defined by towns or cities. 

Any location in these states that are not 

specifically listed should use the 

Northeast Census Region inflation 

factor. 

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands use 

the South Region inflation factors. All 

areas in Hawaii use the Renewal 

Funding inflation factors listed next 

‘‘Hawaii,’’ in Appendix A which is 

based on the CPI survey for the 

Honolulu metropolitan area. The Pacific 

Islands use the West Region Renewal 

Funding inflation factor. 

VI. Environmental Impact 

This Notice involves a statutorily 

required establishment of a rate or cost 

determination which does not constitute 

a development decision affecting the 

physical condition of specific project 

areas or building sites. Accordingly, 

under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(6), this Notice is 

categorically excluded from 

environmental review under the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321). 

Dated: April 13, 2012. 

Raphael W. Bostic, 

Assistant Secretary for Policy Development 

and Research. 

[FR Doc. 2012–9692 Filed 4–20–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R1–ES–2012–N090; 

FXES11130100000F5–123–FF01E00000] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Recovery Permit 

Application 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, invite the public to 

comment on the following application 

for a recovery permit to conduct 

enhancement of survival activities with 

an endangered species. The Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), 

prohibits certain activities with 

endangered species unless a Federal 

permit allows such activity. The Act 

also requires that we invite public 

comment before issuing such permits. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, please 

send your written comments by May 23, 

2012. 

ADDRESSES: Endangered Species 

Program Manager, Ecological Services, 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific 

Regional Office, 911 NE 11th Avenue, 

Portland, OR 97232–4181. Please refer 

to the permit number for the application 

when submitting comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colleen Henson, Fish and Wildlife 

Biologist, at the above address or by 

telephone (503–231–2071) or fax (503– 

231–6243). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 

prohibits certain activities with 

endangered and threatened species 

unless a Federal permit allows such 

activity. Along with our implementing 

regulations in the Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17, the 

Act provides for certain permits, and 

requires that we invite public comment 

before issuing these permits. 

A permit granted by us under section 

10(a)(1)(A) of the Act authorizes the 

permittee to conduct activities 

(including take or interstate commerce) 

with U.S. endangered or threatened 

species for scientific purposes or to 

enhance the propagation or survival of 

the affected species. Our regulations 

implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for 

these permits are found at 50 CFR 17.22 

for endangered wildlife species, 50 CFR 

17.32 for threatened wildlife species, 50 

CFR 17.62 for endangered plant species, 

and 50 CFR 17.72 for threatened plant 

species. 

Application Available for Review and 

Comment 

We invite local, State, and Federal 

agencies, and the public to comment on 

the following application. Please refer to 

the appropriate permit number for the 

application when submitting comments. 

Documents and other information 

submitted with this application are 

available for review by request from the 

Endangered Species Program Manager at 

the address listed in the ADDRESSES

section of this notice, subject to the 

requirements of the Privacy Act (5 

U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of 

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). 

Permit Number: TE–210255. 

Applicant: Ryan Sylvester, Montana 

Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Libby, 

Montana. 

The permittee requests an amendment 

to an existing scientific research permit 

to take (tag, conduct adult and juvenile 

telemetry, determine sex and maturity, 

and possible use of egg mats and larval 

sampling) the Kootenai River 

population of the white sturgeon 

(Acipenser transmontanus) in 

conjunction with research in the State of 

Montana, for the purpose of enhancing 

the species’ survival. The original 

permit was announced in a notice that 

published in the Federal Register on 

April 22, 2009 (74 FR 18396). 

Public Availability of Comments 

All comments and materials we 

receive in response to this request will 


rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES