Document ID: FEMA-2009-0001-0031
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities;  The Declaration Process: Requests for Preliminary Damage Assessment, Federal Disaster Assistance, Cost Share Adjustment, and Appeals
Posted Date: 2009-03-13T04:00Z

[Federal Register: March 13, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 48)]
[Notices]               
[Page 10956-10957]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13mr09-85]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

 
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

[Docket ID: FEMA-2009-0001]

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice; 60-day notice and request for comments; revision of a 
currently approved collection; OMB No. 1660-0009; No Form.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency, 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 a proposed extension, without change, of a currently 
approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, this Notice seeks comments concerning a 
Governor's request for a major disaster or an emergency declaration by 
the President.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 12, 2009.

ADDRESSES: To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please use 
only one of the following means to submit comments:
    (1) Online. Submit comments at http: //www.regulations.gov under 
docket ID FEMA-2009-0001. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
    (2) Mail. Submit written comments to Office of Chief Counsel, 
Regulation and Policy Team, DHS/FEMA, 500 C Street, SW., Room 835, 
WASH, DC 20472-3100.
    (3) Facsimile. Submit comments to (703) 483-2999.
    (4) E-mail. Submit comments to FEMA-POLICY@dhs.gov. Include docket 
ID FEMA-2009-0001 in the subject line.
    All submissions received must include the agency name and docket 
ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, 
all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will include any 
personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice that is available on the Privacy and Use Notice link on the 
Administration Navigation Bar of http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Peggy Miller, Branch Chief, 
Declarations Unit, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20472, telephone number (202) 646-3886 for 
additional information. You may contact the Records Management Branch 
for copies of the proposed collection of information at facsimile 
number (202) 646-3347 or e-mail address: FEMA-Information-
Collections@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5207, as amended (the Stafford 
Act), requires that all requests for a major disaster or an emergency 
declaration by the President must be made by the Governor of the 
affected State. Section 401 of the Act stipulates specific information 
the Governor must submit with a request for any major disaster or 
emergency declaration. Section 501(a) of the Act stipulates specific 
information the Governor must submit with a request for any emergency 
declaration. Section 403(c) of the Act authorizes emergency assistance, 
without a Presidential declaration, through the utilization of 
Department of Defense personnel and resources. Information needed to 
process the request from the Governor is set forth in 44 CFR Part 
206.35 and 206.36.

Collection of Information

    Title: The Declaration Process: Requests for Preliminary Damage 
Assessment, Federal Disaster Assistance, Cost Share Adjustment, and 
Appeals.
    Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved 
collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0009.
    Form Titles and Numbers: No Form.
    Abstract: When a disaster occurs in a State, the Governor of the 
State or the Acting Governor in his/her absence, may request a major 
disaster declaration or an emergency declaration. The Governor should 
submit the request to the President through the appropriate Regional 
Administrator to ensure prompt acknowledgement and processing. The 
information obtained by joint Federal, State, and local preliminary 
damage assessments will be analyzed by FEMA regional senior level 
staff. The regional summary and the regional analysis and 
recommendation shall include a discussion of State and local resources 
and capabilities, and other assistance available to meet the disaster 
related needs. The Administrator of FEMA provides a recommendation to 
the President and also provides a copy of the Governor's request. In 
the event the information required by law is not contained in the 
request, the Governor's request cannot be processed and forwarded to 
the White House. In the event the Governor's request for a major 
disaster declaration or an emergency declaration is not granted, the 
Governor may appeal the decision.
    Affected Public: ``State, Local or Tribal Governments''.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 25,536.

[[Page 10957]]

                                                 Table A.12--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours and Costs
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                                                                           No. of        Avg. burden    Total annual
       Type of  respondent        Form name/ form No.      No. of       responses per   per response     burden  (in     Avg. hourly      Total annual
                                                         respondents     respondent      (in hours)        hours)         wage rate     respondent cost
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State, Local or Tribal            Governor's Request/              56               6              76          25,536          $46.91      $1,197,893.76
 Government.                       No Form.
    Total.......................  ...................              56  ..............  ..............          25,536  ..............       1,197,893.76
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    Estimated Cost: The estimated annualized cost to respondents based 
on wage rate categories is $1,197,893.76.

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.

Larry Gray,
Director, Records Management Division, Office of Management, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
 [FR Doc. E9-5504 Filed 3-12-09; 8:45 am]

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