Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request; FEMA Region II Community and Faith-Based Organizations Needs/Capabilities and Continuity Program Survey

AGENCY:

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

60-Day notice of new collection and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a new information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning a series of surveys on continuity planning and organizational needs and capabilities from various stakeholders.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before March 6, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

To avoid duplicate submissions to the docket, please submit comments at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID FEMA-2022-0038. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

All submissions received must include the agency name and Docket ID, and 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 and Security Notice that is available via a link on the homepage of www.regulations.gov .

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jeremy Brooks, Management and Program Analyst, at jeremy.brooks@fema.dhs.gov or 202-355-4981. You may contact the Information Management Division for copies of the proposed collection of information at email address: FEMA-Information-Collections-Management@fema.dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The legal basis for the collection off the following information includes titles 6 and 42 of the United States Code. The sections in title 6 include 313, 314, and 317, which provides legal authority and responsibilities to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and to its respective regional offices to work with state, local, territorial and Tribal (SLTT) governments and private non-profits (PNP) with disaster preparedness. The sections in title 42 include 5131(a), 5131(b), 5195, 5195(a), 5196(e), and 5196(f). The identified sub sections of 5131 provides legal authority to FEMA Federal and state disaster preparedness programs via utilization of services of other agencies and technical assistance. Sections 5195 and 5195(a) vests responsibility for emergency preparedness in the Federal Government and provides definitions for relevant terms. Sections 5196(e) and 5196(f) provides detailed functions of administration for emergency preparedness measures and training programs. All these legal authorities affirm the authority of FEMA Region II to collect this information and the critical need to do so.

Additionally, the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-8)—National Preparedness, identifies core capabilities to track and improve on to reach the National Preparedness Goal. The proposed collection works to improve tracking of core capabilities across FEMA Region II to most efficiently use resources to meet the National Preparedness Goal.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Preparedness Division (NPD) is responsible for educating and securing the nation with the capabilities required across the whole community to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk. One of the ways FEMA accomplishes this is through conducting exercises, trainings, and webinars where stakeholders like SLTT governments and PNP entities participate.

These delivery methodology of these programs to a variety of stakeholders are always evolving and continuously improving to meet stakeholder's needs. Likewise, as internal agency policy changes, so can delivery methods. Specifically for FEMA, this includes release of the 2022-2026 FEMA Strategic Plan. Strategic Goal #3 includes Promote and Sustain a Ready FEMA and Prepared Nation, and the objectives 3.1—Strengthen the Emergency Management Workforce and 3.2—Posture FEMA to Meet Current and Emergency Threats. This strategic goal and its associated objectives are well aligned to priorities of FEMA Region II's National Preparedness Division, with internal goals of data-driven capacity building and a more equitable approach to program delivery.

By better gauging stakeholder capacity and needs at an organizational level we can better provide programs and services to our stakeholders to ultimately improve preparedness in FEMA Region II.

Authorities for the collection of information include the following:

Presidential Policy Directive (PPD-8), National Preparedness; 6 U.S.C. 313, 314, 317(c); 42 U.S.C. 5195, 5195a, 5196(e) and (f); 42 U.S.C. 5131(a) and (b).

Collection of Information

Title: FEMA Region II Community and Faith-Based Organizations Needs/Capabilities and Continuity Program Survey.

Type of Information Collection: New information collection.

OMB Number: 1660-NW144.

FEMA Forms: FEMA Form FF-008-FY-22-128, Region II Community and Faith-Based Organizations Needs/Capabilities Feedback Survey.

Abstract: FEMA Region II (NJ, NY, PR, VI) is working to better assess the ability of stakeholders' emergency response capabilities to better target program design and delivery in the future. These voluntary survey questions are designed to collect actionable data at the organizational level and allows for a better understanding of potential future collaborations.

Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal Government;

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,862.

Estimated Number of Responses: 1,862.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 466.

Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $19,086.

Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.

Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $9,437.

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.