Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Division of Energy Assistance/OCS/ACF

Request for Comments on Renewal of OMB Clearance of the LIHEAP Household Report

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THIS CONTAINS INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN LIHEAP ACTION TRANSMITTAL NO. LIHEAP-AT-2000-5,
DATED 5/1/2000

TO:            LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LIHEAP)
               GRANTEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

SUBJECT:       Request for Comments on Renewal of OMB
               Clearance of the LIHEAP Household Report

RELATED        Public Law 97-35, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
REFERENCES:    Act of 1981,as amended; 45 Code of Federal
               Regulations, Part 96; Final Rule amending HHS block
               grant regulations (64 Federal Register, 55843,
               October 15, 1999); Request for comments on
               information collection on LIHEAP households (65
               Federal Register, 17885, April 5, 2000); LIHEAP-IM-
               2000-17, dated 5/1/2000 (LIHEAP Household Report
               for FY 2000); OMB Control No. 0970-0060 (Expiration
               Date - 6/30/2000); Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
               Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

PURPOSE:       The purpose of this memorandum is to request
               comments and suggestions on the renewal of Office
               of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of the
               LIHEAP Household Report

BACKGROUND:    Section 2605(c)(1)(D) of the LIHEAP statute
               requires grantees, as part of their annual LIHEAP
               grant application, to report certain data on
               households which apply for and households which
               receive LIHEAP assistance.  The LIHEAP Household
               Report provides a recommended format for LIHEAP
               grantees to report the data as part of the LIHEAP
               grant application process.

               On July 19, 1996, the Administration for Children
               and Families (ACF) published an information
               collection notice in the Federal Register (61 FR 37751),
               requesting comments and suggestions about the LIHEAP
               Household Report.  In June 1997, ACF received
               clearance from OMB (OMB Control No. 0970-0060) to
               require LIHEAP grantees to submit the information in
               the LIHEAP Report.  Starting with FY 1998 household
               data, grantees were required, at the minimum, to
               submit as part of their FY 1999 grant application the
               LIHEAP household data for FY 1998.  The OMB expiration
               date for the LIHEAP Report is 6/30/2000.  Thus, ACF
               needs to go through the OMB clearance process to
               continue collecting data through the LIHEAP Household
               Report.

CONTENT:       On April 5, 2000, an information collection notice was
               published in the Federal Register (65 FR 17885)
               requesting comments and suggestions about the LIHEAP
               Household Report.  A copy of the notice is attached.  The
               LIHEAP Household Report's recommended report formats and
               instructions do not differ from those of the LIHEAP
               Household Report for FY 2000 that have been included in
               LIHEAP-IM-2000-17, dated 5/1/2000.

               In compliance with the requirements of Section
               3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
               we are soliciting public comment on the specific
               aspects of the information collection.  Specifically,
               comments are requested on:

               · whether the proposed collection of information is
                  necessary for the proper performance of the functions
                  of the agency, including whether the information will
                  have practical utility;

               · the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of
                  the proposed collection of information;

               · ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
                  information to be collected; and

               · ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
                  information on respondents, including through the use
                  of automated collection techniques or other forms of
                  information technology.

               In addition, OMB has requested that we resolicit
               comments on the use of poverty levels rather than
               income levels in the LIHEAP Household Report.

               Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions
               submitted within 60 days of the publication date (April
               5, 2000) of the Federal Register notice.

               Please review the recommended formats and instructions
               of the LIHEAP Household Report for FY 2000.  All
               comments and suggestions should be identified by the
               title of the information collection, i.e., LIHEAP
               Household Report, and be sent in writing to:

               Administration for Children and Families
               Office of Information Services
               370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.,
               Washington, D.C. 20447

               Attn.: ACF Reports Clearance Officer.

ATTACHMENT:    Federal Register Notice, Vol. 65,
               No. 66, p. 17885, published on
               Friday, April 5, 2000





                              _______________/s_______________
                              Janet M. Fox
                              Director
                              Division of Energy Assistance
                              Office of Community Services





[Federal Register: April 5, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 66)]
[Notices]
[Page 17885]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05ap00-68]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

    Title: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Household
Report.
    OMB No.: 0970-0060.
    Description: The report is an annual activity which is required by law
of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grantees for receipt
of federal LIHEAP block grant funds. States, the District of Columbia, and
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are required to report statistics for the
previous federal fiscal year on the number and income levels of LIHEAP
applicant and assisted households, and the number of LIHEAP assisted
households with at least one member who is elderly, disabled or a young
child. Insular areas receiving less than $200,000 annually in LIHEAP
funds and Indian Tribal Grantees are required to submit data only on
the number of households receiving heating, cooling, energy crisis,
or weatherization benefits. The information is being collected for the
Department's annual LIHEAP report to Congress. The data also provide
information about the need for LIHEAP funds. Finally, the data are
beginning to be used in the calculation of LIHEAP performance
measures under the Government Performance Results Act of 1993.

    Respondents: State Governments, Tribal Governments and Territories.

                                  ANNUAL BURDEN ESTIMATES

     Instrument                       Number of    Number of    Average burden  Total
                                    respondents   responses per     hours       burden
                                                   respondent   per respondent  hours


Assisted Hhd. Report--LF...............  52            1             25          1300
Assisted Hhd. Report--SF............... 132            1              1           132
Applic. Hhd. Report....................  52            1             13           676

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: .......... ..........  .......... ......... 2108

    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection
of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to
the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Information
Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF
Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified by the title
of the information collection.
    The Department specifically requests comment on: (a) Whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.  Consideration will be given to comments and
suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

    Dated: March 30, 2000.
Bob Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-8296 Filed 4-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M

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