[Federal Register: February 4, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 23)]
[Notices]               
[Page 5804-5805]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04fe98-72]

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FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

 
Notice of Field Testing of Improved System for Public Assistance 
Grants

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) gives notice 
that it will field test a new delivery system for public assistance 
infrastructure grants between March 1 and August 31. Public assistance 
grants are awarded under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. 
These grants are awarded to supplement community assets in the recovery 
of State, local and eligible private non-profit infrastructure when the 
President determines that an emergency or major disaster exists. The 
proposed changes in the processing system do not constitute a change in 
benefits under the law or regulation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward A. Thomas, National Pilot Team, 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington D.C. 20472, 301-209-
4862.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 1, 1998.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and

[[Page 5805]]

Emergency Assistance Act provides for the award of grants to assist in 
the repair and reconstruction of community infrastructure. With the 
help of State and community officials, FEMA has investigated how the 
system for awarding grants should be amended to deliver the grants more 
efficiently and effectively to eligible applicants. However, before 
formally changing the award system, the proposed changes will be field 
tested in selected disasters occurring on or after March 1, 1998, to 
determine whether the proposed amendments to the system achieve their 
intended results and to determine whether additional refinements are 
necessary. The field tests will be conducted with the agreement of the 
affected State(s). In the field tests, the proposed processing changed 
will be substituted for existing public assistance grant processing 
procedures.
    The primary amendments to the currently established system of grant 
delivery include:
    1. The award of up to 50% of the estimated costs of the emergency 
work (currently known as Categories A and B) as soon as the amount can 
be estimated. Full payment of eligible costs will follow normal 
settlement procedures;
    2. Permanent work (currently known as Categories C, D, E, F, and G) 
on projects of large size may be estimated using a formal, 
professionally developed cost estimating methodology that will provide 
all parties with a close estimate of total allowable costs for the 
eligible work. Final settlement will follow normal settlement 
procedures;
    3. Consolidation of information related to each applicant;
    4. Ready access for applicants and States to information relevant 
to grant application;
    5. Assignment of an experienced senior official to each applicant 
to guide and promote the expeditious processing of the grant request;
    6. Current, rather than sequential, processing of special reviews 
(e.g., reviews for purposes of future disaster mitigation, insurance, 
and compliance with applicable statutes, including the National 
Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, and the National Historic 
Preservation Act);
    7. Provision for the informal resolution of disagreements;
    8. A streamlining change in the review process that will include 
random validation of all small projects; and
    9. The development of estimates by project through local/State/
Federal partnerships, rather than multiple Damage Survey Reports by 
site.
    Testing of application and data collection instruments, and 
training and certification of the staff implementing the amended 
system, will be concurrent with the field test(s). The proposed changes 
in the processing system do not constitute a change in benefits under 
the law or regulation.

    Dated: January 30, 1998.
James L. Witt,
Director.
[FR Doc. 98-2712 Filed 2-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6718-02-M