[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5014-5015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01555]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2022-0019; OMB No. 1660-NW151]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Survey Following the National Test of the 
Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: 30-Day notice of new collection and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the 
information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and 
Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission seeks comments 
concerning a survey following the upcoming national test of the 
Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Director, 
Information Management Division, 500 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20472, 
email address [email protected] or 
Ward D. Hagood, IPAWS DS2 T&E Manager, FEMA HQ/PNP-NCP-CCD-IPAWS, 
phone: (202) 212-1478, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 114-143, the Integrated Public 
Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2015, and Presidential 
Executive Order 13407, Public Alert and Warning System, require FEMA to 
implement the public alert and warning system to disseminate timely and 
effective warnings to people in situations of war, terrorist attack, 
natural disaster, or other hazards to public safety and wellbeing, and 
conduct tests of the public alert and warning system at least once 
every three years. The Act also requires public education efforts and a 
general market awareness campaign to ensure understanding of the 
functions of the public alert and warning system. The Integrated Public 
Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is the Department of Homeland 
Security's (DHS) response to the Executive Order. The Stafford Act 
(U.S.C. Title 42, chapter 68, subchapter II) requires that FEMA make 
IPAWS available to Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial 
agencies for the purpose of providing warning to governmental 
authorities and the civilian population in areas endangered by 
disasters. FEMA is planning a national test of a key component of 
IPAWS, the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, to satisfy the 
testing and public education requirements of the IPAWS Modernization 
Act of 2015 (Pub. L. 114-143). The WEA system broadcasts alerts to cell 
phones configured to receive such alerts (which, at this point, is most 
phones sold in the United States). The WEA national test will be 
announced in advance by FEMA and widely publicized. The test will help 
FEMA assess WEA's geographic reach, along with additional key 
parameters outlined in the IPAWS Modernization Act of 2015. This will 
help FEMA and other WEA stakeholders, such as the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) and Congressional committees, enhance 
and expand WEA, and thus further improve emergency alerting 
capabilities, leading to a better prepared and more resilient nation. 
FEMA will implement a survey to capture key technical performance 
factors of WEA, such as geographic coverage and carrier-related issues, 
as well as non-technical aspects essential to WEA's role in national 
alerting, including alerting effectiveness in reaching diverse 
populations, including traditionally underserved populations. The 
survey will also assess public awareness of the WEA system.
    This proposed information collection previously published in the 
Federal Register on July 7, 2022, at 87 FR 40544 with a 60 day public 
comment period. FEMA received six public comments. Comments 1 (FEMA-
2022-0019-0002), 2 (FEMA-2022-0019-0003), and 4 (FEMA-2022-0019-0005), 
which provided feedback on technical aspects of the WEA system as 
opposed to feedback on this specific data collection, were shared with 
IPAWS. Per comment 3 (FEMA-2022-0019-0004), the 30-Day FRN will also 
include the draft survey, which will not require advertising since 
participants will be recruited through established survey panels. 
Comment 5 (FEMA-2022-0019-0006) referenced a survey that was not 
affiliated with this data collection. FEMA responded to comment 6 
(FEMA-2022-0019-0007) by providing additional detail on the issues 
raised.
    The purpose of this notice is to notify the public that FEMA will 
submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of 
Management and Budget for review and clearance.

Collection of Information

    Title: Survey Following the National Test of the Wireless Emergency 
Alert (WEA) System.
    Type of Information Collection: New information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-NW151.
    FEMA Form: FEMA Form FF-302-FY-22-101, WEA National Test Survey.
    Abstract: FEMA will field a survey following a national test of the 
WEA system. The survey will capture key technical performance factors, 
such as geographic coverage and carrier-related issues, and non-
technical aspects essential to WEA's role in national alerting, 
including effectiveness in reaching diverse populations. FEMA will use 
this information to improve the performance of the WEA system and 
assess public awareness.

[[Page 5015]]

    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 82,586.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 82,586.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,092.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost: $328,617.
    Estimated Respondents' Operation and Maintenance Costs: $0.
    Estimated Respondents' Capital and Start-Up Costs: $0.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Federal Government: $2,104,395.

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.

Millicent Brown Wilson,
Records Management Branch Chief, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, Mission Support, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2023-01555 Filed 1-25-23; 8:45 am]
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