The Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
NGDISM Grant Program Supporting Statement 11.14.22.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2022-11-14	Repair queued
30-Day FR Notice 11.4.22.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-11-10	Repair queued
Plastics Pipe Institute.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-11-10	Repair queued
Distribution Contractors.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-11-10	Repair queued
APGA.pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-11-10	Repair queued
PLAW-117publ58 (1).pdf	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2022-04-01	Repair queued

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
252583	Post Grant Reporting		Modified
252582	Grant Application	Other-Description of collection	Modified

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 2137-0641	ICR Reference No: 202211-2137-002
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202204-2137-001
Agency/Subagency: DOT/PHMSA	Agency Tracking No: BIL Grant 2022 Renew
Title: The Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 01/24/2023
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 11/14/2022
Terms of Clearance:

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2026	36 Months From Approved	01/31/2023
Responses	1,000	0	200
Time Burden (Hours)	34,000	0	7,000
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: This information collection covers the collection of applicant data from municipality and community-owned utilities that are interested in applying to receive funds from the “Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program.” Solicitation for grants under the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant Program is voluntary. No eligible entity is required to apply. To be eligible, however, municipality and community-owned utilities must meet all the requirements set forth in the law. Therefore, DOT must collect certain information from applicants to determine eligibility and evaluate applications. DOT must also verify the accuracy of grant requests from approved applicants, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other laws and regulations governing Federal financial assistance programs, including (but not limited to) the Anti Deficiency Act, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, and 2 CFR part 200, among others. This information collection also covers the collection of data from grant recipients. PHMSA expects to receive approximately 100 applications from potential grantees. PHMSA estimates that it will take the 100 applicants approximately 65 hours to compile and submit the forms required to complete the application process for an annual burden of 6,500 hours. PHMSA estimates that 100 grant recipients will spend 5 hours, annually, submitting post-award reports for an annual burden of 500 hours. Therefore, PHMSA estimates that there will be a total of 200 responses (100 applicants + 100 grant recipients) for an aggregate total annual burden for the information collection of 7,000 hours (6,500 hours for applications + 500 hours for post-award reports).

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Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 117 - 58 Division J Title VIII Name of Law: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 36374	06/16/2022
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	87 FR 66773	11/04/2022
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 2

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Grant Application
Post Grant Reporting

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	1,000	200	0	800	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	34,000	7,000	0	27,000	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: During the 60-Day comment period APGA commented that due to the highly technical and granular data required to complete the grant application, the actual burden hours exceeded PHMSA’s 82-hours’ estimate. Specifically, APGA stated “Due to the quantity of highly technical and granular data required in this application, it has been the experience of APGA members that the application takes more than 82 hours to complete. This is especially true during the first iteration of the application. The application expands beyond routine pipeline safety, design, construction, and integrity management questions to include areas of less familiarity with the average applicant. Many have had to rely upon subject matter experts in the areas of grant writing, environmental mitigation strategies, and cyber security guidelines.” APGA estimated that the average initial application required nearly 200 hours to complete. PHMSA agrees that the application requires a variety of meticulous details that may take additional time to collect in order to properly prepare an application that complies with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). PHMSA also believes that future rounds of NGDISM NOFOs will require less time given the number of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that are now available as well as PHMSA’s intention to incorporate many of APGA’s suggested edits in future NOFO iterations. As such, PHMSA has agreed to increase the estimated burden to 32,000 hours, for an average of 160 hours per applicant.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $396,000

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 11/14/2022

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