The purpose of this ICR is to authorize the âSolar Ambassador Household Intake Formâ as the means to collect homeowner information necessary to qualify households as eligible to participate in the deployment phase of the PR-ERF. Eligibility is limited to very low-income single-family households residing in Puerto Rico that (1) include an individual with an energy-dependent disability or (2) are located in a Last Mile Community.
DOE requires emergency approval for this collection of information to comply with its legal obligations under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Public Law 117-
328. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Public Law 117-328,1 directs the Department of Energy to improve the resilience of the Puerto Rican electric grid,
including grants for low-and-moderate-income households and households that include individuals with disabilities for the purchase and installation of renewable energy, energy storage, and other grid technologies. Specifically, DOE requires emergency approval for this collection to address the urgent need to accelerate the provision of solar PV and 2 battery storage systems to ensure reliable electric service is available to vulnerable residents of Puerto Rico. Collection of this information is essential to the mission of DOE.
DOE plans to continue installations of solar PV and battery storage systems to address the harm and risk represented by the fragility of the islandâs power system. However, DOE has received significant public input from program awardees and potential beneficiaries2 to expand the types of information that may be submitted to verify eligibility under the program. Many awardees and potential beneficiaries of this program have requested DOE expand the definition âvery low-income single-family householdâ to consider additional income qualifying programs and allow potential beneficiaries to submit this information as verification of eligibility to the program. As a result, it is necessary for DOE to modify the program information collection practices in response to this public feedback.
Failure to collect the information necessary to verify eligibility in a timely manner will cause unacceptable delays in providing assistance necessary to reestablish the reliability of electric service to these vulnerable residents. As such, public harm is reasonably likely to result in the absence of emergency approval of this request.
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:
(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;
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.