SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments are invited 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Title: Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) Reporting and FNS-292A/FNS-292B Recordkeeping.

Form Number: FNS-292A and FNS-292B.

OMB Control Number: 0584-0336.

Expiration Date: 12/31/2028.

Type of Request: Revision of a previously approved collection.

Abstract: Pursuant to § 412 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5179) and § 5(h)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014(h)), the Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to establish a Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP), which is a temporary program that State agencies may operate to provide food assistance to households affected by a disaster. D-SNAP is separate and distinct from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) because it has different standards of eligibility, is operated for a limited duration, and only provides one month of benefits to eligible households. ( printed page 39065)

State agencies submit formal waiver requests to operate D-SNAP to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) for approval and may only request to operate D-SNAP in areas that have received a Presidential major disaster declaration with authorization for Individual Assistance, also known as an IA declaration. For a major disaster declaration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regional Office deploys staff to conduct joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) in conjunction with State, local, Tribal Nation, and/or territory representatives. The Governor or Tribal Executive then submits a declaration request. FEMA submits a recommendation to the President regarding the declaration request and the final determinations are at the sole discretion of the President.

In their D-SNAP waiver requests, State agencies outline the impact of the disaster on households and/or businesses, the proposed procedures for conducting D-SNAP, designate the areas where they wish to operate, and provide estimates of benefit issuance. Using clearly defined criteria, FNS created a waiver template for State agencies to submit their D-SNAP requests electronically through the FNS Waiver Information Management System (WIMS).

Once an initial waiver request to operate D-SNAP is approved by FNS, State agencies will submit any subsequent request to modify or extend operations to eligible areas to FNS for approval. These modification or extension requests are typically used when a disaster impacts different areas of a State in different ways or at different times. Subsequent modification and extension requests require substantially less time to prepare than the initial D-SNAP waiver request. These requests are submitted electronically through WIMS.

Along with the waiver request to operate D-SNAP in areas that have received an IA declaration, FNS asks that the State agency submit a sample of their D-SNAP application for households applying for assistance. Per FNS D-SNAP guidance,^[1] this application should include information about the head of household, the impact of the disaster on the household, household members, household income and resources, a penalty warning, and USDA's nondiscrimination statement. FNS provides State agencies with a sample application in the D-SNAP Toolkit. State agencies submit their sample application electronically through WIMS.

Additionally, before a State agency operates a D-SNAP, FNS asks the State agency to provide a draft of their press release for FNS to review. State agencies are expected to issue a press release to publicize the application period to households impacted by the disaster that may need assistance. FNS asks State agencies to issue their press release at least several days before the application period for D-SNAP opens to the public. Per D-SNAP Guidance, the press release should include information about the operation such as the counties or ZIP Codes approved for assistance, application dates, application sites and hours of operation, and other information that potential applicants may need. FNS provides State agencies with an example press release in the D-SNAP Toolkit. The draft press release is submitted by State agencies electronically through WIMS.

During the application period for a D-SNAP, State agencies submit daily data reports to FNS. Daily reports ensure that FNS can monitor State agency capacity and benefit issuance to maintain a high level of customer service and integrity in D-SNAP operations. The reporting template includes data such as the number of new applications taken, the number of applications approved and denied, the amount of benefits issued, the number of pending applications, the number of supplements approved, and the amount of supplements issued. For operations containing a virtual component, the daily report also captures telephonic operation and card issuance data. FNS provides State agencies with a daily report template to provide this data to the agency. State agencies submit daily data reports electronically through WIMS.

Six months after the closing date of the D-SNAP application period, State agencies will submit a post disaster report to FNS. The post disaster report ensures that FNS understands all aspects of the D-SNAP operation and can identify opportunities for improvement. The report template asks that State agencies summarize the impact of the disaster, detail the D-SNAP operation and procedures utilized, provide case review results, and reflect on changes that could be considered in the future. FNS provides State agencies with a post disaster report template to provide this information to the agency. State agencies submit post-disaster review reports electronically through WIMS.

This information collection request contains only burden estimates associated with the State agency's waiver request and some reporting for D-SNAP operations. All burden imposed on State agencies and households associated with the certification of D-SNAP households performed by State agencies is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-0064 (SNAP Forms: Applications, Periodic Reporting, Notices; expiration date: 05/31/2026).

Burden for the remainder of State reporting of D-SNAP data on the FNS-292B (Report of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefit Issuance) is approved under two separate OMB Control Numbers. The recordkeeping burden for FNS-292B is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-0037 (expiration date: 9/30/2026), and the reporting burden for FNS-292B is approved under OMB Control Number 0584-0594 (Food Programs Reporting System; expiration date: 3/31/2025). In a Federal Register Notice published December 4, 2023, (88 FR 84122) FNS announced that it intended to merge the burden hours from 0584-0037 into this information collection. However, when FNS processed the revision to this information collection in December 2025, we neglected to include those merged hours from 0584-0037 into 0584-0336. This revision seeks to merge these two information collections as originally intended.

Because it is impossible to predict the number of natural disasters and extreme weather events that result in an IA declaration in a given year, and because some State agencies may find that operation of a D-SNAP is not warranted even upon receipt of an IA declaration, from Federal Fiscal Year 2022 to 2024, an average of 9 State agencies requested to operate D-SNAP each year and an average of 4 State agencies requested to modify and/or extend.

Merge of Burden Hours From 0584-0037

In a Federal Register Notice published December 4, 2023, (88 FR 84122) FNS announced that it intended to merge the burden hours from 0584-0037 into this information collection. However, when FNS processed the revision to this information collection in December 2025, we neglected to include those merged hours from 0584-0037 into 0584-0336. This revision seeks to merge these two information collections as originally intended. This information collection is being merged with 0584-0336 to streamline burden estimates related to disasters into one information collection. OMB Control Number 0584-0037 pertains only to the recordkeeping burden associated with forms FNS- 292A and FNS-292B. The reporting ( printed page 39066) burden associated with these forms is approved under OMB No. 0584-0594 (Food Program Reporting System; expiration date: 9/30/2026). FNS utilizes forms FNS-292A and FNS-292B to collect information not otherwise available on the extent of FNS-funded disaster relief operations. Form FNS-292A, Report of Commodity Distribution for Disaster Relief, is used by State distributing agencies, including Indian Tribal Organizations administering the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), to provide a summary report to FNS following termination of disaster commodity assistance and to request replacement of donated foods distributed during the disaster or situation of distress. Donated food distribution in disaster situations is authorized under section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c); Section 416 of the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1431); Section 709 of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1965 (7 U.S.C. 1446a-1); Section 4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (7 U.S.C. 612c note); and by sections 412 and 413 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5179, 5180). Program implementing regulations are contained in part 250 of title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). In accordance with 7 CFR 250.69(f) and 7 CFR 250.70(f), State distributing agencies shall provide a summary report to FNS within 45 days following termination of the disaster assistance and maintain records of these reports and other information relating to disasters. Form FNS-292B, Report of Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefit Issuance, is used by State agencies to report to FNS the number of households and persons certified for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits as well as the value of benefits issued. D-SNAP is a separate program from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and is authorized by sections 402 and 502 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and the temporary emergency provisions contained in section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and in 7 CFR part 280 of the SNAP regulations. State agencies may request FNS approval to operate a D-SNAP to address the temporary food needs of certain households in affected areas following a disaster after certain criteria is met. If approved to operate D-SNAP by FNS, a State agency must submit its final FNS-292B to FNS within 45 days of terminating D-SNAP operations and maintain records of this report. The number of disasters that will result in a State requesting to operate a FNS disaster food relief activity in a given year is impossible to predict. However, 55 is the maximum number of State distributing agencies that have ever utilized disaster commodity assistance in a given year. Accordingly, FNS is estimating this burden by assuming that, at maximum, 55 State distributing agency will distribute donated foods during a disaster or situation of distress once per year. In the case of State SNAP agencies, FNS is estimating this burden assuming that each State SNAP agency will request and be approved to operate D-SNAP once per year.

Summary of Burden Hours

Reporting

Affected Public: State, local, Tribal Nation, territory agency or government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 9. An average of 9 State agencies submit D-SNAP waiver requests each year, and out of those original 9 State agencies, an average of 4 State agencies will submit subsequent waiver requests to modify or extend those already approved D-SNAPs. Each new D-SNAP waiver request includes submitting a sample application and draft press release. Additionally, daily reports are submitted each day that the D-SNAP application period is open, and the post disaster report is submitted several months later. This is an increase from the previously approved information collection as there has been a steady increase in the number of disasters occurring throughout the country since the previous information collection was approved and additional activities have been added to more accurately capture the burden of administering D-SNAP.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 28.8889. State agencies submit an average of 2 D-SNAP waiver requests per year and an average of 2 subsequent modification or extension requests per year.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 260.

Estimated Time per Response: 3.4154. Approximately 10 hours for State agency D-SNAP waiver requests, 3 hours for each subsequent modification or extension request, 1 hour for a sample application, 2 hours for a draft press release, 1 hour for a daily report, and 10 hours for a post disaster report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 888.

Recordkeeping

Affected Public: State, local, Tribal Nation, territory agency or government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 55. 55 Food Distribution State agencies submit a Form FNS-292A, and 53 State SNAP agencies submit a Form FNS-292B.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.9636. State agencies submit an average of 1 FNS-292A and 1 FNS-292B per year.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 108.

Estimated Time per Response:.1250. Approximately 7.5 minutes to compile each FNS-292A and FNS-292B.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 13.50.

Grand Total

Affected Public: State, local, Tribal Nation, territory agency or government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 55.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6.6909.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 368.

Estimated Time per Response: 2.4497.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 901.5.