10 February 2010

[Federal Register: February 10, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 27)]
[Notices]               
[Page 6681-6682]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10fe10-86]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2010-0004]

 
National Disaster Recovery Framework

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in 
coordination with the interagency Long Term Disaster Recovery Working 
Group, is accepting comments on the draft National Disaster Recovery 
Framework (NDRF). The NDRF is intended to work in concert with the 
National Response Framework to provide organizing constructs and 
principles solely focused on disaster recovery. Recognizing the 
continuum between preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, the 
NDRF transitions with and continues beyond the scope of the National 
Response Framework.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 26, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be identified by docket ID FEMA-2010-0004 and 
may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. Please note that this proposed 
policy is not a rulemaking and the Federal Rulemaking Portal is being 
utilized only as a mechanism for receiving comments.
    Mail: Regulation & Policy Team, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Room 835, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20472-3100.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerilee Bennett, Planning Branch 
Chief, Recovery Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472, 202-646-4173.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or 
material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will 
include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting 
this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice, which can be viewed by clicking on the ``Privacy Notice'' link 
in the footer of http://www.regulations.gov.
    You may submit your comments and material by the methods specified 
in the ADDRESSES section above. Please submit your comments and any 
supporting material by only one means to avoid the receipt and review 
of duplicate submissions.
    Docket: The proposed policy is available in docket ID FEMA-2010-
0004. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments 
received, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://
www.regulations.gov and search for the docket ID.

II. Background

    The draft National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) addresses the 
short, intermediate, and long-term challenges of managing disaster 
recovery. Like the National Response Framework (NRF), the NDRF is 
intended to address all hazards events, whether natural or man-made and 
provide constructs that are scalable, adaptable, and responsive to the 
changing needs of different disasters. In recognizing the continuum 
between preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, the draft 
NDRF is intended to overlap and continue beyond the scope of the NRF.
    This opportunity for public comment on the draft NDRF is a 
continuation of an extensive engagement effort undertaken by the 
interagency Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group established by 
the President in October 2009, and co-chaired by the Secretaries of the 
Departments of Homeland Security and Housing and Urban Development. 
During the fall of 2009, DHS/FEMA and HUD sponsored outreach sessions 
in each of FEMA's ten regions and stakeholder forums in five cities 
across the nation to provide stakeholders from a wide array of 
organizations and backgrounds the opportunity to provide up-front input 
to the Working Group on ways to strengthen disaster recovery. DHS/FEMA 
and HUD also organized discussion roundtables with professional 
associations and academic experts. The Long-term Disaster Recovery 
Working Group also created a Web portal, http://
www.disasterrecoveryworkinggroup.gov, which enabled a large and diverse 
group of stakeholders to provide input. Over six hundred stakeholders 
representing local, state, tribal and federal government, as well as 
public and private sector organizations contributed more than six 
thousand responses from across the nation. FEMA, HUD, and the Federal 
interagency partners on the Working Group have reviewed this 
stakeholder feedback and used it to inform development of the draft 
NDRF. We now seek direct feedback on the draft NDRF itself through this 
public comment period. The Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group is 
also preparing a Report to the President for delivery in early April 
that will document the Working Group's overall findings and 
recommendations.
    The draft NDRF provides recovery concepts and principles important 
to all disaster recovery stakeholders. It provides guidance to 
stakeholders for engaging in pre-disaster recovery planning and other 
recovery preparedness and resiliency building efforts; clarifies roles 
for local, state, tribal and Federal governments, private-non-profit 
and private sector organizations; provides guidance for facilitating 
post-disaster recovery planning to expedite long-term disaster 
recovery; and provides assistance to stakeholders in identifying 
recovery needs beyond replacement or return to pre-disaster condition. 
The document also provides guidance that impacted communities may use 
to develop recovery priorities, and measure recovery progress and 
outcomes against their agreed-upon objectives. It also provides 
guidance for both government and non-governmental organizations 
providing recovery assistance to track progress, ensure accountability, 
and make adjustments to ongoing assistance.
    The draft NDRF lays out a systematic approach to disaster recovery, 
applicable to all levels of government and sectors of communities with 
recovery responsibilities. The draft NDRF is a guidance document. It 
does not have the force or effect of law.
    FEMA seeks comment on the draft NDRF, which is available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov in docket ID FEMA-2010-0004. Although FEMA 
seeks comments on all aspects of the document, we are particularly 
interested in receiving input on whether the document's outline of the 
relationship between the existing Emergency Support Functions and the 
proposed

[[Page 6682]]

Recovery Support Functions is clear. Based on the comments received, 
FEMA may make appropriate revisions to the NDRF. Although FEMA will 
consider any comments received in the drafting of the final document, 
FEMA will not provide a response to comments document. When or if FEMA 
issues a final NDRF, FEMA will publish a notice of availability in the 
Federal Register and make the final NDRF available at http://
www.regulations.gov. The final policy will not have the force or effect 
of law.
    The NRF, which was issued January 22, 2008 and went into effect on 
March 22, 2008, may also assist you in your review of the draft NDRF. 
The NRF was also posted for public comment before release. The NRF may 
be found on http://www.regulations.gov by searching for docket ID FEMA-
2007-0007.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 5121-5207, and 6 U.S.C. 771.

    Dated: February 5, 2010.
W. Craig Fugate,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010-2970 Filed 2-9-10; 8:45 am]
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