The purpose of this ICR is to
authorize the ‘Solar Ambassador Household Intake Form’ 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 island’s 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 “very low-income single-family household”
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.
PL:
Pub.L. 117 - 328 3 Name of Law: The Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2023
PL: Pub.L. 117 - 328 3 Name of Law: The
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023
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.