2010-1135. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning its information collection titled, “Disclosure and Reporting of CRA-Related Agreements (12 CFR part 35).”

DATES:

Comments must be received by March 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Mailstop 2-3, Attention: 1557-0219, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to [phone], or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You may personally inspect and photocopy the comments at the OCC, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

Additionally, you should send a copy of your comments to: OCC Desk Officer, [1557-0219], by mail to U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., #10235, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You can request additional information or a copy of the collection from Mary H. Gottlieb, OCC Clearance Officer, [phone], Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OCC is proposing to extend OMB approval of the following information collection:

Title: Disclosure and Reporting of CRA-Related Agreements (12 CFR part 35).

OMB Control No.: 1557-0219.

Description: This submission covers an existing regulation and involves no change to the regulation, the information collection requirements, or the burden estimates. The OCC requests only that OMB extend its approval of the information collection.

National banks and their affiliates (hereinafter referred to collectively as national banks) occasionally enter into agreements with nongovernmental entities or persons (NGEPs) that are related to national banks' Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) responsibilities. Section 48 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) requires disclosure of certain of these agreements, and imposes reporting requirements on national banks and other insured depository institutions (IDIs), their affiliates, and NGEPs. 12 U.S.C. 1831y. As mandated by the FDI Act, the OCC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Office of Thrift Supervision issued regulations to implement these disclosure and reporting requirements. The reporting provisions of these regulations constitute collections of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The regulation issued by the OCC is codified at 12 CFR 35; the collections of information contained in that regulation are known as “CRA Sunshine.”

Section 48 of the FDI Act applies to written agreements that: (1) Are made in fulfillment of the CRA, (2) involve funds or other resources of an IDI or affiliate with an aggregate value of more than $10,000 in a year, or loans with an aggregate principal value of more than $50,000 in a year, and (3) are entered into by an IDI or affiliate of an IDI and an NGEP. 12 U.S.C. 1831y(e).

The parties to a covered agreement must make the agreement available to the public and the appropriate agency. The parties also must file a report annually with the appropriate agency concerning the disbursement, receipt, and use of funds or other resources under the agreement. The collections of information in CRA Sunshine implement these statutorily mandated disclosure and reporting requirements. The parties to the agreement may request confidential treatment of proprietary and confidential information in an agreement or annual report. 12 CFR 35.8. 12 U.S.C. 1831y(a)-(c).

The information collections are found in 12 CFR 35.4(b); 35.6(b)(1); 35.6(c)(1); 35.6(d)(1)(i) and (ii); 35.6(d)(2); 35.7(b); and 35.7(f)(2)(ii).

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals; Businesses or other for-profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 573.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,161.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 1,206.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized, included in the request for OMB approval, and become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: January 15, 2010.

Michele Meyer,

Assistant Director, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division.