2012-9980. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; ERISA Procedure 76-1; Advisory Opinion Procedure

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, “ERISA Procedure 76-1; Advisory Opinion Procedure,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

DATES:

Submit comments on or before May 29, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained from the RegInfo.gov Web site, http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain,, on the day following publication of this notice or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-EBSA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Telephone: [phone]/Fax: [phone] (these are not toll-free numbers), email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Employee Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the EBSA has responsibility to administer the reporting, disclosure, fiduciary, and other standards for pension and welfare benefit plans. The procedure for ERISA advisory opinions establishes a public process for requesting guidance from the EBSA on how the ERISA applies to particular circumstances. The procedure sets forth specific administrative processes for requesting either an advisory opinion or an information letter and describes the types of questions that may be submitted. As part of the procedure, requesters are instructed to provide information to the EBSA concerning the circumstances governing their request. The EBSA relies on the information provided by the requester to analyze the issue presented and provide guidance.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if the collection of information does not display a valid OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under OMB Control Number 1210-0066. The current OMB approval is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012; however, it should be noted that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional information, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2011 (76 FR 76439).

Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should reference OMB Control Number 1210-0066. The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Agency: DOL-EBSA.

Title of Collection: ERISA Procedure 76-1; Advisory Opinion Procedure.

OMB Control Number: 1210-0066.

Affected Public: Private Sector—Businesses or Other For-Profits.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 56.

Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 573.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $1,250,218.

Dated: April 19, 2012.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.