2011-18339. Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Reserve System.

SUMMARY:

Background

On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), as per 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of information instruments are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal

The following information collection, which is being handled under this delegated authority, has received initial Board approval and is hereby published for comment. At the end of the comment period, the proposed information collection, along with an analysis of comments and recommendations received, will be submitted to the Board for final approval under OMB delegated authority. Comments are invited on the following:

a. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; including whether the information has practical utility;

b. The accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

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

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before September 19, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by Reg BB by any of the following methods:

• Agency Web Site: http://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at http://www.federalreserve.gov/​generalinfo/​foia/​ProposedRegs.cfm.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: [e-mail]. Include docket number in the subject line of the message.
• FAX: [phone] or 202-452-3102.
• Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551.

All public comments are available from the Board's Web site at http://www.federalreserve.gov/​generalinfo/​foia/​ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper form in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C Streets, NW.) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Additionally, commenters should send a copy of their comments to the OMB Desk Officer by mail to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to 202-395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of the PRA OMB submission, including the proposed reporting form and instructions, supporting statement, and other documentation will be placed into OMB's public docket files, once approved. These documents will also be made available on the Federal Reserve Board's public Web site at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/​boarddocs/​reportforms/​review.cfm or may be requested from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below. Cynthia Ayouch, Acting Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer (202-452-3829), Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202-263-4869), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

Proposal To Approve Under OMB Delegated Authority the Extension for Three Years, Without Revision of the Following Information Collection

Report title: The Recordkeeping, Reporting and Disclosure Requirements in Connection with Regulation BB (Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)).

Agency form number: Reg BB.

OMB control number: 7100-0197.

Frequency: Annually.

Reporters: State member banks (SMBs).

Annual reporting hours: 52,127 hours.

Estimated average hours per response: Recordkeeping Requirement, small business and small farm loan register, 219 hours. Optional Recordkeeping Requirements, consumer loan data, 326 hours and other loan data, 25 hours. Reporting Requirements, assessment area delineation, 2 hours; small business and small farm loan data, 8 hours; community development loan data, 13 hours; and HMDA out of MSA loan data, 253 hours. Optional Reporting Requirements, data on lending by a consortium or third party, 17 hours; affiliate lending data, 38 hours; strategic plan, 275 hours; and request for designation as a wholesale or limited purpose bank, 4 hours. Disclosure Requirement, public file, 10 hours.

Number of respondents: Recordkeeping Requirement, small business and small farm loan register, 72. Optional Recordkeeping Requirements, consumer loan data, 24 and other loan data, 4. Reporting Requirements, assessment area delineation, 72; small business and small farm loan data, 72; community development loan data, 72; and HMDA out of MSA loan data, 72. Optional Reporting Requirements, data on lending by a consortium or third party, 6; affiliate lending data, 4; strategic plan, 1; and request for designation as a wholesale or limited purpose bank, 1. Disclosure Requirement, public file, 803.

General description of report: This information collection is authorized by section 806 of the CRA which permits the board to issue regulations to carry out the purpose of CRA (12 U.S.C. 2905), Section 11 of the Federal Reserve Act (FRA), which permits the Board to require such statements as reports of SMBs as it deems necessary (12 U.S.C. 248(a)(1)), and section 9 of the FRA, which permits the Board to examine SMBs (12 U.S.C. 325). The requirements are generally mandatory, depending on bank size and other factors. The data that are reported to the Federal Reserve are not considered confidential.

Abstract: This submission covers an extension of the Federal Reserve's currently approved information collections in their CRA regulations (12 CFR Part 228). The submission involves no change to the regulation or to the information collection.

The Federal Reserve System needs the information collected to fulfill their obligations under the CRA to evaluate and assign ratings to the performance of institutions in connection with helping to meet the credit needs of their communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with safe and sound banking practices. The Federal Reserve System uses the information in the examination process and in evaluating applications for mergers, branches, and certain other corporate activities. Financial institutions maintain and provide the information to the Federal Reserve System.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, July 15, 2011.

Jennifer J. Johnson,

Secretary of the Board.