04-18300. Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The 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. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning its information collection titled, “Assessment of Fees—12 CFR Part 8.”

DATES:

You should submit written comments by October 12, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

You should direct written comments to the Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Public Information Room, Mailstop 1-5, Attention: 1557-0223, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by facsimile transmission to [phone], or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You can inspect and photocopy the comments at the OCC's Public Information Room, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. You can make an appointment to inspect the comments by calling [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You can request additional information or a copy of the collection from John Ference or Camille Dixon, [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: Assessment of Fees—12 CFR part 8.

OMB Number: 1557-0223.

Description: The OCC is requesting comment on its proposed extension, without change, of the information collection titled, “Assessment of Fees—12 CFR part 8.” The National Bank Act authorizes the OCC to collect assessments, fees, and other charges as necessary or appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of the OCC. The OCC will require national banks to provide the OCC with “receivables attributable” data from independent credit card banks, that is, national banks that primarily engage in credit card operations and are not affiliated with a full service national bank. “Receivables attributable” are the total amount of outstanding balances due on credit card accounts owned by an independent credit card bank (the receivables attributable to those accounts) on the last day of an assessment period, minus receivables retained on the bank's balance sheet as of that day. The OCC will use the information to verify the accuracy of each bank's assessment computation and to adjust the assessment rate for independent credit card banks over time.

Type of Review: Extension of OMB approval.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit (national banks).

Estimated Number of Respondents: 35.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 70.

Frequency of Response: Semiannually.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 70 hours.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless the information collection displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will 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 startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: August 4, 2004.

Stuart Feldstein,

Assistant Director, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division.