2015-13395. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction, or Increase in Benefit Payments

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) sponsored information collection request (ICR) revision titled, “Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction, or Increase in Benefit Payments,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for use in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES:

The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives on or before July 6, 2015.

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 free of charge from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAViewICR?​ref_​nbr=​201502-1240-002 (this link will only become active on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-OWCP, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: [phone] (this is not a toll-free number); or by email: [e-mail]. Commenters are encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [e-mail].

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This ICR seeks approval under the PRA for revisions to the Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction, or Increase in Benefit Payments information collection. Coal mine operators, their representatives, and their insurers who have been identified as responsible for paying Black Lung benefits to an eligible miner or an eligible surviving dependent of the miner are called Responsible Operators (ROs). An RO who pays benefits to a beneficiary is required to report any change in the benefit amount to the Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation within the OWCP. Form CM-908, when properly completed and submitted, notifies the agency of the change in the beneficiary's benefit amount and the reason for the change. This information collection has been classified as a revision, because of minor enhancements to Form CM-908; however, no changes to the content in the form of the form are proposed. Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 section 432 authorizes this information collection. See 30 U.S.C. 942.

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 that does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection under Control Number 1240-0030. The current approval is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2015; however, the DOL notes that existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. New requirements would only take effect upon OMB approval. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on February 18, 2015 (80 FR 8699).

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 thirty (30) days of publication of this notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1240-0030. 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-OWCP.

Title of Collection: Notice of Termination, Suspension, Reduction, or Increase in Benefit Payments.

OMB Control Number: 1240-0030.

Affected Public: Private Sector—businesses or other for profits.

Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 325.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 5,000.

Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 1,000 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $5,200.

Dated: May 27, 2015.

Michel Smyth,

Departmental Clearance Officer.