Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

SUMMARY:

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, 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 OMB 83-Is and 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 proposals

The following information collections, which are being handled under this delegated authority, have received initial Board approval and are hereby published for comment. At the end of the comment period, the proposed information collections, 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 February 28, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by FR 3016 or Reg H-5, 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: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include docket number in the subject line of the message.
• FAX: 202/452-3819 or 202/452-3102.
• Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20551.

All public comments are available from the Board's web site at www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, except as necessary 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 in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C Streets, N.W.) between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of the proposed form and instructions, the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission (OMB 83-I), supporting statement, and other documents that will be placed into OMB's public docket files once approved may be requested from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.

Cindy Ayouch, 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, with minor revision, of the following report:

Report title: Ongoing Intermittent Survey of Households

Agency form number: FR 3016

OMB control number: 7100-0150

Frequency: On occasion

Reporters: Households and individuals

Annual reporting hours: 658 hours

Estimated average hours per response: Division of Research & Statistics, 1.33 minutes; Division of Consumer & Community Affairs, 3 minutes; Other divisions, 5 minutes; and Non-SRC surveys, 90 minutes

Number of respondents: 600

General description of report: This information collection is voluntary (12 U.S.C. 225a, 263, and 15 U.S.C. 1691b). No issue of confidentiality normally arises because names and any other characteristics that would permit personal identification of respondents are not reported to the Board. However, exemption 6 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6)) would exempt this information from disclosure.

Abstract: The Federal Reserve uses this voluntary survey to obtain household-based information specifically tailored to the Federal Reserve's policy, regulatory, and operational responsibilities. The University of Michigan's Survey Research Center (SRC) includes survey questions on behalf of the Federal Reserve in an addendum to their regular monthly Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Expectations. The SRC conducts the survey by telephone with a sample of 500 households and includes questions of special interest to Board staff intermittently, as needed. The frequency and content of the questions depend on changing economic, regulatory, and legislative developments.

Current actions: The Federal Reserve proposes to revise this information collection to allow contractors, either the SRC or others, to use broader surveying techniques, such as mall intercept testing, focus groups, and guided discussions.

Proposal to approve under OMB delegated authority the extension for three years, without revision of the following report:

Report title: Recordkeeping Requirements associated with the Real Estate Lending Standards Regulation for State Member Banks

Agency form number: Reg H-5

OMB control number: 7100-0261

Frequency: Aggregate report, quarterly; policy statement, annually

Reporters: State member banks

Annual reporting hours: 19,660 hours

Estimated average hours per response: Aggregate report, 5 hours; policy statement, 20 hours

Number of respondents: 935

General description of report: This information collection is mandatory (12 U.S.C. 1828(o)) and is not given confidential treatment.

Abstract: State member banks must adopt and maintain a written real estate lending policy. Also, banks must identify their loans in excess of the supervisory loan-to-value limits and report (at least quarterly) the aggregate amount of the loans to the bank's board of directors.