Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; Comment Request; Partitions of Eligible Multiemployer Plans

AGENCY:

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

ACTION:

Notice of request for extension of OMB approval of information collection.

SUMMARY:

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) extend approval, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, of a collection of information contained in its regulation on Partitions of Eligible Multiemployer Plans. This notice informs the public of PBGC's request and solicits public comment on the collection of information.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 26, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

A copy of the request will be posted on PBGC's website at https://www.pbgc.gov/prac/laws-and-regulation/federal-register-notices-open-for-comment. It may also be obtained without charge by writing to the Disclosure Division of the Office of the General Counsel of PBGC, 1200 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-4026; or, calling 202-229-4040 during normal business hours (TTY users may call the Federal Relay Service toll-free at 800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-229-4040).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Melissa Rifkin ( rifkin.melissa@pbgc.gov ), Attorney, Regulatory Affairs Division, Office of the General Counsel, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street NW, Washington DC 2005-4026; 202-229-6563. (TTY and TDD users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 202-229-6563.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) extend approval, under the Paperwork Reduction Act, of a collection of information contained in its regulation on Partitions of Eligible Multiemployer Plans (29 CFR part 4233) (OMB control number 1212-0068; expires February 28, 2022). This notice informs the public of PBGC's request and solicits public comment on the collection of information.

Sections 4233(a) and (b) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) allow a plan sponsor of a multiemployer plan to apply to PBGC for a partition of the plan and state the criteria that PBGC uses to determine a plan's eligibility for a partition.

PBGC's regulation on Partitions of Eligible Multiemployer Plans (29 CFR part 4233) sets forth the procedures for applying for a partition, the information required to be included in a partition application, and notices to interested parties of the application.

PBGC needs the information to determine whether a plan is eligible for partition and whether a proposed partition would comply with the statutory conditions required before PBGC may order a partition.

The collection of information under the regulation has been approved by OMB control number 1212-0068 (expires February 28, 2022). On October 18, 2021, PBGC published in the Federal Register (at 86 FR 57706) a notice informing the public of its intent to request an extension of this collection of information. No comments were received. PBGC is requesting that OMB extend approval of the collection for three years. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

PBGC estimates that each year there will be one application for a partition submitted by a plan sponsor under this regulation. The total estimated annual burden of the collection of information is 13 hours and $45,600.