Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 7866-7867 [2015-02863]

Agencies

• FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7866-7867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02863]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; 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 (PRA), 
pursuant to 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.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR H-4 and FR 3076, 
by any of the following methods:
     Agency Web site: https://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Email: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include OMB 
number in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
     Mail: Robert deV. Frierson, 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 
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx 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 
3515, 1801 K Street (between 18th and 19th Streets NW.) Washington, DC 
20006 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
    Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the 
OMB Desk Officer, Shagufta Ahmed, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, 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: https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested 
from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
    Federal Reserve Board Acting Clearance Officer, John Schmidt, 
Office of the Chief Data Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551 (202) 452-3829. Telecommunications 
Device for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202) 263-4869, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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
     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
     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;
     ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
     ways to minimize the burden of information collection on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and
     estimates of capital or start up costs and costs of 
operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information

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

    Report title: Recordkeeping Requirements Associated with Real 
Estate Appraisal Standards for Federally Related Transactions Pursuant 
to Regulations H and Y.
    Agency form number: FR H-4.
    OMB control number: 7100-0250.
    Frequency: Event-generated.

[[Page 7867]]

    Reporters: State Member Banks (SMBs) and nonbank subsidiaries of 
Bank Holding Companies (BHCs).
    Estimated annual reporting hours: SMBs, 31,820 hours; nonbank 
subsidiaries of BHCs, 11,813 hours.
    Estimated average hours per response: SMBs, 0.25; nonbank 
subsidiaries of BHCs, 0.25.
    Number of respondents: SMBs, 860; nonbank subsidiaries of BHCs, 
613.
    General description of report: The recordkeeping requirements of 
this information collection are mandatory (12 U.S.C. 3339). Since the 
Federal Reserve does not collect this information, confidentiality is 
not generally an issue. However, if the Federal Reserve were to collect 
a copy of the appraisal report during an examination, the documents 
could be exempt from disclosure under FOIA (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) and 
(b)(8)).
    Abstract: For federally related transactions, Title XI of the 
Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 
(FIRREA) requires SMBs and BHCs with credit-extending nonbank 
subsidiaries to use appraisals prepared in accordance with the Uniform 
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice promulgated by the 
Appraisal Standards Board of the Appraisal Foundation. Generally, these 
standards include the methods and techniques used to analyze a property 
as well as the requirements for reporting such analysis and a value 
conclusion in the appraisal. SMBs and BHCs with credit-extending 
nonbank subsidiaries are expected to maintain records that demonstrate 
that appraisals used in their real estate-related lending activities 
comply with these regulatory requirements. There is no formal reporting 
form.

Proposal To Approve Under OMB Delegated Authority the Implementation of 
the Following Information Collection

    Report title: Federal Reserve Board Public Web site Usability 
Survey.
    Agency form number: FR 3076.
    OMB control number: 7100--to be assigned.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Reporters: Consumers, media, economists, financial institutions, 
nonprofits, community development organizations, consumer groups, state 
or local agencies, and researchers from academic, government, policy 
and other institutions.
    Estimated annual reporting hours: Surveys, 300 hours; and Focus 
Groups, 120 hours.
    Estimated average hours per response: Surveys, .25 hours; and Focus 
Groups, 1.50 hours.
    Number of respondents: Surveys, 100; and Focus Groups, 20.
    General description of report: This information collection is 
generally authorized under section 2B of the Federal Reserve Act, as 
amended, that requires the Board to provide certain reports, audits, 
and other information that ``the Board reasonably believes is necessary 
or helpful to the public in understating the accounting, financial 
reporting, and internal controls of the Board and the Federal reserve 
banks.'' 12 U.S.C. 225b(c). In addition, the Board uses its Web site to 
provide the public information about a variety of other matters, 
including information about the Board, its actions, and the economy. 
The responses to this survey will help the Board to determine how 
effective its communications are as the Board strives to fulfill its 
statutory mission to ``maintain long run growth of the monetary and 
credit aggregates commensurate with the economy's long run potential to 
increase production, so as to promote effectively the goals of maximum 
employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.'' 12 
U.S.C. 225a. Participation in the FR 3076 would be voluntary and the 
information collected on these surveys is not considered confidential. 
Thus, no issue of confidentiality arises.
    Abstract: The Board would use the FR 3076 survey to obtain feedback 
from the public users of the Federal Reserve Board's public Web site, 
social media, outreach, and communication responsibilities. This 
collection would seek input from users or potential users to understand 
their interests and needs; to help make informed decisions concerning 
content, design, and dissemination strategies; to gauge public 
awareness of its offerings and resources; and to assess the 
effectiveness of its communications with various audiences.
    The FR 3076 would be used to gather qualitative and quantitative 
information directly from users or potential users of the Board's Web 
site such as the public, the Congress, other government agencies, 
economic educators, economists, financial institutions, financial 
literacy groups, and community development groups and more.
    Web pages may include press releases, data releases and download, 
reports, supervision manuals, brochures, new Web pages, audio, video, 
and use of social media. Information gathered may also include general 
input on users' interests and needs, feedback on Web site navigation 
and layout, distribution channels, or other factors which may affect 
the ability of users to locate and access content online.
    Qualitative surveys include data gathering methods such as focus 
groups and individual interviews. Quantitative surveys include surveys 
conducted online or via mobile device, by phone or by mail, emails, or 
a combination of these methods. The Board may choose to contract with 
an outside vendor to conduct focus groups, interviews, or surveys; or 
the Board may choose to collect the data directly.
    As FederalReserve.gov continues to evolve, the Board may seek input 
from users or potential users of Board's public Web site on questions 
such as:
     Did you find the content and layout relevant and of value?
     How did you find the content you were looking for?
     Was the navigation useful?
     How did you learn about the content?
     How did you access the content? (e.g.: paper copy 
distributed at an event, online, or mobile device). If online or 
through a mobile device, was the document printed, viewed on a tablet, 
or on a computer screen?
     What suggestions do you have for improving the format and 
appearance of online presentation? (e.g.: readability--font size, 
charts, and graphs; organization of information; and navigating--
indexing, search tools, and links).
     What other information would be of value to enhance the 
online tool or information?
    Participation in the FR 3076 would be voluntary.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, February 6, 
2015.
Robert deV. Frierson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2015-02863 Filed 2-11-15; 8:45 am]
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