[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 84 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23783-23784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11275]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4222-N-01]


User Fee Schedule for the Technical Suitability of Products 
Program--Revisions in the User Fees Assessed Manufacturers of Materials 
and Products

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing 
Commissioner, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice revises the User Fee Schedule for the Technical 
Suitability of Products program published as a final rule on August 9, 
1984, and later revised in notices published on January 22, 1985 and on 
August 1, 1990. This revised schedule increases the fees listed in the 
August 1, 1990 notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David R. Williamson, Director of the 
Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Department of Housing and 
Urban Development, Room 9146, 451 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20410. Telephone (202) 708-4560. (This is not a toll-free number.) 
Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access this number via 
TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of section 7(j) of the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3535(j)), 
the Department issued a final rule on August 9, 1984 (49 FR 31854) 
establishing a system of fees to be charged to manufacturers of 
products and materials used on structures approved for mortgages or 
loans insured under the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.). 
(That rule is codified at 24 CFR 200.934.) Under the rule, 
manufacturers that seek HUD acceptance of their materials and products 
under the Technical Suitability of Products (TSP) program (section 521 
of the National Housing Act, 12 U.S.C. 1735e) will be charged fees for 
initial applications, renewals, and revisions with respect to documents

[[Page 23784]]

for technical suitability. Paragraph (c) of 24 CFR 200.934 provides, in 
relevant part, that the Department will establish and amend the fee 
schedule by publication of a notice in the Federal Register.
    The Department has not amended the present fee schedule since 
August 1, 1990 (55 FR 31240). Income received as a result of the 
present User Fee Schedule does not maintain the current minimum level 
of support for the ongoing TSP program. A fee increase is necessary for 
the following reasons: (1) To maintain partial recovery of program 
costs, since fees have not been adjusted for nearly 7 years; (2) to 
compensate the Department more adequately for processing ``revisions,'' 
which require substantially more work than ``renewals''; (3) to bring 
the Department's fees more in line with, although significantly lower 
than, other nationally recognized technical evaluation programs; and 
(4) to recognize the fact that TSP renewals are for a 3-year period, 
which is a longer duration than provided by other nationally recognized 
evaluation programs.
    Accordingly, notice is hereby given that the Department is revising 
the fee schedule published in the notice of August 1, 1990 (55 FR 
31240), as set forth below. Additionally, the Department is modifying 
the designation ``Area Letter of Acceptance'' (ALA) to ``State Letter 
of Acceptance (SLA). The Department is discontinuing Regional Letters 
of Acceptance (RLA), and replacing them with State Letters of 
Acceptance (SLA). This modification reflects a change in Departmental 
procedures which authorize State Offices, in lieu of Regional Offices, 
to issue SLAs. This notice also clarifies that the renewal fee applies 
to Structural Engineering Bulletins (SEBs), Mechanical Engineering 
Bulletins (MEBs), Materials Releases (MRs), Administrators Review for 
Acceptance of UM Bulletins (ARAs), and SLAs only.
    The complete fee schedule, as revised, is as follows:

(i) Initial Applications

Structural Engineering Bulletins (SEBs)--$4,000
Mechanical Engineering Bulletins (MEBs)--$4,000
Materials Releases (MRs)--$4,000
State Letters of Acceptance (SLAs)--$1,000
Use of Materials Bulletins Administrator Review for Acceptance (ARAs)--
$3,000

(ii) Revisions

Structural Engineering Bulletins (SEBs)--$2,000
Mechanical Engineering Bulletins (MEBs)--$2,000
Materials Releases (MRs)--$2,000
State Letters of Acceptance (SLAs)-- $800

(iii) Basic Renewal Fee Without Revision

    The following fee schedule, as revised, will be assessed every 
three years for renewal without change:

Structural Engineering Bulletins (SEBs)--$800
Mechanical Engineering Bulletins (MEBs)--$800
Materials Releases (MRs)--$800
State Letters of Acceptance (SLAs)--$400

    Authority: Sections 7 (d) and (j), Department of Housing and 
Urban Development Act, 42 U.S.C. 3535 (d) and (j), and 24 CFR 
200.934(c).

    Dated: April 14, 1997.
Nicolas P. Retsinas,
Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 97-11275 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-27-P