[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 117 (Friday, June 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34202-34203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-13783]


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PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION


Proposed Submission of Information Collection for OMB Review; 
Comment Request; Survey of Frozen Defined Benefit Pension Plans

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of request for OMB approval.

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SUMMARY: The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation intends to request 
that the Office of Management and Budget approve a new collection of 
information under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose of the 
information collection, which will be conducted via a mail survey, is 
to help the PBGC assess the extent to which the plans it insures have 
been frozen, the intentions of the plans' sponsors regarding those 
frozen plans, and the extent to which plan sponsors are considering 
freezing plans that are not frozen. The effect of this notice is to 
advise the public of, and to solicit public comment on, this proposed 
collection of information.

DATES: Comments should be submitted by August 17, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to the Office of the General Counsel, 
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20005-4026, or delivered to Suite 340 at that address during normal 
business hours. Comments also may be submitted electronically through 
the PBGC's Web site at http://www.pbgc.gov/paperwork, or by fax to 
(202) 326-4112. The PBGC will make all comments available on its Web 
site, http://www.pbgc.gov.
    Copies of the collection of information may be obtained without 
charge by writing to the PBGC's Communications and Public Affairs 
Department at Suite 240 at the above address or by visiting that office 
or calling (202) 326-4040 during normal business hours. (TTY and TDD 
users may call the Federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 
and ask to be connected to (202) 326-4040.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James L. Beller, Attorney, Office of 
the General Counsel, PBGC, 1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005-
4026; (202) 326-4024. (TTY and TDD users may call the Federal relay 
service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to (202) 
326-4024.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PBGC intends to request that OMB approve 
a mail survey designed to gather information about frozen defined 
benefit plans. Findings about these plans' characteristics, sponsor 
rationales for freezing these plans, sponsor intentions to either 
terminate or unfreeze these plans, and sponsor intentions to freeze 
plans that are not frozen will allow the PBGC to better forecast future 
trends in the plans it insures. In addition, the Government Accounting 
Office has recommended that the PBGC ``conduct a pilot study to 
identify frozen [defined benefit] plans it insures and assess the 
usefulness of information on the characteristics and consequences of 
plan freezes.'' This collection of information would address that 
recommendation.
    Participation in this voluntary collection of information will put 
a slight burden on a very small percentage of the public. The PBGC 
estimates that there will be 400 respondents with an annual burden of 
approximately 180 hours and $5,500. 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.
    The PBGC is specifically seeking public comment to:
    (1) 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;

[[Page 34203]]

    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the estimate of burden to the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are able to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

    Issued in Washington, DC, this 10th day of June, 2004.
Stuart Sirkin,
Director, Corporate Policy and Research Department, Pension Benefit 
Guaranty Corporation.
[FR Doc. 04-13783 Filed 6-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7708-01-P