[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40664-40665]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15175]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Proposed Information Collection Request

ACTION: Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations: Labor Surplus 
Areas.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the proposed extension of the collection 
of data contained in the procedures to petition for classification as a 
Labor Surplus Area (LSA) under exceptional circumstances criteria.

DATES: Submit comments on or before September 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Anthony D. Dais, Acting Director, USES/ALMIS, Employment and 
Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-4231, 
Washington, DC 20210; (202) 693-2784 (not a toll-free number); Internet 
address: [email protected]; FAX: (202) 693-3015.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    I. Background: Under Executive Orders 12073 and 10582, and 20 CFR 
Parts 651 and 654, the Secretary of Labor is required to classify LSAs 
and disseminate this information for the use of all Federal agencies. 
This information is used by Federal agencies for various purposes 
including procurement decisions, food stamp waiver decisions, certain 
small business loan decisions, as well as other purposes determined by 
the agencies. The LSA list is issued annually, effective October 1 of 
each year, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Areas 
meeting the criteria are classified as LSAs.
    Department regulations specify that the Department can add other 
areas to the annual LSA listing under the exceptional circumstance 
criteria. Such additions are based upon information contained in 
petitions submitted by the State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) to the ETA's 
national office. These petitions contain specific economic information 
about an area in order to provide ample justification for adding the 
area to the LSA listing under the exceptional circumstances criteria. 
An area is eligible for classification as a LSA if it meets all of the 
criteria, and if the exceptional circumstance event is not temporary or 
seasonal. This data collection pertains only to data submitted 
voluntarily by states in exceptional circumstances petitions.
    Most of the information contained in the SWA LSA petitions is 
already available from other sources, e.g., internal reports, 
statistical programs, newspaper clippings, etc. The petitions are not 
intended to provide new (unduplicated) information but serve to bring 
various types of information together in a single document in order 
that a LSA classification determination can be made. The only 
information which SWAs may have to develop for use in the petition is 
the 12-month projections of the area's labor force and unemployment. No 
periodic reporting is required.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: The Department of Labor is 
particularly interested in comments which:
     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;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the office below in the ADDRESSES section of 
this notice.
    III. Current Actions: This is a request for the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) of an extension to an existing 
collection of information previously approved and assigned OMB Control 
No. 1205-0207. There is a reduction in burden based on an experience 
rate for the last two years of the approved data collection period: one 
petition in 2003 and zero in 2004.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Agency: Employment and Training Administration.
    Title: Procedures for Classifying Labor Surplus Areas Exceptional 
Circumstances Reporting.
    OMB Number: 1205-0207.
    Affected Public: State Workforce Agencies.
    Burden Table below:
    Total Estimated Cost to SWAs: $208 ($24.93 average wage x 4 hours = 
99.72 x 1 respondent = $99.72).

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                                     Number of     Response per        Total         Hours per     Total burden
              Form                  respondents        year          responses       response          hours
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Current Procedure...............               5               5               5               4              20
Proposed Procedure..............               1               1               1               4               4
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    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 0.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): 0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the ICR; they will 
also become a matter of public record.


[[Page 40665]]


    Dated: June 28, 2004.
Grace A. Kilbane,
Administrator, Office of Workforce Investment.
[FR Doc. 04-15175 Filed 7-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-30-P