[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 226 (Friday, November 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70677-70678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27639]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employee Benefits Security Administration


Proposed Extension of Information Collection Request; Submitted 
for Public Comment; Multiemployer Plan Annual Funding Notice

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 
95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Department of Labor (the Department) 
conducts a preclearance consultation program so that the general public 
and other federal agencies can comment on proposed and continuing 
collections of information. This program helps to ensure that the data 
the Department gathers arrive in the desired format, that the reporting 
burden on the public (time and financial resources) is minimized, that 
the public understands the

[[Page 70678]]

collection instruments, and that the Department can accurately assess 
the impact of collection requirements on respondents.
    By this notice, the Department is soliciting comments on the 
information collection provisions of regulations pertaining to section 
101(f) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as 
amended (ERISA). The statute and the regulatory provisions codified at 
29 CFR 2520.101-4 require the administrator of a defined benefit plan 
which is a multiemployer plan to furnish an annual plan funding notice 
to each plan participant and beneficiary, each labor organization 
representing such participants or beneficiaries, each employer that has 
an obligation to contribute under the plan, and the Pension Benefit 
Guaranty Corporation. A copy of the information collection request 
(ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office shown in the addresses 
section of this notice. ICRs submitted to OMB also are available at 
http://www.RegInfo.gov.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office shown in the 
addresses section on or before January 20, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments 
regarding the information collection request and burden estimates to: 
G. Christopher Cosby, Office of Policy and Research, U.S. Department of 
Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room N-5718, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 693-
8410; Fax: (202) 219-4745. These are not toll-free numbers. Comments 
may also be submitted electronically to the following Internet e-mail 
address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Pursuant to section 101(a)(1) of ERISA, the administrator of a 
defined benefit plan which is a multiemployer plan must furnish an 
annual plan funding notice to each plan participant and beneficiary, 
each labor organization representing such participants or 
beneficiaries, each employer that has an obligation to contribute under 
the plan, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. The Department 
issued a final implementing regulation under this provision on January 
11, 2006 (71 FR 1904), which is codified at 29 CFR 2520.101-4. The ICR 
relating to the regulation was approved on March 17, 2005 under OMB 
Control Number 1210-0126. The ICR was extended on extended on August 
20, 2008 and is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Department is particularly interested in comments that:
     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;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
     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;
     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 submission of responses.

III. Current Actions

    The Employee Benefits Security Administration is requesting an 
extension of the currently approved ICR for the Multiemployer Plan 
Annual Funding Notice under ERISA section 101(f) and 29 CFR 2520.101-4. 
The Department is not proposing or implementing changes to the 
regulation or to the existing ICR at this time but is working toward 
amending the regulation to reflect amendments made by the Pension 
Protection Act of 2006. A summary of the ICR and the current burden 
estimates follows:
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of 
Labor.
    Title: Multiemployer Plan Annual Funding Notice.
    OMB Number: 1210-0126.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit institutions; not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Respondents: 1,595.
    Total Responses: 10,048,000.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 4,345.
    Estimated Annual Burden Cost: $1,083,000.
    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.

    Dated: November 12, 2008.
Joseph S. Piacentini,
Director, Office of Policy and Research, Employee Benefits Security 
Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-27639 Filed 11-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P