[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69693-69694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28112]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

November 14, 2012.
    The Department of the Treasury will submit the following 
information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, on or after the date of 
publication of this notice.

DATES: Comments should be received on or before December 20, 2012 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other 
aspect of the information collection, including suggestion for reducing 
the burden, to (1) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for Treasury, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, or email 
at [email protected] and (2) Treasury PRA Clearance Officer, 
1750 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Suite 8140, Washington, DC 20220, or email 
at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the submission(s) may be 
obtained by calling (202) 927-5331, email at [email protected], or the 
entire information collection request maybe found at www.reginfo.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Generic Clearances for Meaningful Access Information 
Collections.
    OMB Control Number: NEW.
    Abstract: A court order was issued in American Council of the Blind 
v. Paulson, 591 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D.D.C. 2008) (``ACB v. Paulson'') 
requiring the Department of the Treasury and BEP to ``provide 
meaningful access to United States currency for blind and other 
visually impaired persons, which steps shall be completed, in 
connection with each denomination of currency, not later than the date 
when a redesign of that denomination is next approved by the Secretary 
of the Treasury * * *.''
    In compliance with the court's order, BEP intends to meet 
individually with blind and visually impaired persons and request their 
feedback about tactile features that BEP is considering for possible 
incorporation into the next U.S. paper currency redesign. BEP employees 
will attend national conventions and conferences for disabled persons. 
At those gatherings, BEP employees will invite blind and visually 
impaired persons to provide feedback about certain tactile features 
being considered for inclusion in future United States currency paper 
designs.
    The BEP also intends to contract with specialists in the field of 
visual acuity to develop methodologies for conducting scientific tests. 
Using those methodologies, the BEP or its contracted specialists will 
conduct acuity testing with select groups of blind and visually 
impaired volunteers. The acuity tests will help either confirm or 
provide other perspectives on the results of BEP's information 
collections at national conferences and conventions. The acuity tests 
will also help ground bases for which BEP determines the tactile 
feature to be incorporated into the next United States paper currency 
design.
    The BEP's information collection activities at national conferences 
will use identical methodologies or otherwise share a common element. 
Similarly, the BEP's scientific studies will use very similar 
methodologies or share a common element. Thus the BEP, in order to 
comply with the court's order in ACB v. Paulson requests OMB approval 
for two generic clearances to conduct various information collection 
activities. Over the next three years, the BEP anticipates undertaking 
a variety of new information collection activities related to BEP's 
efforts to provide meaningful access to U.S. paper currency for blind 
and visually impaired persons. Following standard OMB requirements, for 
each information collection that BEP proposes to undertake under each 
of these generic clearances, the OMB will be notified at least two 
weeks in advance and provided with a copy of the information collection 
instrument along with supportive materials. The BEP will only undertake 
a new collection if the OMB does not object to the BEP's proposal.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals, Organizations.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 500 per year. The 
BEP will conduct the majority of its information collection activities 
at conferences and conventions of organizations of blind and visually 
impaired persons. The BEP is able to estimate the number of attendees 
at such conferences and meetings based on historical data. The BEP, 
however, only collects information from volunteers who stop by its 
information booth, and who care to take the time responding to 
questions. It is difficult, therefore, to estimate the actual number of 
respondents from whom BEP may be able to collect information in a year. 
The BEP's scientific studies may include more focused sample sizes, 
comprised of persons volunteering to participate in the studies.
    Estimated Average Time per Respondent: 30 minutes per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: Approximately 250 burden 
hours.
    Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record. The public is invited to submit written comments 
concerning: (a) Whether the

[[Page 69694]]

collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information will 
have practical uses; (b) the accuracy of the above estimate of the 
burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (d) ways to minimize the reporting burdens on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Treasury Department PRA Clearance Officer: Robert Dahl, Department 
of the Treasury, Room 11000, 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, 
DC 20220.
    BEP Contact: Sonya White, Deputy Chief Counsel, United States 
Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Room 419-
A, 14th and C Streets SW., Washington, DC 20228.

Robert Dahl,
Treasury Department PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-28112 Filed 11-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-25-P