[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 14599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05489]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY


Multiemployer Pension Plan Application To Reduce Benefits

AGENCY: Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Trustees of the Western States Office and 
Professional Employees Pension Fund (WSOPE Pension Fund), a 
multiemployer pension plan, has submitted an application to Treasury to 
reduce benefits under the plan in accordance with the Multiemployer 
Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA). The purpose of this notice is to 
announce that the application submitted by the Board of Trustees of the 
WSOPE Pension Fund has been published on the Web site of the Department 
of the Treasury (Treasury), and to request public comments on the 
application from interested parties, including participants and 
beneficiaries, employee organizations, and contributing employers of 
the WSOPE Pension Fund.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments electronically through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, in accordance with 
the instructions on that site. Electronic submissions through 
www.regulations.gov are encouraged.
    Comments may also be mailed to the Department of the Treasury, MPRA 
Office, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Room 1224, Washington, DC 20220. 
Attn: Eric Berger. Comments sent via facsimile and email will not be 
accepted.
    Additional Instructions. All comments received, including 
attachments and other supporting materials, will be made available to 
the public. Do not include any personally identifiable information 
(such as Social Security number, name, address, or other contact 
information) or any other information in your comment or supporting 
materials that you do not want publicly disclosed. Treasury will make 
comments available for public inspection and copying on 
www.regulations.gov or upon request. Comments posted on the Internet 
can be retrieved by most Internet search engines.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the 
application from the WSOPE Pension Fund, please contact Treasury at 
(202) 622-1534 (not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 
(MPRA) amended the Internal Revenue Code to permit a multiemployer plan 
that is projected to have insufficient funds to reduce pension benefits 
payable to participants and beneficiaries if certain conditions are 
satisfied. In order to reduce benefits, the plan sponsor is required to 
submit an application to the Secretary of the Treasury, which Treasury, 
in consultation with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) 
and the Department of Labor, is required to approve or deny.
    On February 22, 2017, the Board of Trustees of the WSOPE Pension 
Fund submitted an application for approval to reduce benefits under the 
plan. As required by MPRA, that application has been published on 
Treasury's Web site at https://auth.treasury.gov/services/Pages/Plan-Applications.aspx. Treasury is publishing this notice in the Federal 
Register, in consultation with the PBGC and the Department of Labor, to 
solicit public comments on all aspects of the WSOPE Pension Fund 
application.
    Comments are requested from interested parties, including 
participants and beneficiaries, employee organizations, and 
contributing employers of the WSOPE Pension Fund. Consideration will be 
given to any comments that are timely received by Treasury.

    Dated: March 15, 2017.
Tom West,
Tax Legislative Counsel, Office of Tax Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-05489 Filed 3-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4810-25-P