[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 143 (Thursday, July 29, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40898-40899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16149]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency


Agency Information Collection Activities: Information Collection 
Renewal; Comment Request; Appraisal Management Companies

AGENCY: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork 
and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing 
information collection as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (PRA). In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may 
not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond 
to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is 
soliciting comment concerning the renewal of its information collection 
titled, ``Appraisal Management Companies.''

DATES: You should submit written comments by September 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Commenters are encouraged to submit comments by email, if 
possible. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Mail: Chief Counsel's Office, Attention: Comment 
Processing, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Attention: 1557-
0324, 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218, Washington, DC 20219.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218, 
Washington, DC 20219.
     Fax: (571) 465-4326.
    Instructions: You must include ``OCC'' as the agency name and 
``1557-0324'' in your comment. In general, the OCC will publish 
comments on www.reginfo.gov without change, including any business or 
personal information provided, such as name and address information, 
email addresses, or phone numbers. Comments received, including 
attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public 
record and subject to public disclosure. Do not include any information 
in your comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential 
or inappropriate for public disclosure.
    You may review comments and other related materials that pertain to 
this information collection beginning on the date of publication of the 
second notice for this collection \1\ by the following method:
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    \1\ Following the close of this notice's 60-day comment period, 
the OCC will publish a second notice with a 30-day comment period.
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     Viewing Comments Electronically: Go to www.reginfo.gov. 
Click on the ``Information Collection Review'' tab. Underneath the 
``Currently under Review'' section heading, from the drop-down menu 
select ``Department of Treasury'' and then click ``submit.'' This 
information collection can be located by searching by OMB control 
number ``1557-0324'' or ``Appraisal Management Companies.'' Upon 
finding the appropriate information collection, click on the related 
``ICR Reference Number.'' On the next screen, select ``View Supporting 
Statement and Other Documents'' and then click on the link to any 
comment listed at the bottom of the screen.
     For assistance in navigating www.reginfo.gov, please 
contact the Regulatory Information Service Center at (202) 482-7340.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaquita Merritt, OCC Clearance 
Officer, (202) 649-5490, Chief Counsel's Office, Office of the 
Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218, 
Washington, DC 20219.

[[Page 40899]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the OMB for each collection of 
information that they conduct or sponsor. ``Collection of information'' 
is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) to include agency 
requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, 
keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 
3506(c)(2)(A) of title 44 requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day 
notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension of an existing 
collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for 
approval. To comply with this requirement, the OCC is publishing notice 
of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
    Title: Appraisal Management Companies.
    OMB Control No.: 1557-0324.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Type of Review: Regular review.
    Abstract: The OCC, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
(FRB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), National Credit 
Union Administration (NCUA), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 
(Bureau), and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) (collectively, 
Agencies) have rules implementing the minimum requirements in section 
1473 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
(Dodd-Frank Act) \2\ to be applied by States in the registration and 
supervision of appraisal management companies (AMCs). The Agencies also 
have implemented the requirement in section 1473 of the Dodd-Frank Act 
for States to report to the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal 
Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) the information 
required by the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) to administer the new 
national registry of appraisal management companies (AMC National 
Registry or Registry).
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    \2\ Public Law 111-203, sec. 1473, 124 Stat. 1376, 2190 (2010).
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State Recordkeeping Requirements

    States seeking to register AMCs must have an AMC registration and 
supervision program. Twelve CFR 34.213(a) requires each participating 
State to establish and maintain within its appraiser certifying and 
licensing agency a registration and supervision program with the legal 
authority and mechanisms to: (i) Review and approve or deny an 
application for initial registration; (ii) periodically review and 
renew or deny renewal of an AMC's registration; (iii) examine the books 
and records of the AMC operating in the State and require the AMC to 
submit reports, information, and documents; (iv) verify that the 
appraisers on an AMC's panel hold valid State certifications or 
licenses; (v) investigate and assess potential violations of appraisal-
related laws, regulations, or orders; (vi) discipline, suspend, 
terminate, or deny registration renewals of AMCs that violate 
appraisal-related laws, regulations, or orders; and (vii) report 
violations of appraisal-related laws, regulations, or orders as well as 
disciplinary and enforcement actions to the ASC.
    Twelve CFR 34.213(b) requires each participating State to impose 
requirements on AMCs that are not owned and controlled by an insured 
depository institution and regulated by a Federal financial 
institutions regulatory agency to: (i) Register with and be subject to 
supervision by a State appraiser certifying and licensing agency in 
each State in which the AMC operates; (ii) engage only State-certified 
or State-licensed appraisers for Federally regulated transactions in 
conformity with any Federally regulated transaction regulations; (iii) 
establish and comply with processes and controls reasonably designed to 
ensure that the AMC, in engaging an appraiser, selects an appraiser who 
is independent of the transaction and who has the requisite education, 
expertise, and experience to competently complete the appraisal 
assignment for the particular market and property type; (iv) direct the 
appraiser to perform the assignment in accordance with Uniform 
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices (USPAP); and (v) 
establish and comply with processes and controls reasonably designed to 
ensure that the AMC conducts its appraisal management services in 
accordance with section 129E(a)-(i) of the Truth in Lending Act.
    Burden: 1 respondent; 1 response per year; 40 hours per response; 
40 total burden hours.

State Reporting Burden

    Twelve CFR 34.216 requires that each State electing to register 
AMCs for purposes of permitting AMCs to provide appraisal management 
services relating to covered transactions in the State must submit to 
the ASC the information required to be submitted under subpart H to 
part 34 and any additional information required by the ASC concerning 
AMCs that operate in the State.
    Burden: 1,158 respondents; 2 responses per year; 1 hour per 
response; 2,316 total burden hours.

AMC Recordkeeping Requirements

    Twelve CFR 34.212(b) provides that an appraiser in an AMC's network 
or panel is deemed to remain on the network or panel until: (i) The AMC 
sends a written notice to the appraiser removing the appraiser from the 
appraiser panel with an explanation of its action; or (ii) receives 
written notice from the appraiser asking to be removed from the 
appraiser panel or notice of the death or incapacity of the appraiser.
    Burden: 1,239 respondents; 1 response per year; 0.08 hours per 
response; 99 total burden hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 2,455 hours.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become 
a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the OCC, including whether the 
information has practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimate of the information 
collection burden;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology; and
    (e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Theodore J. Dowd,
Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
[FR Doc. 2021-16149 Filed 7-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-33-P