Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 21, 2018)

Notices

Pages 7477-7478

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-03532

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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Notice, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without revision, the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices (FR 2018; OMB No. 7100-0058).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR 2018, by any of the following methods:

Agency Website: http://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Email: email protected. Include OMB number in the subject line of the message.

Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.

Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551.

All public comments are available from the Board's website at http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper form in Room 3515, 1801 K Street (between 18th and 19th Streets NW), Washington, DC 20006 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the OMB Desk Officer--Shagufta Ahmed--Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the PRA OMB submission, including the proposed reporting form and instructions, supporting statement, and other documentation will be placed into OMB's public docket files, once approved. These documents will also be made available on the Federal Reserve Board's public website at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.

Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer--Nuha Elmaghrabi--Office of the Chief Data Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551 (202) 452-3829. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202) 263-4869, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board. In exercising this delegated authority, the Board is directed to take every reasonable step to solicit comment. In determining whether to approve a collection of information, the Board will consider all comments received from the public and other agencies.

Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal

The Board invites public comment on the following information collection, which is being reviewed under authority delegated by the OMB under the PRA. Comments are invited on the following:

1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; including whether the information has practical utility;

2. The accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

4. Ways to minimize the burden of information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

5. Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the Federal Reserve should modify the proposal prior to giving final approval.

Proposal to approve under OMB delegated authority the extension for three years, without revision, of the following report(s):

Report title: Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices.

Agency form number: FR 2018.

OMB control number: 7100-0058.

Frequency: Up to six times a year.

Respondents: Domestically chartered large commercial banks and large U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks.

Estimated number of respondents: 104.

Estimated average hours per response: 2 hours.

Estimated annual burden hours: 1,248 hours.

General description of report: The FR 2018 is conducted with a senior loan officer at each respondent bank, generally through electronic submission, up to six times a year. The purpose of the survey is to provide qualitative and limited quantitative information on credit availability and demand, as well as evolving developments and lending practices in

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the U.S. loan markets. A portion of each survey typically covers special topics of timely interest. There is the option to survey other types of respondents (such as other depository institutions, bank holding companies, or other financial entities) should the need arise. The FR 2018 survey provides crucial information for monitoring and understanding the evolution of lending practices at banks and developments in credit markets.

Legal authorization and confidentiality: The Board's Legal Division has determined that the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices is authorized by Sections 2A, 11, and 12A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 225a, 248(a), and 263) and Section 7 of the International Banking Act (12 U.S.C. 3105(c)(2)) and is voluntary. Individual survey responses from each respondent can be held confidential under section (b)(4) of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)). However, certain data from the survey is reported in aggregate form and the information in aggregate form is made publicly available and not considered confidential.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, February 15, 2018.

Ann E. Misback,

Secretary of the Board.

FR Doc. 2018-03532 Filed 2-20-18; 8:45 am

BILLING CODE 6210-01-P