Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 219 / Tuesday, November 15, 2005 / Notices 69363 

1 15 U.S.C. 78l(d). 

2 17 CFR 240.12d2–2(d). 

3 15 U.S.C. 78l(b). 

4 15 U.S.C. 78l(g). 

PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY 

CORPORATION 

Required Interest Rate Assumption for 

Determining Variable-Rate Premium; 

Interest Assumptions for 

Multiemployer Plan Valuations 

Following Mass Withdrawal 

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty 

Corporation. 

ACTION: Notice of interest rates and 

assumptions. 

SUMMARY: This notice informs the public 

of the interest rates and assumptions to 

be used under certain Pension Benefit 

Guaranty Corporation regulations. These 

rates and assumptions are published 

elsewhere (or can be derived from rates 

published elsewhere), but are collected 

and published in this notice for the 

convenience of the public. Interest rates 

are also published on the PBGC’s Web 

site (http://www.pbgc.gov). 

DATES: The required interest rate for 

determining the variable-rate premium 

under part 4006 applies to premium 

payment years beginning in November 

2005. The interest assumptions for 

performing multiemployer plan 

valuations following mass withdrawal 

under part 4281 apply to valuation dates 

occurring in December 2005. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Catherine B. Klion, Attorney, Legislative 

and Regulatory Department, Pension 

Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K 

Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, 

202–326–4024. (TTY/TDD users may 

call the Federal relay service toll-free at 

1–800–877–8339 and ask to be 

connected to 202–326–4024.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Variable-Rate Premiums 

Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the 

Employee Retirement Income Security 

Act of 1974 (ERISA) and § 4006.4(b)(1) 

of the PBGC’s regulation on Premium 

Rates (29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use 

of an assumed interest rate (the 

‘‘required interest rate’’) in determining 

a single-employer plan’s variable-rate 

premium. Pursuant to the Pension 

Funding Equity Act of 2004, for 

premium payment years beginning in 

2004 or 2005, the required interest rate 

is the ‘‘applicable percentage’’

(currently 85 percent) of the annual rate 

of interest determined by the Secretary 

of the Treasury on amounts invested 

conservatively in long-term investment 

grade corporate bonds for the month 

preceding the beginning of the plan year 

for which premiums are being paid. 

Thus, the required interest rate to be 

used in determining variable-rate 

premiums for premium payment years 

beginning in November 2005 is 4.83 

percent (i.e., 85 percent of the 5.68 

percent composite corporate bond rate 

for October 2005 as determined by the 

Treasury). 

The following table lists the required 

interest rates to be used in determining 

variable-rate premiums for premium 

payment years beginning between 

December 2004 and November 2005. 

For premium payment years 

beginning in: 

The required 

interest rate is: 

December 2004 .................... 4.75 

January 2005 ........................ 4.73 

February 2005 ...................... 4.66 

March 2005 ........................... 4.56 

April 2005 ............................. 4.78 

May 2005 .............................. 4.72 

June 2005 ............................. 4.60 

July 2005 .............................. 4.47 

August 2005 ......................... 4.56 

September 2005 ................... 4.61 

October 2005 ........................ 4.62 

November 2005 .................... 4.83 

Multiemployer Plan Valuations 

Following Mass Withdrawal 

The PBGC’s regulation on Duties of 

Plan Sponsor Following Mass 

Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281) 

prescribes the use of interest 

assumptions under the PBGC’s 

regulation on Allocation of Assets in 

Single-Employer Plans (29 CFR part 

4044). The interest assumptions 

applicable to valuation dates in 

December 2005 under part 4044 are 

contained in an amendment to part 4044 

published elsewhere in today’s Federal 

Register. Tables showing the 

assumptions applicable to prior periods 

are codified in appendix B to 29 CFR 

part 4044. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on this 9th day 

of November 2005. 

James J. Armbruster, 

Acting Director, Legislative and Regulatory 

Department, Pension Benefit Guaranty 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 05–22603 Filed 11–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7708–01–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

[File No. 1–15781] 

Issuer Delisting; Notice of Application 

of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. To 

Withdraw Its Common Stock, $.01 Par 

Value, From Listing and Registration 

on the American Stock Exchange LLC 

November 8, 2005. 

On October 20, 2005, Berkshire Hills 

Bancorp, Inc., a Delaware corporation 

(‘‘Issuer’’), filed an application with the 

Securities and Exchange Commission 

(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section 

12(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 

1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 12d2–2(d) 

thereunder,2 to withdraw its common 

stock, $.01 par value (‘‘Security’’), from 

listing and registration on the American 

Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘Amex’’). 

On July 27, 2005, the Board of 

Directors (‘‘Board’’) of the Issuer 

approved a resolution to withdraw the 

Security from listing and registration on 

Amex and to list the Security on the 

Nasdaq National Market (‘‘Nasdaq’’). 

The Issuer stated that the Board believes 

it is in the best interests of the Issuer 

and its shareholders to move the 

Security from listing on Amex to 

Nasdaq because Nasdaq will provide the 

Issuer with the opportunity to increase 

its exposure among investors and 

improve the liquidity of the Security. 

The Issuer stated in its application 

that it has met the requirements of 

Amex Rule 18 by complying with all 

applicable laws in effect in the state of 

Delaware, in which it is incorporated, 

and by providing written notice of 

withdrawal to Amex. 

The Issuer’s application relates solely 

to withdrawal of the Security from 

listing on the Amex and from 

registration under section 12(b) of the 

Act,3 and shall not affect its obligation 

to be registered under section 12(g) of 

the Act.4

Any interested person may, on or 

before December 5, 2005, comment on 

the facts bearing upon whether the 

application has been made in 

accordance with the rules of Amex, and 

what terms, if any, should be imposed 

by the Commission for the protection of 

investors. All comment letters may be 

submitted by either of the following 

methods: 

Electronic Comments 

• Use the Commission’s Internet 

comment form (http://www.sec.gov/ 

rules/delist.shtml); or 

• Send an e-mail to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include the 

File Number 1–15781; or 

Paper Comments 

• Send paper comments in triplicate 

to Jonathan G. Katz, Secretary, 

Securities and Exchange Commission, 

100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 

20549–9303. 

All submissions should refer to File 

Number 1–15781. This file number 

should be included on the subject line