### 386 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 2 / Friday, January 3, 2014 / Notices

• Conducting ‘‘variable retention’’ regeneration harvest and post-harvest burning activities on up to 2300 acres distributed across the focus areas to create early sucessional plant communities and improve wildlife habitat while re-establishing long-lived early seral tree species. Variable retention harvest would include areas of full retention (clumps), irregular edges, and retention of snags and legacy trees to provide structure and a future source of woody debris. Openings would likely exceed 40 acres. Creation of openings over 40 acres requires 60 day public review and Regional Forest approval. This letter provides public notice that an environmental impact statement will be prepared and Regional Forester approval requested.

• Applying improvement harvest (thin from below) on approximately 875 acres to remove encroachment and ladder fuels from ponderosa pine dominated stands.

• Construct up to 18 miles of temporary roads to carry out the proposed action. Roads would be designed and located to minimize environmental effects and decommissioned after use.

• Harvest would be conducted by ground based (tractor/skyline) and aerial (helicopter) logging systems. Logs would likely be landed in the Wild and Scenic River corridor at designated helicopter landings.

• Creating a shaded fuel break and defensible space for approximately 300 feet on NFS lands adjacent to private properties within the project area. Thismay include commercial and noncommercial thinning, pruning of ladder fuels and hand piling of slash. Watershed Improvement

• 2–3 miles of system roads no longer considered necessary for transportation needs would be decommissioned.

• Maintaining and improving of 7–10 miles of roads used to support the proposed actions. Maintenance or improvement may include culvert installation or replacement, ditch cleaning, and riprap placement for drainage improvement. It may also include gravel placement, road grading and dust abatement.

Possible Alternatives the ForestService will consider include a noaction alternative, which will serve as a baseline for comparison of alternatives. The proposed action will be considered along with additional alternatives that will be developed to meet the purpose and need for action, and to address significant issues identified during scoping. Responsible Official and Lead Agency
The USDA Forest Service is the leadagency for this proposal. The Nez PerceClearwater Forest Supervisor is the responsible official.

The Decision To Be Made is whether to adopt the proposed action, in whole or inpart, or another alternative; and what mitigation measures and management requirements will be implemented.

The Scoping Process for the EIS is being initiated with this notice. The scoping process will identify issues to be analyzed in detail and will lead to the developemnt of alternatives to the proposal. The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from other Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribal Governments; and organizations and individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed action. Comments received in response to this notice, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be a part of the project record and available for public review.

Early Notice of Importance of Public Participation in Subsequent Environmental Review: A draft environmental impact statement will be prepared for comment. The second major opportunity for public input will be when the draft EIS is published. The comment period for the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in May 2013.

Dated: December 20, 2013. Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013–31457 Filed 1–2–14; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–11–P**

**COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION** 

**Sunshine Act Meeting**

**TIME AND DATE :**  10:00 a.m., Friday, January 10, 2014.

**PLACE :**  1155 21st St. NW., Washington, DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference Room.

**STATUS :**  Closed.

**MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED :**  Surveillance, Enforcement Matters, and Examinations. In the event that the times, dates, or locations of this or any future meetings change, an announcement of the change, along with the new time and place of the meeting will be posted on the Commission’s Web site at http://www.cftc.gov

. **CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION :**  Melissa D. Jurgens, 202–418–5516.

Melissa D. Jurgens, Secretary of the Commission. [FR Doc. 2013–31549 Filed 12–31–13; 4:15 pm]

**BILLING CODE 6351–01–P**

**BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION** 

**[Docket No.: CFPB–2013–0036]**

**Request for Information Regarding the Mortgage Closing Process** 

**AGENCY :**  Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

**ACTION :**  Notice and request for information.

**SUMMARY :**  This notice requests information from the public about mortgage closing. Specifically, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) seeks information on key consumer ‘‘pain points’’ associated with mortgage closing and how those pain points might be addressed by market innovations and technology.

The CFPB seeks to encourage the development of a more streamlined, efficient, and educational closing process as the mortgage industry increases its usage of technology, electronic signatures, and paperless processes. The next phase of CFPB’s Know Before You Owe initiative aims to identify ways to improve the mortgage closing process for consumers. This project will encourage interventions that increase consumer knowledge, understanding, and confidence at closing.

This notice seeks information from market participants, consumers, and other stakeholders who work closely with consumers. The information will inform the CFPB’s understanding of what consumers find most problematic about the current closing process and inform the CFPB’s vision for an improved closing experience.

**DATES :**  Submit comments on or before February 7, 2014.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit responsive information and other comments, identified by Docket No. CFPB–2013– 0036, by any of the following methods:

• Electronic: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Monica Jackson, Office of the Executive Secretary, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20552.

Instructions: The Bureau encourages the early submission of comments. All


### 387 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 2 / Friday, January 3, 2014 / Notices

submissions must include the document title and docket number. Because paper mail in the Washington, DC area and at the Bureau is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments electronically. Please note the number associated with any question to which you are responding at the top of each response (you are not required to answer all questions to receive consideration of your comments). In general, all comments received will be posted without change
to http://www.regulations.gov. In addition, comments will be available for public inspection and copying at 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20552, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment to inspect the documents by telephoning
202–435–7275.

All submissions, including attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or Social Security numbers, should not be included. Submissions will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For general inquiries, submission process questions or any additional information, please contact Monica Jackson, Office of Executive Secretary, at 202–435–7275.

Authority: 12 U.S.C. 5511(c).

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Buying a home is often a consumer’s single largest financial purchase. According to the latest numbers from the National Association of Realtors, the median price of homes purchased in the United States is now $207,000. By comparison, the median household income is about $51,000, according to the Census Bureau. It is crucial that consumers consider the numbers carefully before making this potentially long-term commitment, and closing is often their last opportunity to do so.

However, closing can be stressful and confusing for consumers. The CFPB plans to conduct several initiatives in order to test and study various ways in which the closing process might be improved. This information will help inform those initiatives.

The Bureau encourages comments from the public, including:

• Consumers;

• Mortgage lenders and loan servicers;

• Housing finance professionals;

• Brokers and service providers in the residential real estate industry;

• Real estate agents; • Housing attorneys;

• Fair lending, civil rights, and consumer and community advocates;

• Providers of financial and housing counseling;

• Settlement closing agents; and

• Other interested parties. The Bureau is interested in responses in the following general areas, as well as specific questions below. Please feel free to respond to any of the questions outlined below. Consumers and Closing

1. What are common problems or issues consumers face at closing? What parts of the closing process do consumers find confusing or overwhelming?

2. Are there specific parts of the closing process that borrowers find particularly helpful?

3. What do consumers remember about closing as related to the overall mortgage/home-buying process? What do consumers remember about closing?

4. How long does the closing process usually take? Do borrowers feel that the time at the closing table was an appropriate amount of time? Is it too long? Too short? Just right?

5. How empowered do consumers seem to feel at closing? Did they come to closing with questions? Did they review the forms beforehand? Did they know that they can request their documents in advance? Did they negotiate?

6. What, if anything, have you found helps consumers understand the terms of the loan? Errors and Changes at Closing

7. What are some common errors you have seen at closing? How are these errors detected, if at all? Tell us about errors that were detected after closing.

8. What changes, diverging from what was originally presented at closing, often surprise consumers at closing? How do consumers react to changes at closing? Other Parties at Closing

9. How, if at all, do consumers typically seek advice during closing? In person? By phone? Online?

10. Where and to whom do consumers turn for advice during closing? Whom do they typically trust? Closing Documents

11. What documents do borrowers usually remember seeing? What documents they remember signing?

12. What documents do consumers find particularly confusing?

13. What resources do borrowers use to define unfamiliar terms of the loan? Improving Closing 14. What, if anything, would you change about the closing process to make it a better experience for consumers?

15. What questions should consumers ask at closing? What are the most important pieces of information/ documents for them to review?

16. What is the single most important question a consumer should ask at closing?

17. What is the single most important thing a consumer should do before coming to the closing table?

Dated: December 13, 2013. Christopher D’Angelo, Chief of Staff, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
[FR Doc. 2013–31436 Filed 1–2–14; 8:45 a.m.]

**BILLING CODE 4810–AM–P**

**CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION** 

**Sunshine Act Meeting**

**TIME AND DATE :**  Wednesday, January 8, 2014, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

**PLACE :**  Hearing Room 420, Bethesda Towers, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.

**STATUS :**  Commission Meeting—Open to the Public.

**MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED :**  Decisional Matter: Bedside Sleepers (Section 104)—Final Rule.

A live Webcast of the Meeting can be viewed at www.cpsc.gov/live

.

For a recorded message containing the latest agenda information, call (301)
504–7948.

**CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION :**  Todd A. Stevenson, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301)
504–7923.

Dated: December 31, 2013. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–31536 Filed 12–31–13; 11:15 am]

**BILLING CODE 6355–01–P**

**CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE** 

**Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request** 

**AGENCY :**  Corporation for National and Community Service.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), as part