34666 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices

(29 CFR § 2550.404c–1). A copy of the

proposed information collection request

can be obtained by contacting the

individual listed below in the contact

section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before August 24, 1998.

The Department of Labor

(Department) is particularly interested

in comments which:

• Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

• Evaluate the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

• Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

• Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology,

e.g., permitting electronic submissions

of responses.

ADDRESSES: Gerald B. Lindrew,

Department of Labor, Pension and

Welfare Benefits Administration, 200

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

D.C. 20210, (202) 219–4782 (not a tollfree number), FAX (202) 219–4745.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 404(c) of ERISA provides that

if a pension plan that provides for

individual accounts permits a

participant or beneficiary to exercise

control over assets in his account and

that participant or beneficiary in fact

exercises such control, that the

participant or beneficiary shall not be

deemed to be a fiduciary by such

exercise of control, and that no person

otherwise a fiduciary shall be liable for

any loss or breach which results from

this exercise of control.

II. Current Actions

The Office of Management and

Budget’s approval of the ICR included

in 29 CFR § 2550.404c–1 will expire on

September 30, 1998. This regulation

describes circumstances under which

ERISA section 404(c) applies to a

transaction involving a participant’s

exercise of control over this or her

individual account. The opportunity to

exercise control includes the

opportunity to obtain sufficient

information to make informed decisions

with respect to investment alternatives.

This regulation describes the type and

extent of information required to be

made available to participants and

beneficiaries for this purpose. In the

absence of such disclosures,

participants might not be able to make

informed decisions about the

investment of their individual accounts,

and persons who are otherwise

fiduciaries with respect to these plans

would not be afforded relief from the

fiduciary responsibility provisions of

Title I of ERISA with respect to these

transactions. For these reasons, the

Department intends to request an

extension of the ICR.

Type of Review: Extension.

Agency: Department of Labor, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration.

Title: Regulation Regarding

Participant Directed Individual Account

Plans (ERISA section 404(c) Plans).

OMB Number: 1210–0090.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit, Not-for-profit institutions,

Individuals.

Total Respondents: 55,747.

Frequency: On occasion.

Total Responses: 11,000,050.

Estimated Total Burden Hours:

303,249.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they will

also become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Gerald B. Lindrew,

Deputy Director, Office of Policy and

Research, Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–16938 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–29–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration

Proposed Extension of Information

Collection Request Submitted for

Public Comment and

Recommendations

ACTION: None.

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as

part of its continuing effort to reduce

paperwork and respondent burden,

conducts a preclearance consultation

program to provide the general public

and other federal agencies with an

opportunity to comment on proposed

and continuing collections of

information in accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA

95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This

program helps to ensure that requested

data can be provided in the desired

format, reporting burden (time and

financial resources) is minimized,

collection instruments are clearly

understood, and the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be

properly assessed. Currently, the

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration is soliciting comments

concerning the proposed extension of

the collection of information included

in the employee benefit plan claims

procedure regulation issued pursuant to

section 503 of the Employee Retirement

Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

(29 CFR 2560.503–1). A copy of the

proposed information collection request

(ICR) can be obtained by contacting the

office listed below in the addressee

section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted to the office listed in the

addressee section below on or before

August 24, 1998. The Department of

Labor is particularly interested in

comments which:

• Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

• Evaluate the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

• Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected;

• Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology,

e.g., permitting electronic submission of

responses.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are

invited to submit written comments

regarding the collection of information

of any or all of the Agencies. Send

comments to Mr. Gerald B. Lindrew,

Office of Policy and Research, U.S.

Department of Labor, Pension and

Welfare Benefits Administration, 200

Constitution Avenue NW., Room N–

5647, Washington, DC 20210.

Telephone: (202) 219–4782 (this is not

a toll-free number).
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices 34667

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 503 of ERISA provides that,

pursuant to regulations promulgated by

the Secretary of Labor, each employee

benefit plan must provide adequate

notice in writing to any participant or

beneficiary whose claim for benefits

under the plan has been denied. This

notice must set forth the specific

reasons for the denial and must be

written in a manner calculated to be

understood by the claimant. Each plan

must also afford a reasonable

opportunity for any participant or

beneficiary whose claim has been

denied to obtain a full and fair review

of the denial by the appropriate named

fiduciary of the plan. The Department previously issued a

regulation pursuant to section 503 that

establishes certain minimum

requirements for employee benefit plan

procedures pertaining to claims. The

ICR included in the claims procedure

regulation generally requires timely

written disclosures to participants and

beneficiaries of employee benefit plans

of information concerning the plan’s

claims procedures, the basis for the

denial of a claim, and time limits for

addressing or appealing the denial of a

claim. These requirements are intended

to ensure that plan administrators

provide for a full and fair review of

claims, and that plan participants and

beneficiaries have information which is

sufficient to allow them to exercise their

rights under the plan.

II. Current Actions

The Office of Management and

Budget’s approval of this ICR will expire

on September 30, 1998. On September

8, 1997, the Department published a

Request for Information (September 8

RFI) (62 FR 47261) concerning the

advisability of amending the existing

regulation that establishes minimum

requirements for employee benefit plan

claims procedures. In the Department’s

Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

published on April 27, 1998, the

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration indicated its intention

to publish a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking with respect to employee

benefit plan claims procedures in June,

1998 (63 FR 22240). While certain

modifications to the claims procedure

ICR may be anticipated in connection

with proposed revision of these rules,

estimates of burden associated with

modifications currently under

consideration are not yet available. The

burden estimates shown in this notice

are, therefore, based on the existing ICR. To avoid unnecessary duplication of

public comments, however, those

comments received in response to the

September 8 RFI that address burden

associated with the claims procedure

regulation will be treated as comments

on this ICR.

Agency: Department of Labor, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration.

Title: Benefit Claims Procedure

regulation pursuant to 29 CFR

2560.503–1.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection. OMB Numbers: 1210–0053.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households; Business or other for-profit;

Not-for-profit institutions. Total Respondents: 23,454.

Total Responses: 23,454.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Total Annual Burden: 7,063 hours.

Comments submitted in response to

this comment request will be

summarized and/or included in the

request for Office of Management and

Budget approval of the information

collection request; they will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Gerald B. Lindrew,

Deputy Director, Pension and Welfare

Benefits Administration, Office of Policy and

Research.

[FR Doc. 98–16939 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–29–M

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Special Emphasis Panel in Social,

Behavioral, and Economic Sciences;

Notice of Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation announces the following

meeting:

Name: Special Emphasis Panel in Social,

Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (1766).

Dates: July 27–29, 1998 and August 3–5,

1998.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Place: National Science Foundation, 4201

Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230, Room

1235.

Type of Meeting: Closed.

Contact Person: Mike McCloskey, Program

Director, Division of Social, Behavioral, and

Economic Research, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 995,

Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 306–

1732.

Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and

recommendations concerning proposals

submitted to NSF for financial support.

Agenda: To review and evaluate proposals

submitted to the Knowledge and Distributed

Intelligence (KDI) Program Solicitation as

part of the selection process for awards.

Reason for Closing: The proposals being

reviewed include information of a

proprietary or confidential nature, including

technical information; financial data, such as

salaries, and personal information

concerning individuals associated with the

proposals. These matters are exempt under 5

USC 552b(c) (4) and (6) of the Government

in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–16926 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50–410]

Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation (Nine Mile Point Nuclear

Station, Unit 2); Environmental

Assessment and Finding of No

Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (the Commission) is

considering the issuance of an Order

approving, under 10 CFR 50.80, an

application regarding a transfer of

control of possessory rights held by

Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation (Applicant) under the

operating license for Nine Mile Point

Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (NMP2). The

transfer would be to a holding company,

not yet named, to be created over

Applicant in accordance with a New

York State Public Service Commission

order, issued and effective February 19,

1998 (Case 96–E–0909), and related

documents entitled ‘‘Amended and

Restated Settlement Agreement’’ dated

January 2, 1998, and ‘‘Modifications to

Amended and Restated Settlement

Agreement’’ dated February 26, 1998

(see Exhibits G–G2 in the application).

Applicant is licensed by the

Commission to own and possess a 9

percent interest in NMP2, located in the

town of Scriba, Oswego County, New

York.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would consent to

the transfer of control of the license to

the extent effected by Applicant

becoming a subsidiary of the newly

formed holding company in connection

with a proposed plan of restructuring.

Under the restructuring plan, the

outstanding shares of Applicant’s

common stock are to be exchanged on

a share-for-share basis for common stock

of the holding company, such that the

holding company will own all of the

outstanding common stock of

Applicant. In addition, the holding