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 Federal Reserve System 12 CFR Part 229
 AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
 ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.
 SUMMARY: The Board of Governors (Board) is amending the routing number guide to next-day availability checks and local checks in Regulation CC to delete the reference to the Charlotte branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and to reassign the Federal Reserve routing symbols currently listed under that office to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. These amendments reflect the restructuring of check-processing operations within the Federal Reserve System.
 DATES: The final rule will become effective on March 21, 2009.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey S. H. Yeganeh, Financial Services Manager (202/728-5801), or Joseph P. Baressi, Financial Services Project Leader (202/452-3959), Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems; or Sophia H. Allison, Senior Counsel (202/452-3565), Legal Division. For users of Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD) only, contact 202/263-4869.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulation CC establishes the maximum period a depositary bank may wait between receiving a deposit and making the deposited funds available for withdrawal.[1]
                    
                     A depositary bank generally must provide faster availability for funds deposited by a “local check” than by a “nonlocal check.” A check is considered local if it is payable by or at or through a bank located in the same Federal Reserve check-processing region as the depositary bank. Appendix A to Regulation CC contains a routing number guide that assists banks in identifying local and nonlocal banks and thereby determining the maximum permissible hold periods for most deposited checks. The appendix includes a list of each Federal Reserve check-processing office and the first four digits of the routing number, known as the Federal Reserve routing symbol, of each bank that is served by that office for check-processing purposes. Banks whose Federal Reserve routing symbols are grouped under the same office are in the same check-processing region and thus are local to one another. On March 21, 2009, the Reserve Banks will transfer the check-processing operations of the Charlotte branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. As a result of this change, some checks that are drawn on and deposited at banks located in the Charlotte and Atlanta check-processing regions and that currently are nonlocal checks will become local checks subject to faster availability schedules. To assist banks in identifying local and nonlocal checks and making funds availability decisions, the Board is amending the list of routing symbols in appendix A associated with the Federal Reserve Banks of Richmond and Atlanta to reflect the transfer of check-processing operations from the Charlotte branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. To coincide with the effective date of the underlying check-processing changes, the amendments to appendix A are effective March 21, 2009. The Board is providing notice of the amendments at this time to give affected banks ample time to make any needed processing changes. Early notice also will enable affected banks to amend their availability schedules and related disclosures if necessary and provide their customers with notice of these changes.[2] Administrative Procedure Act The Board has not followed the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) relating to notice and public participation in connection with the adoption of the final rule. The revisions to appendix A are technical in nature and are required by the statutory and regulatory definitions of “check-processing region.” Because there is no substantive change on which to seek public input, the Board has determined that the § 553(b) notice and comment procedures are unnecessary. In addition, the underlying consolidation of Federal Reserve Bank check-processing offices involves a matter relating to agency management, which is exempt from notice and comment procedures. Paperwork Reduction Act In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3506; 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1), the Board has reviewed the final rule under authority delegated to the Board by the Office of Management and Budget. The technical amendment to appendix A of Regulation CC will delete the reference to the Charlotte branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and reassign the routing symbols listed under that office to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The depository institutions that are located in the affected check-processing regions and that include the routing numbers in their disclosure statements would be required to notify customers of the resulting change in availability under § 229.18(e). However, all paperwork collection procedures associated with Regulation CC already are in place, and the Board accordingly anticipates that no additional burden will be imposed as a result of this rulemaking. List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 229 Banks
Banking
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
 
 
 Authority and Issuance For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board is amending 12 CFR part 229 as follows: PART 229—AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND COLLECTION OF CHECKS (REGULATION CC)
 1.The authority citation for part 229 continues to read as follows: Authority:
                        12 U.S.C. 4001-4010, 12 U.S.C. 5001-5018. 2.The Fifth and Sixth Federal Reserve District routing symbol lists in appendix A are revised to read as follows: Appendix A to Part 229—Routing Number Guide to Next-Day Availability Checks and Local Checks 
 FIFTH FEDERAL RESERVE DISTRICT [Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond] Baltimore Branch 0510
25100514
25140520
25200521
25210522
25220540
25400550
25500560
25600570
2570
 SIXTH FEDERAL RESERVE DISTRICT [Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta] Head Office 0530
25300531
25310532
25320539
25390610
26100611
26110612
26120613
26130620
26200621
26210622
26220630
26300631
26310632
26320640
26400641
26410642
26420650
26500651
26510652
26520653
26530654
26540655
26550660
26600670
26700810
28100812
28120815
28150819
28190820
28200829
28290840
28400841
28410842
28420843
28430865
2865
 By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, January 16, 2009. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board.


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         For purposes of Regulation CC, the term “bank” refers to any depository institution, including commercial banks, savings institutions, and credit unions. Back to Citation
 2.
    
                         Section 229.18(e) of Regulation CC requires that banks notify account holders who are consumers within 30 days after implementing a change that improves the availability of funds. Back to Citation


[FR Doc. E9-1421 Filed 1-27-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-P