Notice2022-13571
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Form ED-840P, Petition by a Firm for Certification of Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance, and Adjustment Proposals
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 24, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentEconomic Development Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 121 (Friday, June 24, 2022)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 121 (Friday, June 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37821-37822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-13571]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Form ED-840P, Petition by a Firm for Certification of
Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance, and Adjustment
Proposals
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before August 23, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
via email to Miriam Nettles-Kearse, Lead Program Analyst, U.S.
Department of Commerce, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f185909092b1949590df969e87"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9ce8fdfdffdcf9f8fdb2fbf3ea">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference OMB Control
Number 0610-0091 in the subject line of your comments. Do not submit
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Miriam Nettles-Kearse, Lead Program Analyst, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 849-0941 or at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7c081d1d1f3c19181d521b130a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="384c59595b785d5c59165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
EDA administers the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF)
Program, which is authorized under chapters 3 and 5 of title II of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2341-2356) (Trade Act),
through a national network of non-profit and university-affiliated
Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs), each of which serves a
different geographic region. EDA certifies firms as eligible to
participate in the TAAF Program and provides funding to allow eligible
client-firms to receive adjustment assistance through the TAACs. The
information collected on Form ED-840P, and relevant supporting
documentation is used to determine whether a firm is eligible to
participate in the TAAF Program. In accordance with the Trade Act and
EDA's regulations as set out at 13 CFR part 315, EDA must verify that
the following have occurred: (1) A significant reduction in the number
or proportion of the workers in the firm, a reduction in the workers'
wage or work hours, or an imminent threat of such reductions; (2) sales
or production of the firm have decreased absolutely, or sales or
production, or both, of any article or service accounting for at least
25 percent of the firm's sales or production has decreased absolutely;
and (3) an increase in imports of articles or services like or directly
competitive with those produced or provided by the petitioning firm,
which has contributed importantly to the decline in employment and
sales or production of that firm. Additionally, to document the
connection of increased imports to declining employment and sales or
production, the firm must demonstrate that its customers have reduced
purchases from the firm in favor of buying items or services from
foreign suppliers. The use of Form ED-840P standardizes and limits the
information collected as part of the certification process and eases
the burden on applicants and reviewers alike.
In addition, after being certified as eligible for TAAF Program
assistance following submission of Form ED-840P, firms must create an
EDA-approved adjustment proposal in order to receive financial
assistance under the TAAF Program. The adjustment proposal is each
firm's business plan to remain competitive in the current global
economy. Each adjustment proposal must meet certain requirements as set
out in the Trade Act and EDA's regulation at 13 CFR 315.11. This notice
also includes an estimate of the amount of time a firm spends to
research and compile information for adjustment proposals.
Finally, the statutory authorization for the TAAF program is
sunsetting in two stages. First, on July 1, 2021, the TAAF program
reverted to more limited eligibility criteria. Second, as of June 30,
2022, assistance may not be provided to new firms. After that date,
assistance may only be provided to firms that have previously submitted
a petition under the TAAF program. EDA wishes to extend the current
information collection for the TAAF program so that EDA may continue to
review and approve adjustment proposals from certified firms, and in
case the TAAF program is re-authorized by Congress.
II. Method of Collection
Form ED-840P may be obtained in Portable Document Format (PDF) from
EDA or the TAACs upon request. TAACs are responsible for preparing the
petition for certification on the firm's behalf. Although there is no
form associated with adjustment proposals, they must meet the
requirements for adjustment proposals set out in EDA's regulation at 13
CFR 315.11. Both petitions for certification on Form ED-840P and
adjustment proposals may be submitted electronically or via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0470656567446160652a636b72"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="94e0f5f5f7d4f1f0f5baf3fbe2">[email protected]</span></a>.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0610-0091.
Form Number(s): ED-840P.
Type of Review: Extension of a current information collection.
[[Page 37822]]
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300 (150 petitions for
certification and 150 adjustment proposals).
Estimated Time per Response: 53 hours for petitions for
certification and 120 hours for adjustment proposals.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 25,950 (7,950 hours for
petitions for certification and 18,000 for adjustment proposals).
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,531,569 ($469,209 for
petitions for certification and $1,062,360 for adjustment proposals;
cost assumes application of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics third
quarter 2021 mean hourly employer costs for employee compensation for
professional and related occupations of $59.02).
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Chapters 3 and 5 of title II of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2341-2356).
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2022-13571 Filed 6-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-34-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 24, 2022.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.