FR 2025-07233

The document issued by the Department of the Treasury invites public comments regarding the continuation of information collection activities for the Air Carrier Loan and Payroll Support Programs. These programs were designed to help air carriers and associated businesses financially during the COVID-19 pandemic through legislative measures such as the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act. Although no new applications for these programs are being accepted, participants who previously benefited are required to submit quarterly compliance reports and keep certain records for at least five years.

Summary of the Document

This notice serves to remind and inform participants of their ongoing responsibilities, although the application period is closed. The Treasury seeks comments from the public as part of its customary process to review and assess the need and burden of these information collection activities, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Significant Issues and Concerns

The document raises several notable issues:

1. Uncertainty for Participants: The notice does not clearly delineate which air carriers or contractors remain subject to the reporting requirements. This lack of specificity could lead to confusion about who precisely needs to fulfill these obligations.

2. Burden Estimation: The documentation provides estimates of the time needed for compliance activities—4.25 hours for typical reporting and recordkeeping, and up to 30 hours for compliance audits. However, further details on what these tasks involve could aid in understanding whether these expectations are reasonable or overly burdensome.

3. Legal References: Mentioning authority as "44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq." without further explanation may not be helpful to readers unfamiliar with legal jargon. More context regarding this reference could enhance understanding.

4. Legislative Context: While various pandemic-related acts are cited, the notice assumes that the audience is familiar with the purpose and implications of each. A brief recap of what these acts entail would aid broader comprehension.

5. Necessity of Ongoing Compliance: The document does not provide a rationale for why continued compliance is necessary now that the Treasury is not accepting new applications. A discussion about the overarching goals or broader implications of continued oversight would clarify its importance.

Public and Stakeholder Impact

Public Impact: Broadly, the continued oversight, through compliance reporting and recordkeeping, aims to ensure transparency and accountability in how public funds were utilized during the pandemic. It reflects ongoing vigilance over taxpayer-borne programs to assess the longer-term impacts and compliance of the aid provided.

Impact on Stakeholders: Businesses involved, primarily air carriers and related contractors, could face significant administrative effort to comply with these reporting requirements. This could lead to additional costs and resource allocation, likely affecting smaller entities more acutely than larger companies that might have existing infrastructure for handling compliance.

Conclusion

Overall, while the document follows a standard bureaucratic process for seeking public input on information collection activities, addressing the issues outlined may help improve clarity and reduce the burden on organizations affected by this notice. Enhanced clarity might also prevent misunderstandings and ensure that stakeholders effectively meet their legal obligations in a manner that supports the broader public interest in accountability for the allocated funds.