(a) In general. A filer must publish a public notice of its filing in a newspaper of general circulation in the community in which the filer proposes to engage in business, on the date of filing, or as soon as practicable before or after the date of filing. This notice must be published in the English language but if the OCC determines that the primary language of a significant number of adult residents of the community is a language other than English, the OCC may require that an additional notice(s) simultaneously be published in the community in the appropriate language(s).
(b) Contents of the public notice. The public notice must state that a filing is being made, the date of the filing, the name and address of the filer, the subject matter of the filing (including the name of the institution that is the subject of the filing), that the public may submit comments to the appropriate OCC licensing office, the address of the appropriate OCC licensing office where comments should be sent, the closing date of the public comment period (if known at the time of publication of the notice), that the public portion of the filing is available on request, that the public may find information about the filing (including the closing date of the comment period) in the OCC's Weekly Bulletin available at www.occ.gov, and any other information that the OCC requires.
(c) Confirmation of public notice. Promptly following publication, the filer must mail or otherwise deliver to the appropriate OCC licensing office a statement containing the date of publication, the name and address of the newspaper that published the public notice, a copy of the public notice, and any other information that the OCC requires.
(d) Multiple transactions. The OCC may consider more than one transaction, or a series of transactions, to be a single filing for purposes of the publication requirements of this section. When filing a single public notice for multiple transactions, the filer must explain in the notice how the transactions are related.
(e) Joint public notices accepted. Upon the request of a filer, for a transaction subject to a public notice requirement of both the OCC and another Federal agency, the OCC may accept publication of a single joint notice containing the information required by both the OCC and the other Federal agency, provided that the notice states that comments must be submitted to both the OCC and, if applicable, the other Federal agency.
(f) Public notice by the OCC. In addition to the foregoing, the OCC may require or give public notice and request comment on any filing and in any manner the OCC determines appropriate for the particular filing.
(g) New public notice. At the OCC's discretion, a filer may be required to publish a new public notice if:
(1) The filer submits either a revised filing or new or additional information related to a filing;
(2) A major issue of law or change in circumstance arises after a filing; or
(3) The OCC determines that a new public notice is appropriate.
[80 FR 28414, May 18, 2015, as amended at 82 FR 8103, Jan. 23, 2017; 85 FR 80436, Dec. 11, 2020]