For immediate release

The Federal Reserve Board on Monday announced that public meetings will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California, on the proposal by Bank of America Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina, to merge with FleetBoston Financial Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts. The purpose of these meetings is to collect information relating to factors the Board is required to consider under the Bank Holding Company Act. These factors are the effects of the proposal on the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the companies and banks involved in the proposal, competition in the relevant markets, and the convenience and needs of the communities to be served. Convenience and needs considerations include consideration of the records of performance of Bank of America and FleetBoston under the Community Reinvestment Act. The specific dates, times and locations of the meetings are: Boston - Wednesday, January 14, 2004, beginning at 9:00 a.m. EST, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02106. San Francisco - Friday, January 16, 2004, beginning at 8:30 a.m. PST, at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 101 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105. All persons wishing to testify at a meeting must submit a written request no later than 5:00 p.m. PST, Wednesday, January 7, 2004. The request must include the following information: (i) identification of which meeting the participant wishes to attend, (ii) a brief statement of the nature of the expected testimony (including whether the testimony will support or oppose the proposed transaction, or provide other comment on the proposal), and the estimated time required for the presentation; (iii) address and telephone number (and facsimile number and e-mail address, if available) of the person testifying; and (iv) identification of any special needs, such as from persons desiring translation services, persons with a physical disability who may need assistance, or persons requiring visual aids for their presentation. To the extent feasible, translators will be provided to persons wishing to present their views in a language other than English if this information is included in the request to testify. Persons interested only in attending the meeting but not testifying need not submit a written request to attend. For those wishing to testify at the meeting to be held in Boston, requests should be submitted to Jonathan Fine, Assistant Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02106 (facsimile: 617/973-3219). For those wishing to testify at the meeting to be held in San Francisco, requests should be submitted to Joy Hoffmann, Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 101 Market Street, San Francisco, California 94105 (facsimile: 415/393-1920). In the alternative, requests to testify at either meeting should be submitted to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20551 (facsimile: 202/452-3819). On the basis of the requests to testify, the Presiding Officer of the public meeting will establish a schedule of appearances and prescribe all necessary procedures to ensure that the meeting proceeds in a fair and orderly manner. An agenda for the meeting, which will include the scheduled time for each person's testimony, will be provided to participants at a later date. Attached is a copy of the Notice of Public Meeting, which sets forth the procedures to be followed at the meeting. The Federal Reserve Board also announced that the period for public comment on the proposal has been extended through the close of business on Friday, January 16, 2004. Attached is the Board's Order relating to this action. Attachment (11 KB PDF)

2003 Orders on banking applications