2018-01448. Collection of Information Under Review by Office of Management and Budget; OMB Control Number: 1625-0040

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Thirty-day notice requesting comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval for reinstatement, without change, of the following collection of information: 1625-0040, Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate, Applications for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate for Entry Level Ratings, Small Vessel Sea Service Form, DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form, Disclosure Statement for Narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or Other Convictions, Merchant Mariner Medical Certificates, Recognition of Foreign Certificate. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

DATES:

Comments must reach the Coast Guard and OIRA on or before February 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket number [USCG-2015-0694] to the Coast Guard using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Alternatively, you may submit comments to OIRA using one of the following means:

(1) Email: [e-mail].

(2) Mail: OIRA, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, attention Desk Officer for the Coast Guard.

A copy of the ICR is available through the docket on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Additionally, copies are available from: Commandant (CG-612), Attn: Paperwork Reduction Act Manager, U.S. Coast Guard, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Stop 7710, Washington, DC 20593-7710.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Anthony Smith, Office of Information Management, telephone [phone], or fax [phone], for questions on these documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

This Notice relies on the authority of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended. An ICR is an application to OIRA seeking the approval, extension, or renewal of a Coast Guard collection of information (Collection). The ICR contains information describing the Collection's purpose, the Collection's likely burden on the affected public, an explanation of the necessity of the Collection, and other important information describing the Collection. There is one ICR for each Collection.

The Coast Guard invites comments on whether this ICR should be granted based on the Collection being necessary for the proper performance of Departmental functions. In particular, the Coast Guard would appreciate comments addressing: (1) The practical utility of the Collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the Collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of information subject to the Collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the Collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. These comments will help OIRA determine whether to approve the ICR referred to in this Notice.

We encourage you to respond to this request by submitting comments and related materials. Comments to Coast Guard or OIRA must contain the OMB Control Number of the ICR. They must also contain the docket number of this request [USCG-2015-0694], and must be received by February 26, 2018.

Submitting Comments

We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be submitted using http://www.regulations.gov,, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by following that website's instructions. Additionally, if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will be notified when comments are posted.

We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal Register (70 FR 15086).

OIRA posts its decisions on ICRs online at http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain after the comment period for each ICR. An OMB Notice of Action on each ICR will become available via a hyperlink in the OMB Control Number: 1625-0040.

Previous Request for Comments

This request provides a 30-day comment period required by OIRA. The Coast Guard published the 60-day notice (80 FR 62079, December 14, 2015) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That Notice elicited one comment.

We did receive one comment on the earlier submission of this ICR. The commenter requested that we provide more detail on the progress of an application while it is being processed. Although this is not a comment directed at the collection, we do provide the following response.

Accordingly, no changes have been made to the Collections. The Coast Guard provides process guides and general requirements to assist with the applications required for a Merchant Mariner. These are available upon the National Maritime Center (NMC) website at www.uscg.mil/​nmc.

These guides detail the processes that are followed for the evaluation of merchant mariners. Furthermore, during the mariner evaluation process, the applicants are provided email updates (if email address is provided) detailing the status of their application(s).

The Coast Guard published a second 60-day Notice (82 FR 49639, October 26, 2017) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). This was done due to the length of time that elapsed since posting of the initial 60-day Notice. That Notice elicited no comment. Accordingly, no changes have been made to the Collection.

Information Collection Request

Title: Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate, Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate for Entry Level Ratings, Small Vessel Sea Service Form, DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form, Disclosure Statement for Narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or Other Convictions, Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate, Recognition of Foreign Certificate.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0040.

Summary: The Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate, Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate for Entry Level Ratings, Small Vessel Sea Service Form, DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form, Disclosure Statement for Narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or Other Convictions, contains the following information: Signature of applicant and supplementary material required to show that the mariner meets the mandatory requirements for the credential or medical certificate sought; proof of applicant passing all applicable vision, hearing, medical, and/or physical exams; negative chemical test for dangerous drugs; discharges or other documentary evidence of sea service indicating the name, tonnage, propulsion mode and power of the vessels, dates of service, capacity in which the applicant served, and on what waters; and disclosure documentation for narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or other convictions.

Need: Title 46 United States Code (U.S.C.) Subtitle II, part E, Title 46 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) part 10, Subpart B, and International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW Convention) and the STCW Code, including the STCW Final Rule (Docket No. USCG-2004-17914) published on December 24, 2013, requires MMC and Medical Certificate applicants to apply at one of the Coast Guard's seventeen Regional Examination Centers located nationwide. MMCs are established for individuals who are required to hold a credential under Subtitle II. The Coast Guard has the responsibility of issuing MMCs and Medical Certificates to applicants found qualified as to age, character, habits of life, experience, professional qualifications, and physical fitness. The instruments contained within OMB Control No. 1625-0040 serve as a means for the applicant to apply for a MMC and Medical Certificate.

Forms: CG-719B, Application for Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC); CG-719C, Disclosure Statement for Narcotics, DWI/DUI, and/or Other Convictions; CG-719K, Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate; CG-719K/E, Application for Merchant Mariner Medical Certificate for Entry Level Ratings; CG-719S, Small Vessel Sea Service Form; CG-719P, DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form.

Respondents: Applicants for MMC, whether original, renewal, duplicate, raise of grade, or a new endorsement on a previously issued MMC. Applicants for Medical Certificates to include National and STCW credentialed mariners, and first-class pilots.

Frequency: On occasion.

Hour Burden Estimate: The estimated burden remains 47,444 hours a year (CG-719B = 8,475, CG-719K = 16,440 hours, CG-719K/E = 2,283 hours, CG-719-S = 14, 125 hours, CG-719P = 4,708 hours, and CG-719C = 1,413).

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: January 11, 2018.

James D. Roppel,

Acting Chief, U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Information Management.