2017-26170. Request for Comments on the Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection: Procedures for Determining Vessel Services Categories for Purposes of the Cargo Preference Act

AGENCY:

Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) invites public comments on our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The information to be collected will be used by the Maritime Administration to create a list of Vessel Self-Designations and determine whether the Agency agrees or disagrees with a vessel owner's designation of a vessel. It will use data submitted with re-designation requests to determine whether or not a vessel should be re-designated into a different service category. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before February 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-MARAD-2017-0192] through one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Search using the above DOT docket number and follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the Department's performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for the Department to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jan Downing, 202-366-0783, Office of Cargo and Commercial Sealift, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W23-308, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Procedures for Determining Vessel Services Categories for Purposes of the Cargo Preference Act.

OMB Control Number: 2133-0540.

Type of Request: Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide information to be used in the designation of service categories of individual vessels for purposes of compliance with the Cargo Preference Act under a Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Maritime Administration. MARAD will use the data submitted by vessel operators to create a list of Vessel Self-Designations and determine whether MARAD agrees or disagrees with a vessel owner's designation of a vessel.

Respondents: Owners or operators of U.S.-registered vessels and foreign-registered vessels.

Affected Public: Owners or operators of U.S.-registered vessels and foreign-registered vessels.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.

Estimated Number of Responses: 200.

Estimated Hours per Response: 0.25.

Annual Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.93. * * *

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Dated: November 30, 2017.

T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,

Secretary, Maritime Administration.