E7-13769. Information Collection Available for Public Comments and Recommendations

ACTION:

Notice of intention to request extension of OMB approval and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Maritime Administration's (MARAD's) intention to request extension of approval (with modifications) for three years of a currently approved information collection.

DATES:

Comments should be submitted on or before September 17, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mitch Hudson, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: [phone]; or E-Mail: [e-mail]. Copies of this collection also can be obtained from that office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: Requirements for Establishing U.S. Citizenship—46 CFR Parts 355 and 356.

Type of Request: Extension with modifications of currently approved information collection.

OMB Control Number: 2133-0012.

Form Numbers: None.

Expiration Date of Approval: Three years from date of approval by the Office of Management and Budget.

Summary of Collection of Information: Maritime Administration implementing regulations at 46 CFR parts 355 and 356 set forth requirements for establishing U.S. citizenship in accordance with MARAD statutory authority. Those receiving benefits under 46 U.S.C. Chapters 531, 535, and 537 (formerly the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, as amended), or applicants seeking a fishery endorsement eligibility approval pursuant to the American Fisheries Act must be citizens of the United States within the meaning of 46 U.S.C. 50501, (formerly Section 2 of the Shipping Act, 1916, as amended). In either case, whether seeking program benefits or fishery endorsement eligibility, Section 50501 sets forth the statutory requirements for determining whether an applicant, be it a corporation, partnership, or association is a U.S. citizen. 46 CFR part 356 is distinguished from 46 CFR part 355 in that part 356 establishes requirements for U.S. citizenship exclusively in accordance with the AFA while part 355 is applied for purposes of establishing citizenship across multiple MARAD programs arising under other statutory authority. Most program participants are required to submit to MARAD on an annual basis the form of affidavit prescribed by part 355 or part 356.

Need and Use of the Information: MARAD will review the Affidavits of U.S. Citizenship to determine if the applicants are eligible to participate in the programs offered by the agency or to receive a MARAD fishery endorsement eligibility approval.

Description of Respondents: The Affidavits of U.S. Citizenship are filed with MARAD by shipowners, trustees, ship mortgagees, charterers, equity owners, ship managers, etc.

Annual Responses: 500 responses.

Annual Burden: 2,500 hours.

Comments: Comments should refer to the docket number that appears at the top of this document. Written comments may be submitted to the Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Comments also may be submitted by electronic means via the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov/​submit. Specifically address whether this information collection is necessary for proper performance of the functions of the agency and will have practical utility, accuracy of the burden estimates, ways to minimize this burden, and ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected. All comments received will be available for examination at the above address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. EDT (or EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov.

Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Authority: 49 CFR 1.66.

Dated: July 10, 2007.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator,

Daron T. Threet,

Secretary, Maritime Administration.