2020-20313. Request for Comments of a Previously Approved Information Collection: Application for Construction Reserve Fund and Annual Statements

AGENCY:

Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on June 19, 2020.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before October 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Daniel Ladd, 202-366-1859, Office of Financial Approvals, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Application for Construction Reserve Fund (CRF) and Annual Statements.

OMB Control Number: 2133-0032.

Type of Request: Renewal of a previously approved collection.

Background: The Construction Reserve Fund (CRF), authorized by 46 U.S.C. Chapter 533, is a financial assistance program which provides tax deferral benefits to U.S.-flag operators. Eligible parties can defer the gain attributable to the sale or loss of a vessel, provided the proceeds are used to expand or modernize the U.S. merchant fleet. The primary purpose of the CRF is to promote the construction, reconstruction, reconditioning, or acquisition of merchant vessels which are necessary for national defense and to the development of U.S. commerce.

Respondents: Citizens who own or operate vessels in the U.S. foreign or domestic commerce who desire tax benefits under the CRF program must respond.

Affected Public: Owners or operators of vessels in the domestic or foreign commerce.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 17.

Total Estimated Number of Responses: 17.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Estimated time per Respondent: 9 hours.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 153.

Public Comments Invited: Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

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

Dated: September 10, 2020.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.

Secretary, Maritime Administration.