2011-20624. Agency Information Collection Activities: Harbor Maintenance Fee

AGENCY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

30-Day Notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing collection of information: 1651-0055.

SUMMARY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Harbor Maintenance Fee (CBP Forms 349 and 350). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with a change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (76 FR 26311) on May 6, 2011, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before September 14, 2011.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the OMB Desk Officer for Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and sent via electronic mail to [e-mail] or faxed to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information should be directed to Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 799 9th Street, NW., 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177, at 202-325-0265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)). The comments should address: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (e) the annual costs burden to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (a total capital/startup costs and operations and maintenance costs). The comments that are submitted will be summarized and included in the CBP request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. In this document CBP is soliciting comments concerning the following information collection:

Title: Harbor Maintenance Fee.

OMB Number: 1651-0055.

Form Number: CBP Forms 349 and 350.

Abstract: The Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) and Trust Fund is used for the operation and maintenance of certain U.S. channels and harbors by the Army Corps of Engineers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is required to collect the HMF from importers, domestic shippers, and passenger vessel operators using Federal navigation projects. Commercial cargo loaded on or unloaded from a commercial vessel is subject to a port use fee of 0.125 percent of its value if the loading or unloading occurs at a port that has been designated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The HMF also applies to the total ticket value of embarking and disembarking passengers and on cargo admissions into a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ).

CBP Form 349, Harbor Maintenance Fee Quarterly Summary Report, and CBP Form 350, Harbor Maintenance Fee Amended Quarterly Summary Report, are completed by domestic shippers, foreign trade zones applicants, and passenger vessel operators and submitted with payment to CBP. CBP proposes to amend Form 349 to add the respondent's email address and fax number.

CBP uses the information collected on CBP Forms 349 and 350 to verify that the fee collected is timely and accurately submitted. These forms are authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 4461, et seq.) and provided for by 19 CFR 24.24, which also includes the list of designated ports. CBP Forms 349 and 350 are accessible at http://www.cbp.gov/​xp/​cgov/​toolbox/​forms/​ or they may be completed and filed electronically at http://www.pay.gov.

Current Actions: This submission is being made to extend the expiration date of this information collection with a change to the burden hours resulting from revised estimates of the number of responses. CBP also proposes to add the respondent's email address and fax number to Form 349. There are no proposed changes to CBP 350.

Type of Review: Extension (with change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 575.

Estimated Number of Responses: 2,300.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 130 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,246.

Dated: August 9, 2011.

Tracey Denning,

Agency Clearance Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.