2020-01148. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Title: Implementation of Vessel Speed Restrictions to Reduce the Threat of Ship Collisions with North Atlantic Right Whales.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0580.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Request: Regular (Extension of a currently approved collection).

Number of Respondents: 3,263.

Average Hours per Response: 5 minutes.

Burden Hours: 272 hours.

Needs and Uses: Collisions with vessels continue to be a source of serious injury and mortality for the endangered North Atlantic right whale and are a threat to the species' recovery. On October 10, 2008, NMFS published a final rule implementing seasonal speed restrictions along the east coast of the U.S. to reduce the incidence and severity of vessel collisions with North Atlantic right whales (73 FR 60173). The final rule contained a collection-of-information requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

Specifically, 50 CFR 224.105(c) provides for a safety deviation from the 10-knot seasonal speed limit if poor weather or sea going conditions severely restrict the maneuverability of a vessel. Under such conditions, a vessel master may opt to maintain a speed in excess of the speed restriction, if required for safety, provided a signed entry is made in the vessel logbook detailing the reasons for the deviation, the speed at which the vessel is operated, the area, and the time and duration of such deviation.

Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations, non-profit institutions and individuals or households.

Frequency: On occasion

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory

This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to [e-mail] or fax to [phone].

Sheleen Dumas,

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Commerce Department.