1625-0020_SS_r0_2011

1625-0020

Supporting Statement

for

Security Zones, Regulated Navigation Areas, and Safety Zones

A. Justification

1. Circumstances which make the collection of information necessary.

a) Security Zones: Executive Order 10173 (October 20, 1950) authorized the Coast Guard to prescribe procedures for establishing and appealing security zones. These regulations are contained in 33 CFR Parts 6 and 165. Security zones are areas of land, water, or land and water designated by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) where access is limited to authorized persons, vehicles, or vessels, or waterfront facilities. Security Zones are necessary to prevent destruction, loss or injury from sabotage or subversive activity. Under these regulations, the COTP may designate security zones in the U.S. jurisdiction, for a period of time he deems necessary to prevent damage or injury. The COTP limits access to a security zone by prohibiting the entry of unauthorized persons, vehicles, or vessels, requiring reduced speed, or setting other restrictions.

b) Regulated Navigation Areas (RNAs): The Port and Tanker Safety Act (see 33 U.S.C. 1223) authorized the Coast Guard to prescribe special regulations to control vessel traffic in areas that are determined to be hazardous due to conditions of reduced visibility, adverse weather or vessel congestion. The regulations in 33 CFR 165, provide for the establishment of regulated navigation areas, which are areas of the navigable waters of the U.S. requiring special procedures to assure the safe navigation of vessels.

c) Safety Zones: The Ports and Waterways Safety Act (see 33 U.S.C. 1225) authorized the Coast Guard to establish regulations to allow the designation of safety zones. These regulations are contained in 33 CFR 165. Safety zones are areas of land, water, or land and water designated by the COTP where access is limited to authorized persons, vehicles, or vessels to protect the public from a hazardous situation. The COTP may designate safety zones in the U.S. and the navigable waters of the U.S., for a period of time he deems necessary to prevent damage or injury to persons, vessels or waterfront facilities. The COTP limits access into a safety zone by prohibiting the entry of unauthorized persons, vehicles, or vessels, requiring reduced speed, or setting other restrictions.

The COTP may establish a security zone, regulated navigation area or safety zone at the request of any person or of his or her own volition.

This information collection supports the following strategic goals:

Department of Homeland Security

• Prevention

• Protection

• Response

• Recovery

Coast Guard

• Maritime Safety

• Maritime Security

• Maritime Stewardship

Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship Directorate (CG-5)

• Safety: Eliminate deaths, injuries, and property damage associated with commercial maritime operations.

• Security: Eliminate marine transportation and coastal security vulnerability.

• Human and Natural Environment: Eliminate environmental damage associated with maritime transportation and operations on and around the nation’s waterways.

• Economic Growth and Trade/Mobility: Reduce interruptions and impediments that restrict the economical movement of goods and people, while maximizing safe, effective, and efficient waterways for all users.

2. By whom, how, and for what purpose the information is to be used.

Government agencies, industry or the public may request that the Coast Guard establish a security zone, safety zone or regulated navigation area. This information is collected only as needed. The Coast Guard uses the information to assess the need to establish a security zone, safety zone or regulated navigation area. Similar data is not available elsewhere since the information is unique to each situation and applies to a specific time, duration, place, and operation. If this information is not collected, potential threats or hazards may not be identified. If the Coast Guard is not able to identify the threat or hazard, appropriate action cannot be taken which may result in injury or damage to persons, vessels, ports or waterfront facilities.

3. Consideration of the use of improved information technology.

The information provided by a respondent is in writing, and this can be done via mail or electronic mail as well. We estimate that approximately 33% of all submissions are received electronically.

4. Efforts to identify duplication. Why similar information cannot be used.

To date, no State or local programs have been identified that require equivalent information. No other Federal agencies have similar or equivalent regulatory requirements.

5. Methods used to minimize the burdens to small entities if involved.

This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses or other small entities.

6. Consequences to the Federal program if collection were not done or conducted less frequently.

This information is collected only when a security zone, regulated navigation area or safety zone is requested or needed. Less frequent collection would have the same consequences as no collection.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause the information collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with guidelines.

This information collection is conducted in manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. Consultation.

A 60-day Notice and 30-day Notice were published in the Federal Register to obtain public comment on this collection. (See USCG-2011-0119: March 21, 2011; 76 FR 15330; June 14, 2011, 76 FR 34737). The USCG has not received any comments on this information collection.

. (See [USCG-2011-xxxx]; xxx, x, 2011; 76 FR xxxxx). The USCG has not received any comments on this information collection.

9. Explain any decision to provide payment or gift to respondents.

There is no offer of monetary or material value for this information collection.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents.

There are no assurances of confidentiality provided to the respondents for this information collection.

11. Additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.

There are no questions of sensitive language.

12. Estimates of reporting and recordkeeping hour and cost burdens of the collection of information.

• The estimated annual number of respondents is 217.

• The estimated annual number of responses is 217.

• The estimated annual hour burden is 272 hours.

• The estimated annual cost burden is $24,304.

For all calculations, we use the wage rate of $99/hour for management personnel, and a wage rate of $52/hour for clerical personnel.¹ We estimate that there will be 26 Security Zone requests, 18 RNA requests and 173 Safety Zone requests.²

The annual cost for Security Zone requests is estimated to be 33 burden hours and $2,912 as calculated and shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Costs for Security Zone Requests

Personnel involved	Wage/hour	Time taken (hrs.) to draft and review, and type response	Cost
Management – reviews request/appeal	$99	1.0	$99
Clerical – types response	$52	0.25	$13
Total Cost per Security Zone Request		1.25 burden hours	$112
Total Annual Cost for all 26 Security Zone Requests		33 burden hours*	$2,912

* Rounded.

The annual cost for RNA requests is estimated to be 23 burden hours and $2,016 as calculated and shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Costs for Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) Requests

Personnel involved	Wage/hour	Time taken (hrs.) to draft and review, and type response	Cost
Management – reviews request/appeal	$99	1.0	$99
Clerical– types response	$52	0.25	$13
Total Cost per RNA Request		1.25 burden hours	$112
Total Annual Cost for 18 RNA Requests		23 burden hours*	$2,016

* Rounded.

The annual cost for Safety Zone requests is estimated to be approximately 216 burden hours and $19,376 as calculated and shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Costs for Safety Zone Requests

Personnel involved	Wage/hour	Time taken (hrs.) to draft and review, and type response	Cost
Management – reviews request/appeal	$99	1.0	$99
Clerical– types response	$52	0.25	$13
Total Cost per Safety Zone Requests		1.25 burden hours	$112
Total Annual Cost for all 173 Safety Zone Requests		216 burden hours*	$19,376

* Rounded.

13. Estimates of annualized capital and start-up costs.

There are no recordkeeping, capital, start-up or maintenance costs associated with this information collection.

14. Estimates of annualized Federal Government costs.

Requests are infrequent but usually involve unique problems requiring considerable Coast Guard review and evaluation. Frequently, trips to the scene and considerable command level liaison with other government agencies and marine industries are necessary before a decision is made. Costs are detailed in the table below.

The annualized cost to the Federal Government is estimated to be $144,522. Calculations are shown in Table 4.

Table 4: Annualized Costs to the Federal Government

Personnel involved	Wage/hour3	Time taken (hrs.) to draft and review, and type response	Cost
Senior Officer (O-5 government rank) – reviews request/appeal	$88	3	$264
Junior Officer (O-3 government rank) – reviews request/appeal	$67	6	$402
Total cost per request		9 hours	$666
Total Annual Cost for all 217 Requests		1,953 hours	$144,522

15. Explain the reasons for the change in burden.

The change (i.e., decrease) in burden is an ADJUSTMENT due to a change in the number of requests for Security Zones, Regulated Navigation Areas and Safety Zones. There is no change to the information being collected.

16. For collections of information whose results are planned to be published for statistical use, outline plans for tabulation, statistical analysis and publication.

This information collection will not be published for statistical purposes.

17. Approval to not display expiration date.

The Coast Guard will display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

The Coast Guard does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection.

2. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.

1 Derived from Enclosure (2) to COMDTINST 7310.1L. For management personnel we used an O-4 (out gov’t) wage equivalent and for clerical personnel we used an E-5 (out gov’t) wage equivalent.

2 Based on an average from FY 2008-2010 figures.

3 Derived from In Gov’t rates in Enclosure (2) to COMDTINST 7310.1L.

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