0007 ext SS 11-8-13 rev

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

NAUTICAL DISCREPANCY REPORTING SYSTEM

(FORMERLY COAST PILOT REPORT FORM)

OMB CONTROL NO. 0648-0007

A. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.

This request is for revision and extension of a current information collection. Rather than using the previous paper Coast Pilot Report Form, individuals sending charter information use the Web-based Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System. The information collection title has changed from “Coast Pilot Report Form” to “Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System”.

Data obtained through this system (http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/discrepancy.aspx) is used to update and National Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA) nautical charts and the United States Coast Pilot®.

NOAA is the nation’s nautical chartmaker, maintaining and updating over a thousand charts covering the 3.5 million square nautical miles of coastal waters in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and the Great Lakes. The marine transportation system relies on charting accuracy and precision to keep navigation safe and coastal communities protected from environmental disasters at sea.

The U.S. Coast Pilot is a series of nine nautical books that supplement nautical charts. The Coast Pilot contains essential marine information important to navigators of United States coastal and intracoastal waters that cannot be shown graphically on the charts and is not readily available elsewhere. Subjects include, but are not limited to, channel descriptions, anchorages, bridge and cable clearances, tides and tidal currents, prominent features, pilotage, towage, weather, ice conditions, wharf descriptions, dangers, routes, traffic separation schemes, small craft facilities and Federal Regulations applicable to navigation.

Charts and Coast Pilots are purchased by all segments of the marine public, including U.S. and foreign commercial vessels and millions of recreational boaters. Government assets, including U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels and other government vessels and agencies, also rely on this information. Federal regulations (33 CFR 164.33) require all vessels of 1,600 gross tons and greater, while traversing U.S. waters, to carry marine charts and the U.S. Coast Pilot.

The marine environment and shorelines are constantly changing. NOAA makes every effort to update information portrayed in charts and described in the Coast Pilot. Sources of information include, but are not limited to: pilot associations, shipping companies, towboat operators, state marine authorities, city marine authorities, local port authorities, marine operators, hydrographic research vessels, naval vessels, Coast Guard cutters, merchant vessels, fishing vessels, pleasure boats, U.S. Power Squadron Units, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Units, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The purpose of NOAA’s Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System is to offer a formal, standardized instrument for recommending changes, corrections, and updates to nautical charts and the Coast Pilot, and to monitor and document the accepted changes.

2. Explain how, by whom, how frequently, and for what purpose the information will be used. If the information collected will be disseminated to the public or used to support information that will be disseminated to the public, then explain how the collection complies with all applicable Information Quality Guidelines.

When a user of a nautical chart or the Coast Pilot notices information is missing or has changed, he/she uses the http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/discrepancy.aspx webpage to report the discrepancy. The information is evaluated by cartographers in NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey’s Nautical Data Branch. Coast Survey ascertains that the information is germane and, if so, that it is complete. If the information requires clarification, Coast Survey will contact the respondent, by telephone or email, for more information. Once complete, the information is assigned a control number and routed to the applicable production branch to update the chart and/or Coast Pilot master files. If the change is critical to safe navigation, Coast Survey issues a change for publication in the Coast Guard’s Local Notice to Mariners and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Weekly Notice to Mariners.

NOAA will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with NOAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information. See response to Question 10 of this Supporting Statement for more information on confidentiality and privacy. The information collection yields data that meet all applicable information quality guidelines. Prior to dissemination, the information is subjected to quality control measures and a pre-dissemination review pursuant to Section 515 of Public Law 106-554.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information technology.

Discrepancy reporters may fill out the online form at http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/discrepancy.aspx, or can call Coast Survey directly (to 888-990-6622).

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4. Describe efforts to identify duplication.

Extensive databases catalog and document changes to nautical charts and U.S. Coast Pilot, with electronic documentation extending back to the 1970s. Every change or germane report is entered into the databases and reviewed prior to making the document updates; therefore there are no duplicate entries.

In addition, this is the only such database to which such information can be submitted.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

The use of this form is voluntary and has no significant impact on small businesses, organizations or government entities. The form requires no records to be kept by the respondent.

6. Describe the consequences to the Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.

Critical information might not be brought to Coast Survey’s attention, or the information might be incomplete. This could result in a maritime accident with possible loss of life or harm to the environment.

7. Explain any special circumstances that require the collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with OMB guidelines.

NA.

8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and record keeping, disclosure or reporting format (if any) and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed or reported.

A Federal Register Notice was published on August 8, 2013 (78 FR 40418), soliciting comments on this request. There were no comments in response to the notice.

Coast Survey automatically solicits public comments whenever someone submits a correction notice through NOAA’s Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System (http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/idrs/discrepancy.aspx). We received one comment on October 31, 2013:

Overall I think the system is fine. I use it often and the folks who respond are great (HI Laurie). The only issue I have is pretty nit-picking and certainly wouldn't cause me not to use the system. I usually report problems with navigational charts. You have three possible fields for chart number that can be filled out. First, "CHART number, with edition number:". Second, "PRINT ON DEMAND CHART number, with edition number:" Third, "BSB (a format) CHART number, with edition number" Since the discrepancy is almost certain to appear on all three of the products you could reduce this to only "CHART number, with edition number". While a discrepancy such as a bad scan or poor geo-referencing would be BSB specific I have yet to run into that problem.”

The Coast Survey inquiry manager responded on November 1, 2013:

Thanks for the input regarding our Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System. Regarding the three options, your point is well taken. I believe they were put in there in the slight chance that we have a new print-on-demand edition on the street (often for a month) before the paper chart is made available in new edition. We'll take a look at the value of those three fields. I think we would only expect you to fill out one of those three. Laurie is one of our best cartographers. Again, thanks for your comments.

Update from program: We were unable to combine the various chart identification requests into one. We are attempting to combine the various chart types into a single production system, but that goal isn't fully realized. For now, errors on one chart may not be replicated on other charts, so we need to know which chart has the error. We've added a clarification, that at least one product is required, because the bigger problem is that users fail to identify any of the charts. It appears that the clarification has addressed both problems: users needlessly adding more than one type of chart and users not identifying any chart at all.

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No remuneration of any kind is provided to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation or agency policy.

No confidentiality is offered to respondents other than the fact that individual data providers are not identified on charts or in the text of Coast Pilot.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs and other matters which are commonly considered to be private.

There are no sensitive questions.

12. Provide an estimate in hours of the burden of the collection of information.

Coast Survey estimates an average of 30 minutes to provide reports via the online system. Coast Survey receives about 300 chart discrepancy reports annually through the Nautical Discrepancy Reporting System. Thus, total estimated burden to the public is about 150 hours annually.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to the respondents or record- keepers resulting from the collection (excluding the value of the burden hours in Question 12 above).

Annual cost burden to the respondents is $0 as all submissions are now Web-based.

14. Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government.

The cost of processing the information received is approximately $20,000 annually, consisting mainly of employees’ wages and benefits. The cost for processing public reports, however, is less than it would cost for NOAA vessels to survey the reported locations.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

Program change: The change in submission method eliminated the low average cost.

Adjustment: The number of responses has increased in the past three years from 100 to approximately 300 per year, and thus the hours have increased from 50 to 150.

16. For collections whose results will be published, outline the plans for tabulation and publication.

N/A.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

N/A.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

N/A.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

N/A.