60-Day FR Notice

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 199 (Thursday, October 15, 2015)]

[Notices]

[Pages 62080-62082]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2015-26194]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0637]

Information Collection Request to Office of Management and

Budget; OMB Control Number: 1625-0108

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

[[Page 62081]]

ACTION: Sixty-day notice requesting comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the

U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request

(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of

its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0108,

Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels. Our ICR describe

the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting

this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described

below.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before December 14,

2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Coast Guard docket

number [USCG-2015-0637] to the Coast Guard using the Federal

eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public

participation and request for comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section for further instructions on submitting comments.

A copy of the ICR is available through the docket on the Internet

at http://www.regulations.gov. Additionally, copies are available from:

COMMANDANT (CG-612), ATTN: PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT MANAGER, U.S. COAST

GUARD, 2100 2ND STREET SW., STOP 7101, WASHINGTON, DC 20593-7101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Anthony Smith, Office of

Information Management, telephone 202-475-3532, or fax 202-372-8405,

for questions on these documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

This Notice relies on the authority of the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended. An ICR is an application to

OIRA seeking the approval, extension, or renewal of a Coast Guard

collection of information (Collection). The ICR contains information

describing the Collection's purpose, the Collection's likely burden on

the affected public, an explanation of the necessity of the Collection,

and other important information describing the Collection. There is one

ICR for each Collection.

The Coast Guard invites comments on whether this ICR should be

granted based on the Collection being necessary for the proper

performance of Departmental functions. In particular, the Coast Guard

would appreciate comments addressing: (1) The practical utility of the

Collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the Collection;

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of information

subject to the Collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the

Collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information technology. In response to

your comments, we may revise this ICR or decide not to seek an

extension of approval for the Collection. We will consider all comments

and material received during the comment period.

We encourage you to respond to this request by submitting comments

and related materials. Comments must contain the OMB Control Number of

the ICR and the docket number of this request, [USCG-2015-0637], and

must be received by December 14, 2015.

Submitting Comments

We encourage you to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking

Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If your material cannot be

submitted using http://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate

instructions. Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public

comments, are in our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and

can be viewed by following that Web site's instructions. Additionally,

if you go to the online docket and sign up for email alerts, you will

be notified when comments are posted.

We accept anonymous comments. All comments received will be posted

without change to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any

personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and the

docket, you may review a Privacy Act notice regarding the Federal

Docket Management System in the March 24, 2005, issue of the Federal

Register (70 FR 15086).

Information Collection Request:

Title: Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0108.

Summary: The Standard Numbering System collects information on

undocumented vessels and vessel owners operating on waters subject to

the jurisdiction of the United States, Federal, State, and local law

enforcement agencies use information from the system for enforcement of

boating laws or theft and fraud investigations. Since the September 11,

2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the need has increased for

identification of undocumented vessels to meet port security and other

missions to safeguard the homeland.

Need: Subsection 12301(a) of title 46 United States Code, requires

undocumented vessels equipped with propulsion machinery of any kind to

be numbered in the State where the vessel is principally operated. In

46 U.S.C. 12302(a), Congress authorized the Secretary to prescribe, by

regulation, a Standard Numbering System (SNS). The Secretary shall

approve a State numbering system if that system is consistent with the

SNS. The Secretary has delegated his authority under 46 U.S.C. 12301

and 12302 to Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. DHS Delegation No.

0170.1. The regulations requiring the numbering of undocumented vessels

are in 33 CFR part 173 and regulations establishing the SNS for States

to voluntarily carry out this function are contained in 33 CFR part

174.

In States that do not have an approved system, the Federal

Government (U.S. Coast Guard) must administer the vessel numbering

system. Currently, all 56 States and Territories have approved

numbering systems. The approximate number of undocumented vessels

registered by the States in 2014 was nearly 12 million.

The SNS collects information on undocumented vessels and vessel

owners. States submit reports annually to the Coast Guard on the

number, size, construction, etc., of vessels they have numbered. That

information is used by the Coast Guard in (1) publication of an annual

``Boating Statistics'' report required by 46 U.S.C. 6102(b), and (2)

for allocation of Federal funds to assist States in carrying out the

Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) Program established by 46 U.S.C.

chapter 131.

On a daily basis or as warranted, Federal, State, and local law

enforcement personnel use SNS information from the States' numbering

systems for enforcement of boating laws or theft and fraud

investigations. In addition, when encountering a vessel suspected of

illegal activity, information from the SNS increases officer safety by

assisting boarding officers in determining how best to approach a

vessel. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United

States, the need has increased for identification of undocumented

vessels and their owners for port security and other missions to

safeguard the homeland, although the statutory requirement for

numbering of vessels dates back to 1918.

Forms: None.

Respondents: Owners of all undocumented vessels propelled by

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machinery are required by Federal law to apply for a number from the

issuing authority of the State in which the vessel is to be principally

operated. In addition, States may require other vessels, such as

sailboats or even canoes and kayaks, to be numbered. ``Owners'' may

include individuals or households, non-profit organizations, and small

businesses (e.g., liveries that offer recreational vessels for rental

by the public) or other for-profit organizations.

Frequency: There are no recordkeeping requirements for this

information collection. The frequency for the reporting requirements

is, one time.

Hour Burden Estimate: The estimated annual burden has decreased

from 286,458 hours to 257,986 hours a year due to a change in

methodology.

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C.

chapter 35, as amended.

Dated: October 5, 2015.

Thomas P. Michelli,

U.S. Coast Guard, Deputy Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 2015-26194 Filed 10-14-15; 8:45 am]

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