1625-0108 30 Day FR Notice

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2015)]

[Notices]

[Pages 80789-80790]

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

[FR Doc No: 2015-32661]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0637]

Collection of Information Under Review by Office of Management

and Budget; OMB Control Number: 1625-0108

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Thirty-day notice requesting comments.

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

U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR),

abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office

of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a

revision to the following collection of information: 1625-0108,

Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels. Our ICR describes

the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and comments

by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our

performance of duties.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard and OIRA on or before

January 27, 2016.

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. Alternatively, you

may submit comments to OIRA using one of the following means:

(1) Email: [email protected].

(2) Mail: OIRA, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503,

attention Desk Officer for the Coast Guard.

(3) Fax: 202-395-6566. To ensure your comments are received in a

timely manner, mark the fax, attention Desk Officer for the Coast

Guard.

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, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE., Stop 7710, Washington, DC

20593-7710.

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. These

comments will help OIRA determine whether to approve the ICR referred

to in this Notice.

We encourage you to respond to this request by submitting comments

and related materials. Comments to Coast Guard or OIRA must contain the

OMB Control Number of the ICR. They must also contain the docket number

of this request, [USCG-2015-0637], and must be received by January 27,

2016.

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).

OIRA posts its decisions on ICRs online at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain after the comment period for each ICR. An OMB Notice

of Action on each ICR will become available via a hyperlink in the OMB

Control Number: 1625-0108.

Previous Request for Comments

This request provides a 30-day comment period required by OIRA. The

Coast Guard published the 60-day notice (80 FR 62080, October 15, 2015)

required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That Notice elicited no comments.

Accordingly, no changes have been made to the Collections.

Information Collection Request

1. 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

[[Page 80790]]

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 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

system 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

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: On occasion. There are no recordkeeping requirements for

this information collection.

Hour Burden Estimate: The estimated 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: December 21, 2015.

Thomas P. Michelli,

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

[FR Doc. 2015-32661 Filed 12-24-15; 8:45 am]

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