[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 160 (Wednesday, August 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44503-44505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22262]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard
[CGD 1998-4327]


Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Coast Guard intends to request the approval of the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) of the renewal of ten Information Collection Requests 
(ICR). These ICR's include the: 1. Claims Under The Oil Pollution Act 
of 1990; 2. State Access to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund For 
Removal Costs Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990; 3. Official Logbook; 
4. Security Zones, Regulated Navigation Areas, and Safety Zones; 5. 
Advance Notice and Adequacy Certification for Reception Facilities; 6. 
Commercial Fishing Vessel Regulations; 7. Application for a permit to 
transport municipal or commercial waste; 8. 33 CFR 140.15 Equivalent 
and Approved Equipment; 9. Marine Portable Tanks (MPT's); Alteration 
Non-specification Portable Tanks; Approval; and 10. Plan Approval and 
Records For Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk. Before submitting the ICR's 
to OMB, the Coast Guard is asking for comments on the collections 
described below.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before October 19, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to the Docket Management Facility, 
(USCG-1998-  ), U.S. Department of Transportation, room PL-401, 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, or deliver them to room 
PL-401, located on the Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same 
address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
document. Comments will become part of this docket and will be 
available for inspection or copying at room PL-401, located on the 
Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the same address between 10 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may 
also access this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
    Copies of the complete Information Collection Request are available 
through this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov and also from 
Commandant (G-SII-2), U.S. Coast Guard

[[Page 44504]]

Headquarters, room 6106, (Attn: Barbara Davis), 2100 Second Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20593-001. The telephone number is 202-267-2326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this document, 
contact Barbara Davis, Office of Information Management, 202-267-2326. 
For questions on this docket, contact Pat Chesley, Coast Guard Dockets 
Team Leader, or Paulette Twine, Chief, Documentary Services Division, 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 202-366-9330.

Request for Comments

    The Coast Guard encourages interested persons to submit written 
comments. Persons submitting comments should include their names and 
addresses, identify this document (USCG-1998-  ) and the specific 
Information Collection Request (ICR) to which each comment applies, and 
give the reason(s) for each comment. Please submit all comments and 
attachments in a unbound format no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, 
suitable for copying and electronic filing. Persons wanting 
acknowledgment of receipt of comment should enclose stamped, self-
addressed postcards or envelopes.

Information Collection Requests

    1. Title: Claims Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0596.
    Summary: The information collected will be used to determine if 
claims submitted to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund are compensable 
and where compensable, ensure that the correct amount of reimbursement 
for damages are made from the Fund.
    Need: Coast Guard will ensure that fair and reasonable payments are 
made to claimants and will protect the interest of the Federal 
Government. Claims that are submitted must be fully substantiated and 
the procedures for advertising and presentation of claims must be 
followed as directed by OPA 90 (33 U.S.C. 2713 and 2714).
    Respondents: Claimants and responsible parties of oil spills.
    Frequency: Once.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 10,163 hours annually.
    2. Title: State Access To The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund For 
Removal Costs Under The Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0597.
    Summary: The information provided by the State to the Coast Guard 
National Pollution Funds Center will be used to determine whether 
expenditures submitted by the state to the Fund are compensable and, 
where compensable, ensure that the correct amount of funding is made 
from the Fund.
    Need: Under the authority of 33 U.S.C. 2712, Coast Guard has 
promulgated regulations detailing the manner in which to obligate the 
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (or the Fund). In order to ensure fair 
and reasonable payments to States and to protect the interests of the 
Federal Government, all expenditures submitted by a state must be fully 
substantiated and the procedures for presentation of those expenditures 
to the Fund must be followed.
    Respondents: State Governments.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden: The estimated burden in 2 hours annually.
    3. Title: Official Logbook.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0071.
    Summary: The information collected from the official logbook will 
be used by the: (a) Coast Guard inspectors to determine compliance with 
various laws and to examine incidents of shipboard misconduct, and (b) 
various federal agency maritime casualty investigators of Federal and 
Civil courts in instances of injury or litigation between a seaman and 
his shipping company. The logbook entries are made by the master of the 
vessel and signed and witnessed by the chief mate or another seaman.
    Need: The official logbook is required by both statute and 
regulation (46 CFR 35.07). The official logbook provides the vehicle 
through which many Coast Guard recordkeeping requirements are 
maintained. Of particular interest to the Coast Guard are the records 
kept of all safety related drills and inspections.
    Respondents: U.S. Merchant Mariners and Shipping Companies.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden: The estimated burden is 1,750 hours annually.
    4. Title: Security Zones, Regulated Navigation Areas, and Safety 
Zones.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0076.
    Summary: The information for this report is only collected when a 
security zone, regulated navigation area or safety zone is requested. 
The information collected will be used to assess the need to establish 
a security zone, safety zone or regulated navigation area.
    Need: 33 CFR, Parts 6 and 165 gives the Coast Guard Captain of the 
Port (COTP), the authority to designate security zones in the U.S. for 
a period of time he deems necessary to prevent damage or injury. 33 
U.S.C. 1223 authorized the Coast Guard to prescribe regulations to 
control vessel traffic in areas which are determined to be hazardous 
due to conditions of reduced visibility, adverse weather or vessel 
congestion. 33 U.S.C. 1225 authorized the Coast Guard to establish 
regulations to allow the designation of safety zones where access is 
limited to authorized persons, vehicles, or vessels to protect the 
public from hazardous situations.
    Respondents: States, Local Government Agencies, Vessels and 
facilities.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden: The estimated burden is 394 hours annually.
    5. Title: Advance Notice and Adequacy Certification for Reception 
Facilities.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0543. (2115-0554 Advance Notice of Need 
for Reception Facilities, is combined into this collection).
    Summary: Persons in charge of ports and terminals will submit 
information necessary for the Coast Guard to determine whether their 
reception facility is adequate. Ships in need of a reception facility 
will be required to give a 24 hour notice.
    Need: 33 U.S.C. 1905 gives Coast Guard the authority to certify the 
adequacy of reception facilities at ports and terminals. Reception 
facilities are needed to receive wastes which ships may not discharge 
at sea. Under these regulations, there are discharge limitations for 
oil and oily wastes, noxious liquid substances, plastics and other 
garbage.
    Respondents: Reception Facility Owners and Operators of Ports and 
Terminals.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden: The burden estimate is 1,634 hours annually.
    6. Title: Commerical Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0582.
    Summary: The reporting requirements for this information collection 
are intended to improve safety on board commercial fishing industry 
vessels. The requirements apply to all commercial fishing vessels and 
seamen on such vessels. The information collections require: (a) the 
posting of a placard to inform individuals on board of their duties, 
(b) that new fish processing vessels meet all classification and survey 
requirements of the American Bureau of Shipping, (c) that stability 
information for each vessel in detail be submitted, (d) marking of 
lifesaving equipment, (e) that letters of acceptance for instructors 
and the course curriculum being proposed to ensure that the instructors 
and the course being taught meet minimum standards and (f) that letters 
approving exemptions are being proposed to ensure that the master and 
individual in

[[Page 44505]]

charge knew that the vessel is exempted from particular regulations.
    Need: Under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 6104, the U.S. Coast Guard 
has developed regulations in which to reduce the unacceptably high 
level of fatalities and accidents in the commercial fishing industry. 
The regulations will also act as means of verifying compliance and to 
enhance safe operation of fishing vessels.
    Respondents: Underwriters of Insurance Co., Owners, Agents and 
Individuals-in-charge of commercial fishing vessels.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 79,670 hours annually.
    7. Application For A Permit To Transport Municipal or Commercial 
Waste.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0579.
    Summary: The information collected under this report provides the 
basis for issuing or denying a permit for the transportation of 
municipal or commercial waste in the coastal waters of the United 
States.
    Need: In accordance with 33 U.S.C. 2601, the U.S. Coast Guard 
issued regulations requiring owners or operations of vessels to apply 
for a permit to transport municipal or commercial waste in the United 
States and to display an identification number or other markings on 
their vessels.
    Respondents: Owners or Operators of Municipal and Commercial 
Vessels transporting waste.
    Frequency: Every three years.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 376 hours annually.
    8. Title: 33 CFR 140.15 Equivalents and Approved Equipment.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0553.
    Summary: This collection of information is necessary to implement 
the Best Available and Safest Technology concept of Section 21 of the 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Act.
    Need: The information is used by the Coast Guard for comparison 
with existing standards or procedures to ensure that at least an 
equivalent level of safety is maintained as provided for in the 
regulations.
    Respondents: Owner and/or operators of Outer Continental Shelf 
(OCS) facilities.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated hour burden is 100 hours annually.
    9. Title: Marine Portable Tanks (MPT's): Alteration Non-
Specification Portable Tanks; Approval.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0585.
    Summary: The information collected under 46 CFR subpart 98.33-1 
specifies that the Commandant of the Coast Guard may approve the design 
of portable tanks for the transport of certain Grade E combustible 
liquids and other low hazard materials when the tanks does not meet a 
DOT design standard.
    Need: Approval of the Coast Guard for alterations to MPT's ensures 
that the altered tank retains the level of safety to which it was 
originally designed. In addition, rules that allow the approval of non-
specification portable tanks assure that innovation and new designs are 
not frustrated by the regulation.
    Respondents: Owners of MPT's.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 53 hours annually.
    10. Title: Plan Approval and Records For Vessels Carrying Oil In 
Bulk.
    OMB Control Number: 2115-0503 (2115-0520--Plan Approval and Records 
for Existing Tank Vessels of 20,000 to 40,000 Deadweight Tons Carrying 
Oil in Bulk and 2115-0106--Plan Approval and Records for Foreign 
Vessels Carrying Oil in Bulk, are combined into this collection.
    Summary: Title 46 U.S.C. 3703 provides the Coast Guard with general 
authority to regulate the design, construction, alteration, repair, 
maintenance, operation and equipping of vessels carrying oil in bulk.
    Need: The purpose of the collection is to provide sufficient 
information to the Coast Guard to determine that a vessel complies with 
the minimum mandated standards as promulgated by regulations.
    Respondents: Owners and operators of vessels carrying oil in bulk.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 315 hours annually.

    Dated: August 12, 1998.
G.N. Naccara,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Information and Technology.
[FR Doc. 98-22262 Filed 8-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-M