[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 75 (Monday, April 19, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20946-20947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8857]



[[Page 20946]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[USCG-2004-17572]


Collection of Information Under Review by Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB): OMB Control Number 1625-NEW [Formerly 2115-0009]

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Coast Guard (USCG) invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to comment on a proposed collection 
for 1625-NEW, Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels. As 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), USCG has submitted the proposed collection to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and emergency 
clearance.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before June 18, 2004.

ADDRESSES: To make sure that your comments and related material do not 
enter the docket [USCG-2004-17572] more than once, please submit them 
by only one of the following means:
    (1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 
20590-0001.
    Caution: Because of recent delays in the delivery of mail, your 
comments may reach the Facility more quickly if you choose one of the 
other means described below.
    (2) By delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif 
Building, 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (202) 366-9329.
    (3) By fax to the Docket Management Facility at (202) 493-2251.
    (4) Electronically through the Web site for the Docket Management 
System at http://dms.dot.gov.
    The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this 
notice. Comments and material received from the public, as well as 
documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, 
will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or 
copying at room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 
Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also find this docket 
on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.
    Copies of the complete ICR are available through this docket on the 
Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, and also from Commandant (CG-611), U.S. 
Coast Guard Headquarters, room 6106 (Attn: Mr. Arthur Requina), 2100 
Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001. The telephone number is 
(202) 267-2326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Arthur Requina, Office of 
Information Management, (202) 267-2326, for questions on these 
documents; or Ms. Andrea M. Jenkins, Program Manager, Docket 
Operations, (202) 366-0271, for questions on the docket.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to participate in this request for comments by 
submitting comments and related materials. We will post all comments 
received, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov, and they will include 
any personal information you have provided. We have an agreement with 
Department of Transportation (DOT) to use the Docket Management 
Facility. Please see the paragraph on DOT's ``Privacy Act'' below.
    Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your 
name and address, identify the docket number for this request for 
comment [USCG-2004-17572], indicate the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each 
comment. You may submit your comments and material by electronic means, 
mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address 
under ADDRESSES; but please submit them by only one means. If you 
submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing. If you submit them by mail and would like to know that they 
reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard 
or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during 
the comment period. We may change the documents supporting this 
collection of information or even the underlying requirements in view 
of them.
    Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as 
documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go 
to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the 
docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in 
room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments 
received in dockets by the name of the individual submitting the 
comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the Privacy 
Act Statement of DOT in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Information Collection Requests

    1. Title: Standard Numbering System for Undocumented Vessels.
    OMB Control Number: 1625-NEW.
    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 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 2002 was nearly 13 million.
    The SNS collects information on undocumented vessels and vessel 
owners. States submit reports annually to the Coast Guard on the 
number, size,

[[Page 20947]]

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.
    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.
    Burden Estimates: The estimated burden is 15,507 hours a year.

    Dated: April 14, 2004.
Clifford I Pearson,
RADM, Assistant Commandant for C4 and Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 04-8857 Filed 4-15-04; 10:42 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-15-P