[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 110 (Friday, June 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31832-31833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11067]


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FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Maritime Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the 
Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') regulations, the Federal 
Maritime Commission is announcing its intention to request a revision 
of an approved information collection regarding the licensing of ocean 
transportation intermediaries.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments to: Peter J. King, Director, Office of 
Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20573, (Telephone: (202) 523-5800), 
[email protected]. Please reference the information collection's 
title and OMB number in your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain additional information, 
copies of the information collection and instructions, or copies of any 
comments received, contact Jane Gregory, Management Analyst, Office of 
Administration, Federal Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street, 
NW., Washington, DC 20573, (Telephone: (202) 523-5800), 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Comments

    The Federal Maritime Commission, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on the revised information 
collection listed in this notice, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be included or 
summarized in our request for OMB approval of the relevant information 
collection. All comments are part of the public record and subject to 
disclosure. Please do not include any confidential or inappropriate 
material in your comments. We invite comments on: (1) The necessity and 
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

Information Collection Open for Comment

    Title: 46 CFR 515--Licensing, Financial Responsibility Requirements 
and General Duties for Ocean Transportation Intermediaries and Related 
Forms.
    OMB Approval Number: 3072-0018 (Expires July 31, 2007).
    Abstract: Section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (the ``Act''), 46 
U.S.C. 40901-40904 (2006), as modified by Public Law 105-258 (The Ocean 
Shipping Reform Act of 1998) and Section 424 of Public Law 105-383 (The 
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998), provides that no person in the 
United States may act as an ocean transportation intermediary (``OTI'') 
unless that person holds a license issued by the Commission. The 
Commission shall issue an OTI license to any person that the Commission 
determines to be qualified by experience and character to act as an 
OTI. Further, no person may act as an OTI unless that person furnishes 
a bond, proof of insurance or other surety in a form and amount 
determined by the Commission to ensure financial responsibility. The 
Commission has implemented the provisions of section 19 in regulations 
contained in 46 CFR part 515, including financial responsibility forms 
FMC-48, FMC-67, FMC-68, and FMC-69, Optional Rider Forms FMC-48A and 
FMC-69A, and its related license application form, FMC-18.
    Current Actions: The Commission intends to revise Form FMC-18, 
Application for a License as an Ocean Transportation Intermediary. 
Specifically, language is being added to the Privacy Act Notice 
regarding voluntary disclosure of the applicant's Social Security 
Number, and the System of Records citation is being updated. In the 
Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, the estimated time to prepare an 
Application is being revised from 1.5 hours per response to 2 hours. 
Throughout the Application, any reference to the Bureau of Consumer 
Complaints and Licensing (``BCCL'') has been changed to the Bureau of 
Certification and Licensing (``BCL''). Also, language has been added to 
Question 7(2) in Part B, and to Question 13(3) in Part D, allowing 
applicant or its qualifying individual to disclose whether he/she has 
``been declared bankrupt, been subject to a tax lien, or had legal 
judgment rendered for a debt.'' In accordance with the Privacy Act of 
1974, this would allow the agency, to the greatest extent practicable, 
to collect information about an applicant that may be used in making a 
decision with respect to the granting of an OTI license, directly from 
the applicant.
    Type of Review: Revision of information collection contained in 
Form FMC-18, Application for a License as an Ocean Transportation 
Intermediary.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission uses information obtained under 46 
CFR part 515 and through Form FMC-18 to determine the qualifications of 
OTIs and their compliance with shipping statutes and regulations and to 
enable the Commission to discharge its duties under the Act by ensuring 
that OTIs maintain acceptable evidence of financial responsibility. If 
the collection of information were not conducted, there would be no 
basis upon which the Commission could determine if applicants are 
qualified for licensing.
    Frequency: This information is collected when applicants apply for 
a license or when existing licensees change certain information in 
their application forms.
    Type of Respondents: The respondents are persons desiring to obtain 
a license to act as an OTI. Under the Act, OTIs may be either an ocean 
freight forwarder, a non-vessel-operating common carrier, or both.
    Number of Annual Respondents: The Commission estimates a potential

[[Page 31833]]

annual respondent universe of 4,765 entities.
    Estimated Time Per Response: The time per response for completing 
Application Form FMC-18 averages 2 hours. The time to complete a 
financial responsibility form averages 20 minutes.
    Total Annual Burden: The Commission estimates the annual burden for 
Form FMC-18 to be 1,400 person-hours, and for the financial 
responsibility forms to be 2,196 hours. The total annual person-hour 
burden for this collection is estimated to be 3,596 person-hours.

Bryant L. VanBrakle,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-11067 Filed 6-7-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6730-01-P