[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 42 (Friday, March 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12843-12844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5077]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Fees for Sanitation Inspections of Cruise Ships

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces 
fees for vessel sanitation inspections. These inspections are conducted 
by CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). VSP assists the cruise line 
industry in fulfilling its responsibility for developing and 
implementing comprehensive sanitation programs to minimize the risk for 
acute gastroenteritis. Every vessel that has a foreign itinerary and 
carries 13 or more passengers is subject to twice-yearly inspections 
and, when necessary, re-inspection.

DATES: These fees are effective March 2, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CAPT Jaret T. Ames, Chief, Vessel 
Sanitation Program, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE., MS-F-59, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3717, phone: 800-323-2132 or 954-356-6650, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Background

    CDC established VSP in the 1970s as a cooperative activity with the 
cruise ship industry. VSP assists the cruise ship industry to prevent 
and control the introduction, transmission, and spread of 
gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships. VSP operates under the 
authority of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264, ``Control of 
Communicable Diseases''). Regulations under 42 CFR 71.41 (Foreign 
Quarantine--Requirements Upon Arrival at U.S. Ports: Sanitary 
Inspection; General Provisions) states that carriers arriving at U.S. 
Ports from foreign areas are subject to sanitary inspections to 
determine whether there exists rodent, insect, or other vermin 
infestations, contaminated food or water, or other sanitary conditions 
requiring measures for the prevention of the introduction, 
transmission, or spread of communicable diseases.
    The fee schedule for sanitation inspections of passenger cruise 
ships inspected under VSP was first published in the Federal Register 
on November 24, 1987 (52 FR 45019). CDC began collecting fees on March 
1, 1988. This notice announces fees that are effective March 2, 2012.
    The following formula is used to determine the fees:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN02MR12.006
    
    The average cost per inspection is multiplied by size and cost 
factors to determine the fee for vessels in each size category. The 
size and cost factors were established in the proposed fee schedule 
published in the Federal Register on July 17, 1987 (52 FR 27060). The 
fee schedule was most recently published in the Federal Register on 
November 26, 2008 (73 FR 72053). The current size and cost factors are 
presented in Appendix A.

Fee

    The fee schedule (Appendix A) will be effective March 2, 2012 
through September 30, 2012. The fee schedule has not changed since 
October 1, 2006. If travel expenses continue to increase, the fees may 
need to be adjusted before September 30, 2012, because travel 
constitutes a sizable portion of VSP's costs. If a fee adjustment is 
necessary, a notice will be published in the Federal Register 30 days 
before the effective date.

Applicability

    The fees will apply to all passenger cruise vessels for which 
inspections are conducted as part of CDC's VSP.

    Dated: February 22, 2012.
Tanja Popovic,
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.

Appendix A

[[Page 12844]]



                            Size/Cost Factor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Approximate
                                                           cost per GRT
           Vessel size                    GRT \1\            (in U.S.
                                                             dollars)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Small......................  <3,001                           0.25
Small............................  3,001-15,000                     0.50
Medium...........................  15,001-30,000                    1.00
Large............................  30,001-60,000                    1.50
Extra Large......................  60,000-120,000                   2.00
Mega.............................  >120,001                         3.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                              Fee Schedule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Fee (in U.S.
           Vessel size                    GRT \1\            dollars)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Small......................  <3,000                          1,300
Small............................  3,001-15,000                    2,600
Medium...........................  15,001-30,000                   5,200
Large............................  30,001-60,000                   7,800
Extra Large......................  60,001-120,000                 10,400
Mega.............................  >120,001                       15,600
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Gross register tonnage in cubic feet, as shown in Lloyd's Register
  of Shipping.
Inspections and re-inspections involve the same procedures, require the
  same amount of time, and are therefore charged at the same rates.

[FR Doc. 2012-5077 Filed 3-1-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P