[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 13, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 35268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14382]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 151

46 CFR Part 162

[Docket No. USCG-2001-10486]
RIN 1625-AA32


Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharged 
in U.S. Waters

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: On March 23, 2012, the Coast Guard published in the Federal 
Register a Final Rule entitled ``Standards for Living Organisms in 
Ships' Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters''. The rulemaking 
triggered new information collection requirements affecting vessel 
owners and their potential requests for an extension of the compliance 
date if they cannot practicably comply with the compliance date 
otherwise applicable to their vessels. This document announces that the 
request to revise the existing collection of information to add the new 
request for an extension provision has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) and may now be enforced. The OMB control 
number is 1625-0069.

DATES: 33 CFR 151.1513 and 151.2036 will be effective beginning June 
21, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions about this 
document, call or email Mr. John Morris, Project Manager, U.S. Coast 
Guard; telephone 202-372-1402, email [email protected]. 
If you have questions about viewing the docket (USCG-2001-10486), call 
Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-
366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Coast Guard established a standard for 
the allowable concentration of living organisms in ships' ballast water 
discharged in waters of the United States (77 FR 17254). The Coast 
Guard also established an approval process for ballast water management 
systems (77 FR 17254). These new regulations will aid in controlling 
the introduction and spread of nonindigenous species from ships' 
ballast water in waters of the United States. With the exception of 
this collection of information, the final rule becomes effective on 
June 21, 2012. In the final rule, the Coast Guard included a provision 
to allow vessel owners and operators to request an extension of their 
compliance date if they cannot practicably comply with the compliance 
date otherwise applicable to their vessels. This extension provision 
will give flexibility to vessel owners and operators to comply with the 
final rule.
    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), an 
agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information until the 
collection is approved by OMB. Accordingly, the preamble to the final 
rule stated that the Coast Guard would not enforce the collection of 
information requirements occurring under 33 CFR 151.1513 and 151.2036 
until the collection of information request was approved by OMB, and 
also stated that the Coast Guard would publish a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing that OMB approved and assigned a control number for 
the requirement.
    The Coast Guard submitted the information collection request to OMB 
for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. On 
May 10, 2012, OMB approved the revision to the existing collection of 
information, OMB Control Number 1625-0069, entitled ``Ballast Water 
Management for Vessels with Ballast Tanks Entering U.S. Waters.'' The 
approval for this collection of information expires on May 31, 2015.

    Dated: June 6, 2012.
F.J. Sturm,
Acting Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards, U.S. Coast 
Guard.
[FR Doc. 2012-14382 Filed 6-12-12; 8:45 am]
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