[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 120 (Thursday, June 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37376-37377]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15094]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Foreign Ocean 
Carriers' Expenses in the United States

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before 5:00 p.m. August 
20, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via the Internet 
at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information or copies of the survey and instructions to Christopher 
Emond, Chief, Special Surveys Branch, Balance of Payments Division, 
(BE-50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9826; fax: (202) 606-5318; or 
via the Internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Form BE-29, Foreign Ocean Carriers' Expenses in the United States, 
obtains annual data from U.S. agents that handle 40 or more port calls 
by foreign ocean vessels and the covered expenses for all foreign ocean 
vessels handled by the U.S. agent were $250,000 or more. U.S. agents 
that handle fewer than 40 port calls or where the total annual covered 
expenses for all foreign ocean vessels handled by the U.S. agent are 
below $250,000 are exempt from reporting. The data collected are cut-
off sample data. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) estimates 
expenses for non-respondents.
    The data are needed to monitor U.S. international trade in 
transportation services, to analyze its impact on the U.S. economy and 
foreign economies, to compile and improve the U.S. economic accounts, 
and to support U.S. commercial policy on transportation services, 
conduct trade promotion, and improve the ability of U.S. businesses to 
identify and evaluate market opportunities.
    Survey forms will be sent to respondents each year; responses will 
be due within 90 days after the close of the calendar year. The data 
from the survey are primarily intended as general purpose statistics. 
They are needed to answer any number of research and policy questions 
related to foreign ocean carriers' expenses in the United States. There 
are no changes proposed to the form or instructions.

II. Method of Collection

    The surveys are sent to the respondents by U.S. mail; the surveys 
are also available from the BEA Web site. Respondents return the 
surveys one of four ways: U.S. mail, electronically using BEA's 
electronic collection system (eFile), fax, or email.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0608-0012.
    Form Number: BE-29.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 149 annually.
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 596 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority: The International Investment and Trade in 
Services Survey Act, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of

[[Page 37377]]

the Agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-15094 Filed 6-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P