[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50511-50512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20483]


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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: General notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC), located within the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS), announces fees for vessel sanitation inspections for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2013. These inspections are conducted by HHS/CDC's Vessel 
Sanitation Program (VSP). VSP helps the cruise line industry fulfill 
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 October 1, 2012 through September 30, 
2013.

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

    HHS/CDC established the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) in the 
1970s as a cooperative activity with the cruise ship industry. VSP 
helps the cruise ship industry 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 found at 
42 CFR 71.41 (Foreign Quarantine--Requirements Upon Arrival at U.S. 
Ports: Sanitary Inspection; General Provisions) state that carriers 
arriving at U.S. ports from foreign areas are subject to sanitary 
inspections to determine whether rodent, insect, or other vermin 
infestations exist, contaminated food or water, or other sanitary 
conditions requiring measures for the prevention of the introduction, 
transmission, or spread of communicable diseases are present.
    The fee schedule for sanitation inspections of passenger cruise 
ships by VSP was first published in the Federal Register on November 
24, 1987 (52 FR 45019). HHS/CDC began collecting fees on March 1, 1988. 
This notice announces fees that are effective for FY 2013, beginning on 
October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013.
    The following formula is used to determine the fees:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN21AU12.000
    
    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 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 March 2, 2012 
(77 FR 12843). The current size and cost factors are presented in 
Appendix A.

Fee

    The fee schedule (Appendix A) will be effective October 1, 2012 
through September 30, 2013. The fee schedule has not changed since 
October 1, 2006. The cruise ship industry should be aware that if 
travel expenses for VSP increase, the fees may need to be adjusted 
before September 30, 2013; travel expenses constitute a sizable portion 
of VSP's costs. If a fee adjustment is necessary, HHS/CDC will publish 
a notice 30 days before the effective date.

[[Page 50512]]

Applicability

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

    Dated: August 14, 2012.
Tanja Popovic,
Deputy Associate Director for Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.

Appendix A

                            Size/Cost Factor
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Approximate cost per
          Vessel size                 GRT \1\           GRT  (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. 2012-20483 Filed 8-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P