[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 147 (Thursday, July 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44454-44455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17981]


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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: 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) 2015. 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 unannounced inspections and, when necessary, reinspection.

DATES: These fees are effective October 1, 2014, through September 30, 
2015.

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-58, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3717; phone: 800-323-2132, 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 
(Section 361 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

[[Page 44455]]

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 2015, beginning on 
October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015.
    The following formula will be used to determine the fees:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN31JY14.003
    
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 August 21, 2013 (77 
FR 50511). The size and cost factors for FY 2015 are presented in 
Appendix A.

Fee

    The fee schedule (Appendix A) will be effective October 1, 2014, 
through September 30, 2015. If travel expenses or other charges to VSP 
change, the fee schedule may need to be adjusted before September 30, 
2014. If a fee adjustment is necessary, HHS/CDC will publish a notice 
in the Federal Register with the amended fee schedule (Appendix A) as 
soon as possible and at least 30 days before the effective date.

Applicability

    The fees will apply to all passenger cruise vessels for which 
inspections are conducted as part of HHS/CDC's VSP. Inspections and 
reinspections involve the same procedures, require the same amount of 
time, and are therefore charged at the same rates.

    Dated: July 25, 2014.
Ron A. Otten,
Acting Deputy Associate Director for Science, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.

Appendix A

           Size/Cost Factors Used To Determine Inspection Fees
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Approximate
                  Vessel size (GRT \1\)                    cost per GRT
                                                                \1\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Small (<3,001 GRT)................................         US$0.25
Small (3,001-15,000 GRT)................................         US$0.50
Medium (15,001-30,000 GRT)..............................         US$1.00
Large (30,001-60,000 GRT)...............................         US$1.50
Extra Large (60,001-120,000 GRT)........................         US$2.00
Mega (>120,001 GRT).....................................         US$3.00
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                    Fee Schedule for Each Vessel Size
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Inspection
                 Vessel size  (GRT \1\)                         fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Small (<3,000 GRT)................................        US$1,495
Small (3,001-15,000 GRT)................................        US$2,990
Medium (15,001-30,000 GRT)..............................        US$5,980
Large (30,001-60,000 GRT)...............................        US$8,970
Extra Large (60,001-120,000 GRT)........................       US$11,960
Mega (>120,001 GRT).....................................       US$17,940
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Gross register tonnage in cubic feet, as shown in Lloyd's Register
  of Shipping.


[FR Doc. 2014-17981 Filed 7-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P