[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 165 (Wednesday, August 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51819-51820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21107]


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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) 2016. 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, 2015, through September 30, 
2016.

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, 770-488-3141, 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 
(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 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 2016, beginning on 
October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2016.
    The following formula will be used to determine the fees:
    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN26AU15.000
    
    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 July 31, 2014 
(79 FR 44454). The size and cost factors for FY 2016 are presented in 
Appendix A.

Fee

    The fee schedule (Appendix A) will be effective October 1, 2015, 
through September 30, 2016.

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.

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)................................            0.50
Medium (15,001-30,000 GRT)..............................            1.00
Large (30,001-60,000 GRT)...............................            1.50
Extra Large (60,001-120,000 GRT)........................            2.00
Mega (>120,001 GRT).....................................            3.00
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[[Page 51820]]


                    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)................................           2,990
Medium (15,001-30,000 GRT)..............................           5,980
Large (30,001-60,000 GRT)...............................           8,970
Extra Large (60,001-120,000 GRT)........................          11,960
Mega (>120,001 GRT).....................................          17,940
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Gross register tonnage in cubic feet, as shown in Lloyd's Register
  of Shipping.


    Dated: August 19, 2015.
Pamela J. Cox,
Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat, Office of the Chief of 
Staff, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[FR Doc. 2015-21107 Filed 8-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P