[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 53310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21916]



[[Page 53310]]

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FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION


Agency Information Collection Activites; New Information 
Collection Request

AGENCY: Federal Maritime Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., the Federal Maritime Commission 
(FMC or Commission) announces plans to submit a Generic Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
to collect information for requests for dispute resolution services 
submitted to its Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution 
Services (CADRS). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, the FMC invites 
comments from the public on the ICR.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 3, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] (as attachments 
preferably in Microsoft Word or PDF), or mail comments to: Vern W. 
Hill, Managing Director, Office of the Managing Director, Federal 
Maritime Commission, 800 North Capitol Street NW., Washington, DC 
20573-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information or to 
obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, email 
[email protected] or call Donna Lee at (202) 523-5800. When submitting 
comments or requesting information, please include the information 
collection request title for reference. Comments submitted in response 
to this Notice will be included or summarized in the ICR to OMB. All 
comments are part of the public record and subject to disclosure.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Request for Dispute Resolution Service.
    OMB Control Number: New.
    Type of Review: New Generic Information Collection.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Companies or individuals seeking 
ombuds or mediation assistance from the Federal Maritime Commission's 
Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services.
    Estimated Total Number of Potential Annual Responses: 1,000.
    Estimated Total Number of Responses for each Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours per Response: 20 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 333.
    Abstract: As requested by the shipping public and the regulated 
industry, the FMC, through CADRS, provides ombuds and mediation 
services to assist parties in resolving international ocean cargo 
shipping or passenger vessel (cruise) disputes without resorting to 
litigation or administrative adjudication. These functions focus on 
addressing issues that members of the regulated industry and the 
shipping public may encounter at any stage of a commercial or customer 
dispute. In order to provide its ombuds and mediation services, CADRS 
needs certain identifying information about the involved parties, 
shipments, and nature of the dispute. In response to requests for 
assistance from the public, CADRS requests this information from 
parties seeking its assistance. The collection and use of this 
information on a cargo or cruise dispute is integral to CADRS staff's 
ability to efficiently review the matter and provide assistance. 
Aggregated information may be used for statistical purposes. Currently, 
this information is collected in a non-uniform manner in response to 
requests for CADRS assistance. http://www.fmc.gov/resources/requesting_cadrs_assistance.aspx.
    As required by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA), 5 
U.S.C. 571-574, the information contained in these forms is treated as 
confidential and subject to the same confidentiality provisions as 
administrative dispute resolutions pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 574. Except as 
specifically set forth in 5 U.S.C. 574, neither CADRS staff nor the 
parties to a dispute resolution shall disclose any informal dispute 
resolution communication.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. The FMC may not 
conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is not 
required to respond to an information collection, unless it is approved 
by the OMB under the PRA and displays a currently valid OMB Control 
Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no 
person shall be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a 
collection of information that does not display a valid Control Number. 
See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.

Request for Comments

    The FMC solicits written comments from all interested persons about 
the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically 
solicits information relevant to the following topics: (1) Whether the 
collection of information described above is necessary for the proper 
performance of the Commission's functions, including whether the 
information would have practical utility; (2) whether the estimated 
burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate; (3) 
whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected could be enhanced; and (4) whether the burden imposed by the 
collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, 
electronic, or other forms of information technology.
    The FMC will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.10. FMC will issue another 
Federal Register announcement pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to 
announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to submit 
additional comments to OMB. If you have questions about this ICR or the 
approval process, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Authority:  46 U.S.C. 40101 et seq.

Karen V. Gregory,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-21916 Filed 9-2-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6731-AA-P