[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66775-66776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24034]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2019-0028]


Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the BTS to request 
the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval for new 
iterations of an on-going biennial information collection related to 
the nation's ferry operations. The information collected from each 
Census will be used to produce a descriptive database of existing ferry 
operations. A summary report of census findings will also be published 
by BTS on the BTS web page: www.bts.gov/ncfo.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 5, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clara Reschovsky, (202) 768-4994, NCFO 
Program Manager, BTS, OST-R, Department of Transportation, 1200 New 
Jersey Ave. SE, Room E36-324, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are 
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO).
    Type of Request: Approval modifications to an existing information 
collection.
    Affected Public: There are approximately 250 ferry operators 
nationwide.
    Abstract: In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century (TEA-21) (Pub. L. 105-178), section 1207(c), directed the 
Secretary of Transportation to conduct a study of ferry transportation 
in the United States and its possessions. In 2000, the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) Office of Intermodal and Statewide Planning 
conducted a survey of approximately 250 ferry operators to identify: 
(1) existing ferry operations including the location and routes served; 
(2) source and amount, if any, of funds derived from Federal, State, or 
local governments supporting ferry construction or operations; (3) 
potential domestic ferry routes in the United States and its 
possessions; and (4)

[[Page 66776]]

potential for use of high speed ferry services and alternative-fueled 
ferry services. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Public Law 
109-59, section 1801(e)) required that the Secretary, acting through 
the BTS, shall establish and maintain a national ferry database 
containing current information regarding routes, vessels, passengers 
and vehicles carried, funding sources and such other information as the 
Secretary considers useful. In 2012, MAP-21 legislation [Moving Ahead 
for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Pub. L. 112-141),] continued the 
BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO and also required that the Federal 
Highway Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO data to set the specific 
formula for allocating federal ferry funds. The funding allocations 
were based on a percentage of the number of passenger boardings, 
vehicle boardings, and route miles served. In 2015, the FAST Act 
legislation [Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (Pub. L. 114-
94, sec. 1112)] continues the BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO on a 
biennial basis, and extended the requirement that the Federal Highway 
Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO data to set the specific formula for 
allocating federal ferry funds as required in MAP-21.
    BTS conducted the first National Census of Ferry Operators in 2006. 
The Census was conducted again in 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 
2020. Preparations are already underway for the next census in 2023. 
The 2022 NCFO was delayed by one year since ferry operations were 
disrupted by the pandemic and the census data should collect typical 
data. The overall length of the revised questionnaire for the 2022 NCFO 
will remain consistent with that of previous years. These information 
collections were originally approved by OMB under Control Number 2139-
0009. The overall length of the questionnaire for the 2022 NCFO will 
remain consistent with that of previous years.
    The census will be administered to the entire population of ferry 
operators (estimate 250 or less). The census will request the 
respondents to provide information such as: the points served; the type 
of ownership; the number of passengers and vehicles carried in the past 
12 months; vessel descriptions (including type of fuel), federal, state 
and local funding sources, and intermodal connectivity. All data 
collected in 2020 will be added to the existing NCFO database.
    Data Confidentiality Provisions: The National Census of Ferry 
Operators may collect confidential business information. The 
confidentiality of these data will be protected under 49 CFR 7.29. In 
accordance with this regulation, only statistical and non-sensitive 
business information will be made available through publications and 
public use data files. The statistical public use data are intended to 
provide an aggregated source of information on ferry boat operations 
nationwide. Business sensitive information may be shared with FHWA to 
support FAST Act funding allocations.
    Frequency: This census will be updated every other year.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The burden per respondent is 
estimated to be an average of 30 minutes. This average is based on an 
estimate of 20 minutes to answer questions that require answers 
specific to that year and an additional 10 minutes to review (and 
revise as needed) previously submitted data that will be pre-populated 
for each ferry operation.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: The total annual burden (in the year 
that the census is conducted) is estimated to be 125 hours (that is 30 
minutes per respondent for 250 respondents equals 7,500 minutes).
    Response to Comments: A 60-day notice requesting public comment was 
issued in the Federal Register on September 1, 2022. No comments were 
received.
    Public Comments Invited: Interested parties are invited to send 
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection, 
including, but not limited to: (1) the necessity and utility of the 
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of 
the DOT; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, clarity and content of the collected information; 
and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. Send comments to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725-17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, Attention: BTS Desk Officer.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on this 1st day of November, 2022.
Cha-Chi Fan,
Director, Office of Data Development and Standards, Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2022-24034 Filed 11-3-22; 8:45 am]
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