Information Collection Available for Public Comments and Recommendations

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

OMB No.: 2133-0005

Information Collection Available for Public Comments and

Recommendations

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice announces the intention of Maritime Administration (MARAD) to

request approval of changes to a currently approved information

collection.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before May 6, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard J. McDonnell, Director, Office

of Financial Approvals, Maritime Administration, MAR-580, Room 8114,

400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 202-366-5861

or fax 202-366-7901. Copies of this collection can also be obtained

from that office.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: Uniform Financial Reporting Requirements.

Type of Request: Approval of changes to a currently approved

information collection.

OMB Control Number: 2133-0005.

Form Number: MA-172.

Expiration Date of Approval: September 30, 1999.

Summary of Collection of Information: A form MA-172 consists of a

balance sheet, an income statement, schedules of debt and equipment,

and listings of company officers, stockholders, and related parties. In

order to reduce the burden of the current information collection, the

MA-172 would be reduced in scope and number of schedules. The

information in the MA-172 is integral to conventional financial records

generally kept by all businesses, but is supplemental to their

financial statements prepared periodically. Therefore, much of the form

can be satisfied by the information found in the financial statements

audited by certified public accountants and can be substituted by

copies of the published data or listings from the company records.

Thus, the time required to complete a MA-172 can be reduced to an

efficient gathering of existing documents.

Need and Use of the Information: MARAD administers financial

assistance programs promoting the U.S. merchant marine. This

information collection is in compliance with those program regulations

requiring financial reporting used in reviews and analyses to determine

compliance with contractual requirements and to evaluate industry

financial trends.

Description of Respondents: Various ship-building and ship-owning

companies which choose to participate in the Maritime Administration's

loan guarantee and operating support programs.

Annual Responses: Presently, 95 participants respond semiannually.

The number of participants has stabilized after a long period of

reduction with approximately the same number of new participants

replacing withdrawing participants. This situation is expected to

continue indefinitely.

Annual Burden: Presently, the total annual burden is 2,375 hours

for 190 responses, 12 hours per response. The total hours should

decrease when the changes covered by this request for comments are

implemented. Commenters are requested to include their estimates for

completing the revised MA-172 information collection.

Comments: Send all comments regarding this information collection

to Richard J. McDonnell, Department of Transportation, Maritime

Administration, MAR-580, Room 8114, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20590. Send comments regarding whether this information

collection is necessary for proper performance of the function of the

agency and will have practical utility, accuracy of the burden

estimate, ways to minimize this burden, and ways to enhance quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

By Order of the Maritime Administrator.

Dated: March 4, 1996.

Edmund T. Sommer, Jr.,

Assistant Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-5558 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]

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