Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping Requirements; Agency Information

Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request

(ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management

and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature

of the information collection and its expected cost and burden. The

Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting

comments on the following collection of information was published on

February 28, 1997 [FR 62, page 9150).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 20, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael P. Ferris, Director, Office of

Costs and Rates, Maritime Administration, Washington, DC 20590, Tel.

(202) 366-2324, and refer to the OMB Control Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Title of Collection: Determination of Fair and Reasonable

Rates for the Carriage of Bulk Preference Cargoes (46 CFR part 382).

OMB Control Number: 2133-0514.

Type of Request: Extension of currently approved information

collection.

Form(s): None.

Affected Public: U.S.-flag vessels are owned and operated by U.S.

citizens under the U.S.-flag. The vessels consist of tug/barges, dry

bulk vessels, break bulk liner vessels, LASH, and tankers.

Abstract: Two different types of data are required: Vessel

Operating Costs and Capital Costs--Part 382 requires U.S.-flag vessel

Operators to submit this data to MARAD on an annual basis. The costs

are used by MARAD in determining fair and reasonable guideline rates

for the carriage of preference cargoes on U.S.-flag vessels. Voyage

costs and voyage days--(Post Voyage Report)-- This information is

required to be filed by a U.S.-flag operator after the completion of a

cargo preference voyage.

Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used

by MARAD to calculate fair and reasonable rates for U.S.-flag vessels

engaged in the carriage of preference cargoes. If the information is

not collected, the fair and reasonable rates could be inaccurate thus

leading to a lack of adequate protection of the government's financial

interest in obtaining the lowest possible U.S.-flag cost for shipping

government cargoes.

Annual Burden: 500 hours--This rule would not impose any unfunded

mandates.

Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget, 725-17th Street, NW., Washington, DC

20503, Attention MARAD Desk Officer.

Comments: Send all 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

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

utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 16, 1997.

Phillip A. Leach,

Clearance Officer, United States Department of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 97-19117 Filed 7-18-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-62-P