Collection of Information Under Review by Office of Management and Budget (OMB): OMB Control Numbers: 1625-0019, 1625-0041, 1625-0062, 1625-0088, and 1625-0092

AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Request for comments.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Coast Guard intends to seek the approval of OMB for the renewal of five Information Collection Requests (ICRs). The ICRs comprise (1) 1625-0019, Alternative Compliance for International and Inland Navigation Rules—33 CFR Parts 81 and 89; (2) 1625-0041, Various International Agreement Pollution Prevention Certificates and Documents, and Equivalency Certificates; (3) 1625-0062, Approval of Alterations to Marine Portable Tanks; Approval of Non-Specification Portable Tanks; (4) 1625-0088, Voyage Planning for Tank Barge Transits in the Northeast United States; and (5) 1625-0092, Sewage and Graywater Discharge Records for Certain Cruise Vessels Operating on Alaskan Waters. Before submitting the ICRs to OMB, the Coast Guard is inviting comments on them as described below.

DATES:

Comments must reach the Coast Guard on or before August 9, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

To make sure that your comments and related material do not enter the docket [USCG-2004-17971] more than once, please submit them by only one of the following means:

(1) By mail to the Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. Caution: Because of recent delays in the delivery of mail, your comments may reach the Facility more quickly if you choose one of the other means described below.

(2) By delivery to room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202-366-9329.

(3) By fax to the Docket Management Facility at 202-493-2251.

(4) Electronically through the Web site for the Docket Management System at http://dms.dot.gov.

The Docket Management Facility maintains the public docket for this notice. Comments and material received from the public, as well as documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, will become part of this docket and will be available for inspection or copying at room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. You may also find this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov.

Copies of the complete ICR are available through this docket on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov,, and also from Commandant (CG-611), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, room 6106 (Attn: Mr. Arthur Requina), 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001. The telephone number is 202-267-2326.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Arthur Requina, Office of Information Management, 202-267-2326, for questions on these documents; or Ms. Andrea M. Jenkins, Program Manager, U.S. DOT, 202-366-0271, for questions on the docket.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

We encourage you to participate in this request for comment by submitting comments and related materials. We will post all comments received, without change, to http://dms.dot.gov,, and they will include any personal information you have provided. We have an agreement with DOT to use the Docket Management Facility. Please see the paragraph on DOT's “Privacy Act”' below.

Submitting comments: If you submit a comment, please include your name and address, identify the docket number for this request for comment [USCG-2004-17971], indicate the specific section of this document to which each comment applies, and give the reason for each comment. You may submit your comments and material by electronic means, mail, fax, or delivery to the Docket Management Facility at the address under ADDRESSES; but please submit them by only one means. If you submit them by mail or delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 81/2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit them by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. We may change the documents supporting this collection of information or even the underlying requirements in view of them.

Viewing comments and documents: To view comments, as well as documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time and conduct a simple search using the docket number. You may also visit the Docket Management Facility in room PL-401 on the Plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy Act: Anyone can search the electronic form of all comments received in dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the Privacy Act Statement of DOT in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477), or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Information Collection Requests

1. Title: Alternative Compliance for International and Inland Navigation Rules—33 CFR Parts 81 and 89.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0019.

Summary: The information collected provides an opportunity for an owner, operator, builder, or agent of a unique vessel to present their reasons why the vessel cannot comply with existing International/Inland Navigation Rules and how alternative compliance can be achieved. If appropriate, a Certificate of Alternative Compliance is issued.

Need: Certain vessels cannot comply with the International Navigation Rules (33 U.S.C. 1601-1608) and Inland Navigation Rules (33 U.S.C. 2001-2073). The Coast Guard thus provides an opportunity for alternative compliance. However, it is not possible to determine whether alternative compliance is appropriate, or what kind of alternative procedures might be necessary, without this collection.

Respondents: Vessel owners, operators, builders and agents.

Frequency: One-time application.

Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 180 hours a year.

2. Title: Various International Agreement Pollution Prevention Certificates and Documents, and Equivalency Certificates.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0041.

Summary: Required by the adoption of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78), these certificates and documents are evidence of compliance with this convention for U.S. vessels on international voyages. Without the proper certificates or documents, a U.S. vessel could be detained in a foreign port.

Need: Compliance with MARPOL 73/78 aids in the prevention of pollution from ships.

Respondents: Owners and operators of vessels.

Frequency: On occasion.

Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 6,780 hours a year.

3. Title: Approval of Alterations to Marine Portable Tanks; Approval of Non-Specification Portable Tanks.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0062.

Summary: The information will be used to evaluate the safety of proposed alterations to marine portable tanks and non-specification portable tank designs used to transfer hazardous materials during offshore operations, e.g., drilling rigs.

Need: Approval by the Coast Guard of alterations to marine portable tanks ensures that the altered tank retains the level of safety to which it was originally designed. In addition, rules that allow for the approval of non-specification portable tanks ensure that innovation and new designs are not frustrated by the regulation.

Respondents: Owners of marine portable tanks and owners/designers of non-specification portable tanks.

Frequency: On occasion.

Burden Estimate: The estimated burden is 18 hours a year.

4. Title: Voyage Planning for Tank Barge Transits in the Northeast United States.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0088.

Summary: The information collection requirement for a voyage plan serves as a preventive measure and assists in ensuring the successful execution and completion of a voyage in the First Coast Guard District. This rule (33 CFR 165.100) applies to primary towing vessels engaged in towing certain tank barges carrying petroleum oil in bulk as cargo.

Need: The information for a voyage plan will provide a mechanism for assisting vessels towing tank barges to identify those specific risks, potential equipment failures, or human errors that may lead to accidents.

Respondents: Owners and operators of towing vessels.

Frequency: On occasion.

Burden Estimates: The estimated burden is 420 hours a year.

5. Title: Sewage and Graywater Discharge Records for Certain Cruise Vessels Operating on Alaskan Waters.

OMB Control Number: 1625-0092.

Summary: To comply with Title XIV of Public Law 106-554, 114 STAT. 2763A-315, this information collection is needed to enforce sewage and graywater discharges requirements from certain cruise ships operating on Alaskan waters.

Need: Title 33 CFR part 159 subpart E prescribes regulations governing the discharge of sewage and graywater from cruise vessels, requires sampling and testing of sewage and graywater discharges, and establishes reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Respondents: Owners and operators of vessels.

Frequency: On occasion.

Burden Estimates: The estimated burden is 910 hours a year.