Harbor Maintenance Fee

AGENCY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION:

60-day notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing collection of information.

SUMMARY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and must be submitted (no later than September 7, 2021) to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained in this notice must include the OMB Control Number 1651-0055 in the subject line and the agency name. Please use the following method to submit comments:

Email. Submit comments to: CBP_PRA@cbp.dhs.gov.

Due to COVID-19-related restrictions, CBP has temporarily suspended its ability to receive public comments by mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional PRA information should be directed to Seth Renkema, Chief, Economic Impact Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, Regulations and Rulings, 90 K Street NE, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177, Telephone number 202-325-0056 or via email CBP_PRA@cbp.dhs.gov. Please note that the contact information provided here is solely for questions regarding this notice. Individuals seeking information about other CBP programs should contact the CBP National Customer Service Center at 877-227-5511, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339, or CBP website at https://www.cbp.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the proposed and/or continuing information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies should address one or more of the following four points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) suggestions to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) suggestions to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. The comments that are submitted will be summarized and included in the request for approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.

Overview of This Information Collection

Title: Harbor Maintenance Fee.

OMB Number: 1651-0055.

Form Number: CBP Form 349 and 350.

Current Actions: Extension with an increase in burden hours.

Type of Review: Extension (with change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Abstract: The Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) and Trust Fund is used for the operation and maintenance of certain U.S. channels and harbors by the Army Corps of Engineers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is required to collect the HMF from importers, domestic shippers, and passenger vessel operators using federal navigation projects. See 19 CFR 24.24. Commercial cargo loaded on or unloaded from a commercial vessel is subject to a port use fee of 0.125 percent of its value if the loading or unloading occurs at a port that has been designated by the Army Corps of Engineers. 19 CFR 24.24(a). The HMF also applies to the total ticket value of embarking and disembarking passengers and on cargo admissions into a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ). See 19 CFR 24.24(e)(2)(iii).

CBP Form 349, Harbor Maintenance Fee Quarterly Summary Report, and CBP Form 350, Harbor Maintenance Fee Amended Quarterly Summary Report are completed by domestic shippers, foreign trade zone applicants, and passenger vessel operators and submitted with payment to CBP. 19 CFR 24.24(e).

CBP uses the information collected on CBP Forms 349 and 350 to verify that the fee collected is timely and accurately submitted. These forms are authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 4461, et seq.) and provided for by 19 CFR 24.24, which also includes the list of designated ports. CBP Forms 349 and 350 are accessible at http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/publications/forms or they may be completed and filed electronically at www.pay.gov.

Type of Information Collection: CBP Form 349.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 846.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 4.

Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 3,384.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1692.

Type of Information Collection: CBP Form 350.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 23.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 4.

Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 92.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 46.

Type of Information Collection: Record Keeping.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 869.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 869.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.166 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 144.