
[Federal Register: August 13, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 156)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 49411-49412]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au10-14]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 138

[USCG-2008-0007]
RIN 1625-AB25

 
Consumer Price Index Adjustments of Oil Pollution Act of 1990 
Limits of Liability--Vessels and Deepwater Ports

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Rule; information collection approval.

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SUMMARY: On July 1, 2009, the Coast Guard amended the Oil Pollution Act 
of 1990 limits of liability for vessels and deepwater ports to reflect 
significant increases in the Consumer Price Index. The amendment 
triggered information collection requirements affecting vessel 
operators required to establish evidence of financial responsibility. 
This notice announces that the collection of information has been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and may now be 
enforced. The OMB Control Number is 1625-0046.

DATES: The collection of information requirement under 33 CFR 138.85 
will be enforced from August 13, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this document 
contact Mr. Benjamin White, National Pollution Funds Center, Coast 
Guard, telephone 202-493-6863, e-mail Benjamin.H.White@uscg.mil. If you 
have questions on viewing the docket (USCG-2005-21780), call Ms. Renee 
V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 1, 2009, the Coast Guard published 
an interim rule entitled ``Consumer Price Index Adjustments of Oil 
Pollution Act of 1990 Limits of Liability--Vessels and Deepwater 
Ports'' (74 FR 31357) (CPI interim rule). This interim rule amended the 
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 limits of liability for vessels and deepwater 
ports under 33 CFR part 138 subpart B to reflect significant increases 
in the Consumer Price Index as required by 33 U.S.C. 2704(d)(4). These 
limit of liability amendments triggered information collection 
requirements under 33 CFR 138.85. This provision requires operators of 
vessels to establish evidence of financial responsibility under OPA 90, 
33 U.S.C. 2716, acceptable to the Director, National Pollution Funds 
Center, in an amount equal to or greater than the total applicable 
amounts determined under 33 CFR 138.80(f). The total applicable amounts 
are, in turn, determined by reference to the limits of liability in 33 
CFR part 138, subpart B. On January 6, 2010, the Coast Guard published 
a final rule adopting the interim rule without change (75 FR 750).
    With the exception of this collection of information, the CPI 
interim rule limit of liability amendments became effective on July 31, 
2009. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501-3520), the preambles to the interim rule and the final rule stated 
that the Coast Guard would not enforce the collection of information 
requirements occurring under 33 CFR 138.85 until the collection of 
information request was approved by OMB, and also stated that the Coast 
Guard would publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing that 
OMB approved and assigned a control number for the requirement.
    The Coast Guard submitted the information collection request to OMB 
for approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. On 
June 18, 2010, OMB approved the collection of information and assigned 
the collection OMB Control Number 1625-0046 entitled ``Financial 
Responsibility for Water Pollution (Vessels).'' The approval for this 
collection of information expires on July 31, 2012. A copy of the OMB 
notice of action is available in our online docket at http://
www.regulations.gov.


[[Page 49412]]


    Dated: August 3, 2010.
Craig A. Bennett,
Director, National Pollution Funds Center, U.S. Coast Guard.
[FR Doc. 2010-19753 Filed 8-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P

