Supporting Statement 

for

Request for Designation and Exemption of Oceanographic Research Vessels

OMB No.: 1625-0014

COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS:  Instruction 

A.  Justification

1)  Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.  

This data collection is necessary for the designation of Oceanographic
Research Vessels (ORV).  According to 46 USC 2113, 46 CFR 3.10, and 46
CFR 14.403, oceanographic vessels may be exempted from the statute and
regulations governing the shipment, discharge, payment and personal
outfitting of merchant seamen.  

Section 2113 of U.S.C. 46 also provides the Secretary of Homeland
Security with the authority to exempt certain vessels from the
inspection and manning requirements of law when vessels are engaged in
oceanographic research.  It also contains flexible exemption authority
for regulation of ORVs.

According to 46 CFR Section 3.10-1, an individual can submit a written
request to the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) seeking a
vessel be designated as an ORV.  At a minimum, the following information
must be submitted during the initial request:  1) a detailed description
of the vessel, including its identification number, owner and charterer;
2) a specific operating plan stating precisely the intended use of the
vessel; and 3) any additional information as may be requested by the
OCMI.  According to 46 CFR Section 3.10-5, at least 60 days prior to the
expiration date of the Letter of Designation or Certificate of
Inspection, a request for renewal must be submitted in the same manner
as above.

According to 46 CFR Section 14.403, certain requirements of 46 USC do
not apply to the employment of merchant mariners on ORVs.  Those
requirements include concerns for the shipment and discharge of
mariners, their pay and allotments, and the adequacy of their clothing. 
According to 46 CFR Section 14.405, an individual in charge of an ORV
may submit a written request to the OCMI seeking an exemption.  The
request must state:  1) any requirement of any section listed in 46 CFR
14.403(b) from which the applicant wishes an exemption; and  2) what
business practices regarding, among other things, the shipment and
discharge of merchant mariners, their pay and allotments, and the
adequacy of their clothing would justify the exemption.

This information collection supports the following strategic goals:

Department of Homeland Security

Prevention

Coast Guard

Maritime Safety

Prevention Policy & Response Policy Directorates (CG-5P & CG-5R)

Safety:  Reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage associated with
commercial maritime operations.

Economic Growth and Trade/Mobility:  Reduce interruptions and
impediments that restrict the economical movement of goods and people,
while maximizing safe, effective, and efficient waterways for all users.

2)  Purpose of the information collection.  

This information is used by the OCMI to determine:  1) if a vessel can
be designated as an ORV; and 2) can be exempted from specific inspection
and/or manning requirements.  [According to 46 CFR Section 3.05-3, an
ORV is a vessel which the U.S. Coast Guard finds is employed exclusively
in one or more of the following:  a) oceanographic instruction, b)
limnologic instruction, c) oceanographic research, or d) limnologic
research.]

An ORV may be inspected or uninspected.  If uninspected, it receives a
Letter of Designation; if inspected, its designation appears on its
Certificate of Inspection.  A Letter of Designation is valid for two
years and a Certificate of Inspection is valid for five years.  

3)  Consideration of the use of improved information technology.  

Requests for ORV designation can be mailed, faxed or electronically
submitted via e-mail to the OCMI.  There is no specific CG form that
must be completed for the request and the content of a request can vary.
 If a respondent opts to submit a request electronically, e-mail
provides the most versatile method of submission.  No other e-submission
method is envisioned for this ICR.  A list of Coast Guard sectors, as
part of a comprehensive list of Coast Guard units, can be found at: 
HYPERLINK "http://www.uscg.mil/top/units/"
http://www.uscg.mil/top/units/ . 

We estimate that 100% of the reporting requirements can be done
electronically.  At this time, we estimate that approximately 50% of the
responses are collected electronically.

4)  Efforts to identify duplication.  

The Coast Guard may hold information regarding the physical description
of the vessels concerned.  Consequently, if a vessel renews its Letter
of Designation or Certificate of Inspection, it does not have to
duplicate its physical description unless changes have been made.

With the partial exception of certain inspected vessels, the information
necessary to allow designation of ORVs and their exemption(s) from
certain requirements is not generated elsewhere.

5)  Methods used to minimize the burdens to small business if involved. 


This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses
or other small entities.

6)  Consequences to the Federal program if collection were conducted
less frequently.  

The initial written request for a vessel to receive the designation of
ORV and corresponding exemptions is voluntary and relatively
spontaneous.  Once designated, an uninspected vessel, on average, must
renew its designation every two years, an inspected vessel every five
years.

7)  Special collection circumstances.  

This information collection is conducted in manner consistent with the
guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8)  Consultation.

A 60-day Notice will be published in the Federal Register to obtain
public comment on this collection.  

9)  Provide any payments or gifts to respondents.  

There is no offer of monetary or material value for this information
collection.

10)  Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents.

There are no assurances of confidentiality provided to the respondents
for this information collection.

11)  Additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature.  

There are no questions of sensitive language.

12)  Estimate of hour and cost burdens to respondents.  

The estimated annual number of respondents is 25.

The estimated annual number of responses is 25.

The estimated annual hour burden is 25 hours.

The estimated annual cost burden is $2,150.

The burden to respondents is provided in Appendix A.  We estimate that
it will take a technical specialist about 1 hour to prepare an ORV
designation request.  The position of a technical specialist is
analogous to a GS-13.  The wage rate used is in accordance with the
current edition of COMDTINST 7310.1(series) for “Out-Government”
personnel.  

13)  Estimates of annualized capital and start-up costs.  

There are no capital, start-up or maintenance costs associated with this
information collection.

14)  Estimates of annualized Federal Government costs.

The estimated annual Federal Government cost is $871 (see Appendix B). 
We estimate that it will take Coast Guard personnel an average of 0.5
hours to process and complete each ORV designation request, and that the
task is performed by a GS-12.  The wage rate used is in accordance with
the current edition of COMDTINST 7310.1(series) for “In-Government”
personnel.

15)  Explain the reasons for the change in burden.

The change in burden is an ADJUSTMENT due to a change in the vessel
population.  There is no proposed change to the reporting or
recordkeeping requirements of this collection.  The reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, and the methodology for calculating burden,
remain unchanged.    

16)  Plans for tabulation, statistical analysis, and publication.  

This information collection will not be published for statistical
purposes.

17)  Approval to not display expiration date.  

The Coast Guard will display the expiration date for OMB approval of
this information collection.

18)  Explain each exception to the certification statement.  

The Coast Guard does not request an exception to the certification of
this information collection.

B.  Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods

The collection of information does not employ statistical methods.  

1625-0014 

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