Supporting Statement

for

Requirements for the Use for Liquefied Petroleum Gas and 

Compressed Natural Gas as Cooking Fuel on Passenger Vessels

OMB No.: 1625-0099

COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS:  Instruction 

A.  Justification.  

1.  Circumstances that make the collection of information necessary.  

Title 46 U.S.C. 3306(a)(5) provides for the regulation of the use of
vessel stores and other supplies of a dangerous nature.  The Coast Guard
allows the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural
gas (CNG) cooking appliances on passenger-carrying vessels provided
certain requirements are met.  These requirements primarily consist of
existing industry standards.  One section of these standards requires
the posting of two placards that contain operating instructions and
safety precautions for the gas cooking appliance and the gas system.  

This information collection supports the following strategic goals:

Department of Homeland Security

Prevention

Coast Guard

Marine Safety

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

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

2.  Purpose of the information collection.  

The information provided by the placards is to be used by any person
operating cooking appliances to ensure it is operated in a safe manner.

3.  Consideration of the use of improved information technology.  

The owner/operator of a passenger vessel—with a cooking appliance that
use liquefied petroleum gas or compressed natural gas—must post
placards that contain safety and operating instructions for the gas
cooking system.

4.  Efforts to identify duplication.  

There is no duplication involved with the requirement.  There is no
other information already available which can be used or modified for
use.

5.  Methods 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.

This information collection burden entails installing two placards; any
decrease in the frequency of information collection would be not to
install the placards at all.  This would degrade the operational safety
of the gas cooking appliances on passenger-carrying vessels and
therefore not be consistent with Coast Guard policy regarding the safety
of vessels.  

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 (See [USCG-2015-0691], August 13, 2015, 80 FR 48555) and
30-Day Notice (XX XX, 2015, 80 FR XXXXX) were published in the Federal
Register to obtain public comment on this collection.  The Coast Guard
has not received any comments on this information collection.   

  

9. Provide any payment or gift 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 annual hour and cost burdens to respondents.  

The estimated number of annual respondents is 6,429. 

The estimated number of annual responses is 12,857.

The estimated hour burden is 6,429 hours.

The estimated cost burden is $237,873.

The burden to respondents is provided in Appendix A.  We estimate that
25% of passenger-carrying vessels install gas cooking appliances. 
Additionally, we estimate it will take vessel personnel about 0.5 hours
to install each required safety placard.  There are 2 required placards
per vessel (i.e., 2 responses per respondent), at a 100% replacement
rate per year.  The position of vessel personal is analogous to a GS-05.
 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.  

The estimated annual capital cost is $89,999 (see Appendix A).  We
estimate that placards will be replaced annuals.  Additionally, we
estimate that placards will cost $7.00 each which means a total of
$14.00 per vessel.  

14.  Estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government.  

The estimated annual Federal Government cost is $18,876 (see Appendix
B).  The cost is based on Coast Guard personnel examine safety placards
during periodic inspections, random boardings, and post-casualty
investigations.  We estimate 75% of all vessels with gas cooking
appliances (and safety placards) will be examined per year, conducted by
a Lieutenant (LT, O-3) at 3 minutes (0.05 hours) per exam.  The wage
rate used is in accordance with the current edition of COMDTINST
7310.1(series) for “In-Government” personnel.

15.  Reasons for change in burden.  

The change in burden hours is an ADJUSTMENT due to a change (i.e.,
increase) in the estimated annual number of respondents.  There is no
proposed change to the recordkeeping requirements of this collection. 
The 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 for not explaining the expiration date for OMB approval.  

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.  

This information collection does not employ statistical methods.  

  For inspected passenger vessels see 46 CFR 121.240 & 184.240, and for
uninspected passenger vessels see 46 CFR 25.45-2.  

1625-0099  

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