Notice2022-18937
Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision to a Currently Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 1, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation Department
Abstract
In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the BTS to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval for new iterations of an on-going biennial information collection related to the nation's ferry operations. The information collected from each Census will be used to produce a descriptive database of existing ferry operations. A summary report of census findings will also be published by BTS on the BTS web page: www.bts.gov/ncfo.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 169 (Thursday, September 1, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 169 (Thursday, September 1, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53827-53828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18937]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0095]
Notice of Request for Clearance of a Revision to a Currently
Approved Information Collection: National Census of Ferry Operators
AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), DOT.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the BTS to request
the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB's) approval for new
iterations of an on-going biennial information collection related to
the nation's ferry operations. The information collected from each
Census will be used to produce a descriptive database of existing ferry
operations. A summary report of census findings will also be published
by BTS on the BTS web page: <a href="http://www.bts.gov/ncfo">www.bts.gov/ncfo</a>.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 31, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket ID Number
DOT-OST-2022-0095 to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT),
Dockets Management System (DMS). You may submit your comments by mail
or in person to the Docket Clerk, Docket No., U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590. Comments should identify the docket number as
indicated above. Paper comments should be submitted in duplicate. The
DMS is open for examination and copying, at the above address, from 9
a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. If you
wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your written comments,
please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the following
statement: ``Comments on Docket DOT-OST-2022-0095.'' The Docket Clerk
will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S.
mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery of U.S. mail to
Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that persons consider
an alternative method (the internet, fax, or professional delivery
service) to submit comments to the docket and ensure their timely
receipt at U.S. DOT. You may fax your comments to the DMS at (202) 493-
2251. Comments can also be viewed and/or submitted via the Federal
[[Page 53828]]
Rulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Please note that anyone is able to electronically search all
comments received into our docket management system 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 DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; pages 19475-19570)
or you may review the Privacy Act Statement at <a href="http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/">http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Clara Reschovsky, (202) 768-4994, NCFO
Program Manager, BTS, OST-R, Department of Transportation, 1200 New
Jersey Ave. SE, Room E36-324, Washington, DC 20590. Office hours are
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO).
Background: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA-21) (Pub. L. 105-178), section 1207(c), directed the Secretary of
Transportation to conduct a study of ferry transportation in the United
States and its possessions. In 2000, the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) Office of Intermodal and Statewide Planning conducted a survey
of approximately 250 ferry operators to identify: (1) existing ferry
operations including the location and routes served; (2) source and
amount, if any, of funds derived from Federal, State, or local
governments supporting ferry construction or operations; (3) potential
domestic ferry routes in the United States and its possessions and to
develop information on those routes; and (4) potential for use of high
speed ferry services and alternative-fueled ferry services. The Safe,
Accountable, Flexible Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for
Users (SAFETEA-LU) Public Law 109-59, section 1801(e)) required that
the Secretary, acting through the BTS, shall establish and maintain a
national ferry database containing current information regarding
routes, vessels, passengers and vehicles carried, funding sources and
such other information as the Secretary considers useful. MAP-21
legislation [Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Pub. L.
112-141),] continued the BTS mandate to conduct the NCFO and also
required that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO
data to set the specific formula for allocating federal ferry funds.
The funding allocations were based on a percentage of the number of
passenger boardings, vehicle boardings, and route miles served.
BTS conducted the first Census of Ferry Operators in 2006, and
again in 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and plans are underway for
the conduct of the next NCFO in the Spring of 2023. The 2022 NCFO was
delayed by one year since ferry operations were disrupted by the
pandemic and the census data should collect typical data. These
information collections were originally approved by OMB under Control
Number 2139-0009.
The recently enacted FAST Act legislation [Fixing America's Surface
Transportation Act (Pub. L. 114-94, sec. 1112)] continues the BTS
mandate to conduct the NCFO on a biennial basis, and extended the
requirement that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) use the NCFO
data to set the specific formula for allocating federal ferry funds
based on a percentage of the number of passenger boardings, vehicle
boardings, and route miles served. The overall length of the revised
questionnaire for the 2022 NCFO will remain consistent with that of
previous years.
The census will be administered to the entire population of ferry
operators (estimate of 250 or less). The census will request the
respondents to provide information such as: the points served; the type
of ownership; the number of passengers and vehicles carried in the past
12 months; vessel descriptions (including type of fuel), federal, state
and local funding sources, and intermodal connectivity. All data
collected in 2022 will be added to the existing NCFO database.
Respondents: The target population for the census will be all of
the approximately 250 ferry operators existing in the United States.
Estimated Average Burden per Response: The burden per respondent is
estimated to be an average of 30 minutes. This average is based on an
estimate of 20 minutes to answer new questions and an additional 10
minutes to review (and revise as needed) previously submitted data that
will be pre-populated for each ferry operation.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: The total annual burden (in the year
that the census is conducted) is estimated to be just under 125 hours
(that is 30 minutes per respondent for 250 respondents equals 7,500
minutes).
Frequency: This census will be updated every other year.
Public Comments Invited: Interested parties are invited to send
comments regarding any aspect of this information collection,
including, but not limited to: (1) the necessity and utility of the
information collection for the proper performance of the functions of
the DOT; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, clarity and content of the collected information;
and (4) ways to minimize the collection burden without reducing the
quality of the collected information. Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB's
clearance of this information collection.
Authority: The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, Pub.
L. 105-178, section 1207(c), The Safe, Accountable, Flexible Efficient
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), Pub. L.
109-59, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21),
Pub. L. 112-141, 49 CFR 1.46, and Fixing America's Surface
Transportation Act (FAST Act), Pub. L. 114-94, sec. 1112.
Issued in Washington, DC, on the 29th of August 2022.
Cha-Chi Fan,
Director, Office of Data Development and Standards, Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Research and Technology.
[FR Doc. 2022-18937 Filed 8-31-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
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