Notice2025-07237
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Emergency Beacon Registrations
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
April 28, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 80 (Monday, April 28, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 80 (Monday, April 28, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17578-17580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-07237]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Emergency Beacon Registrations
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995
[[Page 17579]]
(PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment
on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information collection requirements and
minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is
to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before June 27, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a8e6e7e9e986f8fae9e8c6c7c9c986cfc7de"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c789888686e997958687a9a8a6a6e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0295 in the subject line of your
comments. All comments received are part of the public record and will
generally be posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. Do
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to LT Jessica Spruill, SARSAT Operations Support Officer, NOAA/NESDIS/
SARSAT, NSOF, E/SPO53 4231 Suitland Rd., Suitland, MD 20746, (301) 817-
4552, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cf809f9ce19c8e9d9c8e9b8f81808e8ee1888099"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="aee1fefd80fdeffcfdeffaeee0e1efef80e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request from NOAA's National Environmental Satellite,
Data, and Information Service for extension and revision of an approved
information collection: Emergency Beacon Registrations (OMB Control
Number 0648-0295).
The United States, Canada, France, and Russia operate the Search
and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (COSPAS/SARSAT), a satellite system
with equipment that can detect and locate ships, aircraft and
individuals in distress if an emergency radio beacon is being carried.
This system is used to detect digitally encoded signals in the 406.000-
406.100 MHz range, coming from these emergency beacons. The 406.000-
406.100 MHz beacons transmit a unique identifier, making possible the
ability to combine previously collected data associated with that
beacon and transmit this vital data along with the beacon's position to
the appropriate rescue coordination center.
Persons buying 406.000-406.100 MHz emergency radio beacons are
required to register them with NOAA prior to installation. These
requirements are contained in Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
regulations at 47 CFR 80.1061, 47 CFR 87.199 and 47 CFR 95.1402.
The registration data is used to facilitate a rescue and to
suppress the costly consequences of false alarms, which if unsuppressed
would initiate the launch of a rescue mission and thereby deplete
limited resources and possibly result in the loss of lives. This is
accomplished through the use of the data provided to the rescue forces
from the beacon registration database maintained by the NOAA's United
States Mission Control Center (USMCC) for Search and Rescue, to contact
the distressed person(s) or alternate party via a phone call or radio
broadcast. Other data provides rescuers with descriptive material of
the element in distress. The registration information must be kept up-
to-date.
Four registration forms are used. The EPIRB (Emergency Position
Indicating Radio Beacon) form is used for nautical beacons. The ELT
(Emergency Locator Transmitter) form is used for aircraft beacons. The
PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) form is used to register portable beacons
carried by individuals. Ship Security Alerting System (SSAS) beacons
are carried aboard ships, are similar to EPIRBs and are used in the
event of an emergency situation such as piracy or terrorism.
These forms are being updated to allow for additional information
to be collected and shared with search and rescue (SAR) forces
regarding PLBs used on vessels and aircraft to aid in a successful SAR
response. If the user checks that their ``VEHICLE TYPE'' is ``Boat'',
they are asked to complete the following additional fields: Vessel
Name, Federal/State Registration No., Home Port Marina/Dock, City and
State (ST). If the user checks that their ``VEHICLE TYPE'' is
``Aircraft'', they are asked to complete the following additional
fields: Airport Code, City and State (ST). The city and state of the
marina or airport is needed to help SAR forces to quickly look-up the
airport/marina where the aircraft/boat is stored permanently. This
helps SAR forces to identify false alerts (i.e., if the beacon goes off
where the aircraft/boat is stored, it is likely to be a false alert).
Likewise, if a distress situation is suspected, SAR forces can call the
airport/marina to get more information on the owner and the owner's
whereabouts. Upon approval of the additional fields to the PLB form,
the PLB section of our additional page ``Instructions for Completing
NOAA's Emergency Beacon Registration Form'' on all four forms (EPIRB,
ELT, PLB and SSAS) will be updated to reflect those additional fields.
In addition, several changes that do not require additional data
collection are proposed for all four forms for the purpose of
streamlining wording, updating the date of the forms, and updating the
instructions on completing the forms. The requested changes are as
follows: removing the extra lines underneath ``Name of Primary 24-Hour
Emergency Contact'' and ``Name of Alternate 24-Hour Emergency Contact''
to allow more room for handwriting in those sections; revising the last
line on the form to add the beacon registration email address
(<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e98b8c888a8687c79b8c8e809a9d9b889d808687a987868888c78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="385a5d595b5756164a5d5f514b4c4a594c5157567856575959165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>); and changing clarifying language in the
``Additional Data'' section to be more clear and direct.
II. Method of Collection
Respondents may either: (1) obtain the forms electronically via the
internet at <a href="https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov">https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov</a>, download, complete,
sign and mail or fax or (2) register directly on the website, in which
case the signature requirement is waived.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0295.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission; Revision and extension of an
approved information collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; Business or other for-
profit organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or
Tribal government; Federal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 207,917.
Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 51,980.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
regulations at 47 CFR 80.1061, 47 CFR 87.199 and 47 CFR 95.1402.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to
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be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this information collection request. Before including
your address, phone number, email address, or other personal
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025-07237 Filed 4-25-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-HR-P
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