[Federal Register: April 9, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 67)]
[Notices]               
[Page 16178-16179]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ap09-31]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis

 
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey: Foreign 
Ocean Carriers' Expenses in the United States

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as

[[Page 16179]]

required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before 5 p.m. June 8, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via e-mail at 
dhynek@doc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Edward Dozier, Current Account Services Branch, Balance 
of Payments Division, (BE-58), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9559; 
fax: (202) 606-5314; or via e-mail at edward.dozier@bea.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is responsible for the 
compilation of the U.S. international transactions accounts (ITAs), 
which it publishes quarterly in news releases, on its Web site, and in 
its monthly journal, the Survey of Current Business. These accounts 
provide a statistical summary of all U.S. international transactions 
and, as such, are one of the major statistical products of BEA. They 
are used extensively by both government and private organizations for 
national and international economic policy formulation and for 
analytical purposes. The information collected in this survey is used 
to develop the ``transportation'' portion of the ITAs. Potential 
respondents are U.S. agents of foreign ocean carriers operating in the 
United States. The information is collected on an annual basis from 
U.S. agents who handle 40 or more port calls by foreign ocean vessels 
and the covered expenses for all foreign ocean vessels handled by the 
U.S. agent were $250,000 or more. U.S. agents who handle fewer than 40 
port calls or where the total annual covered expenses for all foreign 
ocean vessels handled by the U.S. agent are below $250,000 are exempt 
from reporting.
    Without this information, an integral component of the ITAs would 
be omitted. No other government agency collects comprehensive annual 
data on foreign ocean carriers' expenses in the United States. There 
are no changes proposed to the form or instructions.

II. Method of Collection

    The survey forms will be sent to respondents each quarter via US 
mail; the surveys are also available from our Web site. Respondents 
return the surveys one of four ways: U.S. mail, electronically using 
BEA's electronic collection system (eFile), fax or e-mail. Responses 
will be due within 50 days after the close of each calendar quarter.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0608-0012.
    Form Number: BE-29.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 149.
    Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 596.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E9-8023 Filed 4-8-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-06-P