74674 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 230 / Wednesday, December 1, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. 

to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

excluding legal holidays. The Docket 

Facility telephone number is (703) 305– 

5805. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vera 

Au, Field & External Affairs Division 

(7506P), Office of Pesticide Programs, 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 

Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington 

DC 20460–0001; telephone number: 

(703) 308–9069; e-mail address: 

au.vera@epa.gov@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Does this action apply to me? 

This action is directed to the public 

in general. It simply announces the 

submission of a draft proposed rule to 

the United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) and does not 

otherwise affect any specific entities. 

This action may, however, be of 

particular interest to those who export 

a pesticide product, a pesticide device, 

or an active ingredient used in 

producing a pesticide. Since other 

entities may also be interested, the 

Agency has not attempted to describe all 

the specific entities that may be 

interested in this action. If you have any 

questions regarding this action, consult 

the person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

II. What action is EPA taking? 

Section 25(a)(2) of FIFRA requires the 

Administrator to provide the Secretary 

of Agriculture with a copy of any 

proposed regulation at least 60 days 

before signing it for publication in the 

Federal Register. The draft proposed 

rule is not available to the public until 

after it has been signed by EPA. If the 

Secretary comments in writing 

regarding the draft proposed rule within 

30 days after receiving it, the 

Administrator shall include the 

comments of the Secretary and the 

Administrator’s response to those 

comments in the proposed rule when 

published in the Federal Register. If the 

Secretary does not comment in writing 

within 30 days after receiving the draft 

proposed rule, the Administrator may 

sign the proposed regulation for 

publication in the Federal Register 

anytime after the 30-day period. 

III. Do any statutory and executive 

order reviews apply to this notification? 

No. This document is not a proposed 

rule, it is merely a notification of 

submission to the Secretary of 

Agriculture. As such, none of the 

regulatory assessment requirements 

apply to this document. 

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 168 

Environmental protection, Exports, 

Labeling, Pesticides and pests. 

Dated: November 15, 2010. 

Steven Bradbury, 

Director, Office of Pesticide Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2010–30222 Filed 11–30–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Coast Guard 

46 CFR Part 2 

[Docket No. USCG–2010–0245] 

RIN 1625–ZA28 

Updates to Vessel Inspection Fees 

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. 

ACTION: Notice of inquiry; request for 

information. 

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard seeks public 

comment on updating vessel inspection 

fees. The Coast Guard, by regulation, 

establishes inspection fees for U.S. 

commercial vessels required to maintain 

a Certificate of Inspection and foreign 

tankships and mobile offshore drilling 

units required to maintain a Certificate 

of Compliance. This includes overseas 

inspection and examination fees. The 

Coast Guard is considering options for 

updating and/or restructuring these 

inspection fees to ensure their adequacy 

and equity, and for adapting to changes 

that have occurred since they were last 

modified in 1998. The Coast Guard 

seeks information on factors to consider 

when updating these fees. 

DATES: Comments and related material 

must either be submitted to our online 

docket via http://www.regulations.gov 

on or before March 1, 2011 or reach the 

Docket Management Facility by that 

date. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by docket number USCG– 

2010–0245 using any one of the 

following methods: 

(1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

http://www.regulations.gov. 

(2) Fax: 202–493–2251. 

(3) Mail: Docket Management Facility 

(M–30), U.S. Department of 

Transportation, West Building Ground 

Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington DC 20590– 

0001. 

(4) Hand delivery: Same as mail 

address above, between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. The telephone number 

is 202–366–9329. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Request for Information’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 

below for instructions on submitting 

comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have questions on this notice of 

inquiry, call or e-mail Lieutenant 

Commander Alan Moore, U.S. Coast 

Guard, at telephone: 202–372–1231 or 

e-mail: Alan.H.Moore@uscg.mil. If you 

have questions on viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. 

Wright, Program Manager, Docket 

Operations, at telephone: 202–366– 

9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Request for Information 

We encourage you to participate in 

this rulemaking by submitting 

comments and related materials. All 

comments received will be posted 

without change to http:// 

www.regulations.gov and will include 

any personal information you have 

provided. 

Submitting comments and 

information: If you submit a comment, 

please include the docket number for 

this notice of inquiry (USCG–2010– 

0245), and provide a reason for each 

suggestion or recommendation. You 

may submit your comments and 

material online or by fax, mail, or hand 

delivery, but please use only one of 

these means. We recommend that you 

include your name and a mailing 

address, an e-mail address, or a phone 

number in the body of your document 

so that we can contact you if we have 

questions regarding your submission. 

To submit your comment online, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, enter 

‘‘USCG–2010–0245’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ 

box, and click ‘‘Search.’’ Then, click on 

the ‘‘Submit a Comment’’ link. If you 

submit your comments by mail or hand 

delivery, submit them in an unbound 

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, 

suitable for copying and electronic 

filing. If you submit comments by mail 

and would like to know that they 

reached the facility, please enclose a 

stamped, self-addressed postcard or 

envelope. We will consider all 

comments and material received during 

the comment period. 

Viewing comments and documents: 

To view comments, and other 

documents available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, enter 

‘‘USCG–2010–0245’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ 

box, and click ‘‘Search.’’ If you do not 

have access to the Internet, you may 

view the docket by visiting the Docket 

Management Facility in Room W12–140 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 230 / Wednesday, December 1, 2010 / Proposed Rules 74675 

on the ground floor of the Department 

of Transportation West Building, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington 

DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

Privacy Act: Anyone can search the 

electronic form of comments received 

into any of our dockets 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 a 

Privacy Act notice regarding our public 

dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of 

the Federal Register (73 FR 3316). 

Background and Purpose 

In the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation 

Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101–508, November 

5, 1990) Congress amended 46 U.S.C. 

2110 by removing long-standing 

prohibitions against imposing certain 

inspection fees. Congress also directed 

the Coast Guard to establish inspection 

fees to recover costs associated with 

providing Coast Guard vessel inspection 

services. 

On December 18, 1991, the Coast 

Guard published a notice of proposed 

rulemaking (NPRM) (56 FR 65786) on 

Direct User Fees for Inspection or 

Examination of U.S. and Foreign 

Commercial Vessels. A correction to the 

proposed rule (56 FR 66766) was issued 

on December 24, 1991, adding 

Appendix A, a summary of the 

preliminary Regulatory Evaluation. 

Following publication of the NPRM, the 

Coast Guard received 1,092 written 

comments and 176 statements from 

participants at public meetings. All 

segments of the maritime industry 

generally objected to the proposed 

imposition of any inspection fees for the 

inspection of their vessels. 

On March 13, 1995, the Coast Guard 

published a final rule on Direct User 

Fees for Inspection or Examination of 

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Vessels 

(60 FR 13550). Through this final rule, 

Coast Guard added a new subpart 2.10, 

Fees, to Title 46 Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR), part 2. 

On April 21, 1997, as required by the 

Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996, 

the Coast Guard published an interim 

rule titled Vessel Inspection User Fees 

(62 FR 19229) that reduced annual 

vessel inspection fees for small 

passenger vessels and excluded publicly 

owned ferries from payment of vessel 

inspection fees. The interim rule also 

revised the existing discretionary 

exemption criteria to allow additional 

vessels to qualify for exemptions from 

the annual fee. The Coast Guard 

published the final rule (63 FR 59472) 

on November 4, 1998, adding several 

new definitions and amending the 

exemptions section to exclude 

inspection fees for qualifying vessels 

owned or operated by certain non-profit 

organizations. 

Currently, the Coast Guard collects 

inspection fees to recover the costs of 

providing vessel inspection services in 

support of commercial vessels required 

to have Certificates of Inspection (COIs) 

(for U.S. vessels) or Certificates of 

Compliance (COCs) (for foreign vessels) 

in order to meet statutory and regulatory 

requirements. Additional fees are 

required for inspections and 

examinations conducted at overseas 

locations. 

The inspection fee amounts have not 

been updated since 1998. Office of 

Management and Budget Circular 

Number A–25 directs a biennial review 

of inspection fees. The Coast Guard 

completed its last review on May 30, 

2008. That review, which is available in 

the docket, accounted for various 

inflations and revealed that the cost 

associated with marine inspection 

services exceeds the inspection fees 

collected, which have not been adjusted 

since 1998. Based on this review, the 

Coast Guard is considering adjusting its 

vessel inspection fees. 

Because there have been many 

changes since the last update to 46 CFR 

part 2, subpart 2.10, Fees, both in the 

maritime industry and in the Coast 

Guard’s commercial vessel inspection 

program, the Coast Guard is seeking 

public input on any such update. This 

notice of inquiry and request for 

information seeks public comment and 

information to aid the Coast Guard in 

updating and/or restructuring vessel 

inspection fees. 

With some exceptions, the current 

vessel inspection fees are assigned 

based on vessel service and length. The 

Coast Guard designed this fee structure 

based on these factors to offset the Coast 

Guard’s cost of providing vessel 

inspection services. The vessel 

inspection and fee categories were 

derived from inspection activity data 

during the years 1987, 1988, 1989, and 

1990, and included the contemporary 

program costs associated with 

conducting vessel inspection and 

examination activities by Coast Guard 

personnel. The current annual vessel 

inspection fee structure is shown in the 

table below, as set forth in 46 CFR 2.10– 

101. Section 2.10–101 covers U.S. vessel 

inspection fees plus other fees charged 

for foreign tankships and foreign mobile 

offshore drilling units trading in U.S. 

ports. Subpart 2.10 also sets forth fees 

for inspections conducted at overseas 

locations. 

Certain inspection fees have been 

capped by statute; the Coast Guard 

Authorization Act of 1996 limited the 

amount of fees that may be charged to 

small passenger vessels as defined in 

Title 46 CFR 2.10–25, and the Omnibus 

Budget and Reconciliation Act of 1990 

limited the annual vessel inspection fee 

for non-self propelled tank barges. In 

any update to 46 CFR part 2, subpart 

2.10, the Coast Guard does not intend to 

make any changes to these capped fees 

or to any currently excluded or 

exempted category vessels despite being 

required to maintain a COI. For 

convenience, the table in 46 CFR 2.101 

listing inspection fees has been 

reproduced below. 

TABLE 2.10–101—ANNUAL VESSEL INSPECTION FEES FOR U.S. AND FOREIGN VESSELS REQUIRING A CERTIFICATE OF

INSPECTION

Any inspected vessel not listed in this table ........................................................................................................................................... $1,030 

Freight barges: 

Length not greater than 150 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 495 

More than 150 feet but not more than 300 feet ............................................................................................................................... 610 

More than 300 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 955 

Freight ships: 

Length not greater than 100 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 1,425 

More than 100 feet but not more than 300 feet ............................................................................................................................... 1,870 

More than 300 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5,410 

Industrial Vessels: 

Length not greater than 200 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 1,435 

More than 200 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2,550 

Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs): 

Drill ship MODUs .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6,710 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
74676 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 230 / Wednesday, December 1, 2010 / Proposed Rules 

TABLE 2.10–101—ANNUAL VESSEL INSPECTION FEES FOR U.S. AND FOREIGN VESSELS REQUIRING A CERTIFICATE OF

INSPECTION—Continued 

Submersible MODUs ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4,695 

Self-elevating MODUs ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4,695 

Semi-submersible MODUs ............................................................................................................................................................... 8,050 

Nautical School Vessels: 

Length not greater than 100 feet ......................................................................................................................................................... 835 

More than 100 feet but not more than 200 feet .................................................................................................................................. 1,450 

More than 200 feet ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7,205 

Oceanographic Research Vessels: 

Length not greater than 170 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 840 

More than 170 feet but not more than 240 feet ............................................................................................................................... 1,980 

More than 240 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3,610 

Offshore Supply Vessels: 

Length not greater than 140 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 1,135 

More than 140 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1,470 

Offshore Supply Vessels: Alternate Reinspection Program 

Length not greater than 140 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 940 

More than 140 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1,260 

Passenger Barges: 

Less than 100 gross tons and: 

Less than 65 feet in length ............................................................................................................................................................... 300 

65 feet or more in length .................................................................................................................................................................. 600 

100 gross tons or more and: 

Certified for fewer than 150 passengers .......................................................................................................................................... 2,215 

Certified for 150 or more passengers .............................................................................................................................................. 2,525 

Passenger Ships: 

Length not greater than 250 feet: 

Certified for fewer than 150 passengers .......................................................................................................................................... 3,600 

Certified for 150 or more passengers .............................................................................................................................................. 4,050 

More than 250 feet but not more than 350 feet ............................................................................................................................... 5,330 

More than 350 feet but not more than 450 feet ............................................................................................................................... 6,835 

More than 450 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 14,650 

Sailing School Vessels: 

Length not greater than 30 feet ....................................................................................................................................................... 530 

More than 30 feet but not more than 65 feet ................................................................................................................................... 560 

More than 65 feet ............................................................................................................................................................................. 980 

Sea-going Towing Vessels ............................................................................................................................................................... 2,915 

Small Passenger Vessels: 

Less than 65 feet in length ............................................................................................................................................................... 300 

65 feet or more in length .................................................................................................................................................................. 600 

Tank Barges ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 500 

Tankships: 

Length not greater than 100 feet ..................................................................................................................................................... 1,295 

More than 100 feet but not more than 300 feet ............................................................................................................................... 2,310 

More than 300 feet ........................................................................................................................................................................... 5,805 

Liquefied Gas Tankships .................................................................................................................................................................. 12,120 

Fees generated by 46 CFR part 2, 

subpart 2.10 are deposited in the general 

fund of the U.S. Treasury as offsetting 

receipts of the Department of Homeland 

Security and are assigned generally to 

Coast Guard activities. The Coast Guard 

does not directly benefit from the 

collection of inspection fees. The Coast 

Guard’s intent, during any update to 

subpart 2.10, is to consider viable 

options for updating and/or 

restructuring the inspection fees listed 

above to ensure their adequacy and 

equity, plus to adapt to changes that 

have occurred since inspection fee 

amounts were last modified in 1998. It 

is expected that any update to subpart 

2.10 will ensure a more comprehensive, 

equitable, and current inspection fee 

structure. 

Request for Information 

Through this notice of inquiry, the 

Coast Guard asks for comments and 

information to consider in updating 

vessel inspection fees. Please consider 

the following questions when preparing 

comments: 

• Should the Coast Guard restructure 

the current vessel inspection fees? 

• What factors, such as length, 

tonnage, type of vessel, inspection time, 

type of service, number of crew, number 

of passengers, or length of operating 

season, should be considered in 

restructuring the vessel inspection fees? 

• How often or at what frequency 

should inspection fees be adjusted? 

• Should the fee be indexed based on 

economic measures? 

• Should the fee be a direct bill based 

on the inspection type and frequency (to 

include and not be limited to separate 

fees for annual inspections, periodic 

inspections, re-examinations, hull 

examinations, and deficiency followups) based on program costs and Coast 

Guard personnel hours incurred? 

• Should the Coast Guard impose fees 

on a vessel based upon the number of 

visits to complete the inspection or 

examination? 

• Should vessel owners or operators 

apply annually for exemptions and 

waivers? 

• Should the Coast Guard apply 

inspection fees to new construction 

vessels and associated plan review? 

• Should the Coast Guard apply 

inspection fees to vessels undergoing 

major alterations where new plan 

review and onsite verification is 

required? 

• Should separate fees be developed 

for vessels enrolled in the Alternate 

Compliance and Streamlined Inspection 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 230 / Wednesday, December 1, 2010 / Proposed Rules 74677 

Programs under Title 46 CFR Part 8— 

Vessel Inspection Alternatives? 

This notice of inquiry is issued under 

authority of 46 U.S.C. 3305, 46 U.S.C. 

3306, Department of Homeland Security 

Delegation No. 0170.1. 

Dated: September 10, 2010. 

Kevin S. Cook, 

Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of 

Prevention Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2010–30151 Filed 11–30–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9110–04–P 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with PROPOSALS