[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 174 (Monday, September 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42717-42718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19133]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket No. DOT-MARAD-2017-0167]


Request for Comments on the Renewal of a Previously Approved 
Information Collection: Request for Waiver of Service Obligation, 
Request for Deferment of Service Obligation, and Application for Review

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration (MARAD) invites public comments on 
our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
approval to renew an information collection. The information collection 
is for midshipmen or graduates of the United States Merchant Marine 
Academy (USMMA) or cadets or graduates of a State Maritime Academy 
(SMA) who received Student Incentive Payment (SIP) Program payments to 
determine if: (1) A waiver should be granted of all or a portion of the 
service obligation contract in cases where there would be undue 
hardship or impossibility of performance due to accident, illness or 
other justifiable reasons; (2) a deferment of all or a portion of the 
service obligation should be granted for the purpose of entering a 
marine or maritime-related graduate course of study; or (3) an original 
decision of items 1 or 2 should be overturned based on a student or 
graduate's appeal. Their service obligation is required by law. We are 
required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-MARAD-
2017-0167] through one of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Search using the above DOT docket number and follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Fax: 1-202-493-2251.

[[Page 42718]]

    <bullet> Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the Department's performance; (b) the 
accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for the Department to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; 
and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the 
quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or 
include your comments in the request for OMB's clearance of this 
information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danielle Bennett (202) 366-5469, 
Office of Maritime Workforce Development, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Request for Waiver of Service Obligation, Request for 
Deferment of Service Obligation, Application for Review.
    OMB Control Number: 2133-0510.
    Type of Request: Renewal of a Previously Approved Information 
Collection.
    Abstract: The Information collection is essential for determining 
if a student or graduate of the USMMA or a SMA that participated in the 
Student Incentive Payment (SIP) Program has a valid circumstance 
preventing them from fulfilling the requirements of the service 
obligation contract signed at the time of their enrollment in USMMA or 
the SIP program. It also permits the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to 
determine if a graduate, who wishes to defer their service obligation 
to attend graduate school, is eligible to receive a deferment. Student 
or graduates who submit a waiver or deferral request have an 
opportunity to appeal MARAD's decision. This collection is essential 
for determining if the original decision for a waiver or deferral 
request should be overturned. Their service obligation is required by 
law.
    Respondents: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy students and graduates, 
and subsidized students and graduates.
    Affected Public: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy students and 
graduates, and subsidized students and graduates.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 11.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 11.
    Estimated Hours per Response: 30 minutes.
    Annual Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5.30.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.

(Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1.93.)

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
    Dated: September 6, 2017.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-19133 Filed 9-8-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-81-P