Overview
Title
Information Collection Request to Office of Management and Budget; OMB Control Number: 1625-0093
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Coast Guard wants to keep getting important information from places that move oil or chemicals to make sure everything is safe, and they are asking people what they think about this plan. They also plan to make the paperwork needed for this job take less time for everyone.
Summary AI
The U.S. Coast Guard plans to submit a request to renew approval for collecting information about facilities transferring oil or hazardous materials. This request, necessary under the Paperwork Reduction Act, involves operators submitting a Letter of Intent and an Operations Manual, which details procedures for transfers and spills. The public is invited to comment on the usefulness, burden, and enhancement of the information collection process by May 9, 2025. The number of responses has decreased, leading to a reduction in the estimated burden from 37,360 to 27,537 hours annually.
Abstract
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0093, Facilities Transferring Oil or Hazardous Materials in Bulk--Letter of Intent and Operations Manual; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The U.S. Coast Guard has published a notice detailing their intention to seek an extension for a specific Information Collection Request (ICR). This request involves collecting information from facilities that transfer oil or hazardous materials in bulk. The Notice is in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and invites public comments before proceeding further.
General Summary
The key purpose of this notice is to renew authorization for collecting information from facilities engaged in oil or hazardous materials transfer operations. Operators of these facilities are required to submit a Letter of Intent indicating their operational plans, and an Operations Manual detailing safety procedures, including spill management. The Coast Guard's request points to the need for such measures as part of regulatory oversight to prevent and manage potential environmental hazards. Public comments on the necessity, effectiveness, and burden of this information collection process are being solicited until May 9, 2025.
Significant Issues or Concerns
A notable concern is the complexity and specificity of regulatory language, which might pose challenges for the general public. The notice references specific laws and regulations without summarizing them in layman's terms. This could hinder understanding for those unfamiliar with regulatory frameworks. Additionally, the document lacks a detailed cost-benefit analysis, which could provide insight into whether the time and resources spent on compliance justify the outcomes. The decreased burden estimate, down from 37,360 to 27,537 hours, indicates a reduction in the expected number of responses, but the implications of this decrease are not fully explained.
Broad Public Impact
For the wider public, this document highlights the Coast Guard's ongoing efforts to ensure safe and environmentally responsible operations at facilities handling large-scale transfers of oil or hazardous materials. The solicitation for public comments provides an opportunity for community members and interest groups to express opinions and suggest improvements. This process might improve transparency and lead to enhanced environmental policies that align with public interests.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
The primary stakeholders impacted by this notice include facility operators of oil and hazardous materials transfers. For these operators, compliance with these collections means additional administrative tasks, which can be resource-intensive. However, complying with safety and operational guidelines also mitigates environmental risks and potential liabilities associated with spills. Conversely, if the process remains overly burdensome, it could strain resources and efficiency for smaller operators.
In conclusion, while the Coast Guard's renewal request for this collection serves an important regulatory and safety function, enhancing the public's understanding of these processes and their necessity is crucial. Simplified language and accessible instructions for comment submission are recommended to allow a broader audience to engage effectively with policy development.
Issues
• The document does not specify any particular spending amounts, making it difficult to audit for potential wastefulness.
• The document lacks a detailed cost-benefit analysis of extending the Information Collection Request, which could help assess if the collection is truly beneficial.
• The purpose and necessity of the Information Collection Request could be explained in simpler terms to ensure broader public understanding.
• The instructions for submitting comments could be more straightforward, with a step-by-step guide to simplify the process for the public.
• The document references specific laws and regulations (33 U.S.C. 1321, Executive Order 12777, 33 CFR 154.110, 33 CFR part 154 subpart B) without summarizing their content or implications, which might make it harder for those unfamiliar with these references to understand the context of the regulations.