Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Services Surveys: BE-30, Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers, and the BE-37, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and Expenses, 53948-53949 [2024-14273]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• Bureau of Economic Analysis

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 125 (Friday, June 28, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53948-53949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14273]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Services Surveys: BE-30, Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight 
Revenues and Foreign Expenses of U.S. Carriers, and the BE-37, 
Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues and 
Expenses

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of 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 (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 August 27, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Christopher Stein, Chief, Services Surveys Branch, Bureau of Economic 
Analysis, by email to [email protected] or [email protected]. 
Please reference OMB Control Number 0608-0011 in the subject line of 
your comments. 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 Christopher Stein, Chief, Services Surveys Branch, Bureau of 
Economic Analysis; 301-278-9189; or via email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Quarterly Survey of Ocean Freight Revenues and Foreign Expenses 
of U.S. Carriers (BE-30) collects data from U.S. ocean freight carriers 
(owners and operators) that engaged in the international transportation 
of freight, cargo, and/or passengers between U.S. and foreign ports or 
between foreign ports, if total covered revenues or total covered 
expenses were $500,000 or more in the previous year or are expected to 
be $500,000 or more during the current year.
    The Quarterly Survey of U.S. Airline Operators' Foreign Revenues 
and Expenses (BE-37) collects data from U.S. airline operators engaged 
in the international transportation of passengers or of U.S. export 
freight, or the transportation of passengers or freight between two 
foreign points, if total covered revenues or total covered expenses 
were $500,000 or more in the previous year or are expected to be 
$500,000 or more during the current year.
    The data are needed to monitor U.S. trade in transport services, to 
analyze the impact of these cross-border services on the U.S. and 
foreign economies, to compile and improve the U.S. economic accounts, 
to support U.S. commercial policy on trade in transport services, to 
conduct trade promotion, and to improve the ability of U.S. businesses 
to identify and evaluate market opportunities. The data are used in 
estimating the trade in transport services component of the U.S. 
international transactions accounts (ITAs) and national income and 
product accounts (NIPAs).
    The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is not proposing any changes 
to the surveys reporting requirements or to the data items collected on 
the surveys.
    BEA does not plan to change the exemption levels used for the 
current quarterly surveys. BEA estimates there will be no change in the 
average number of burden hours per response. The language in the 
instructions and definitions will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary 
to clarify survey requirements.

II. Method of Collection

    BEA contacts potential respondents by mail at the end of each 
quarter. Respondents would be required to file the completed BE-30 and 
BE-37 forms within 30 days after the end of each quarter of the year.

[[Page 53949]]

    BE-30 reports would be required from each U.S. ocean freight 
carrier (owners and operators) that engaged in the international 
transportation of freight, cargo, and/or passengers between U.S. and 
foreign ports or between foreign ports, whose total covered revenues or 
total covered expenses were $500,000 or more in the previous year or 
are expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year.
    BE-37 reports would be required from each from U.S. airline 
operator engaged in the international transportation of passengers or 
of U.S. export freight, or the transportation of freight or passengers 
between two foreign points, whose total covered revenues or total 
covered expenses were $500,000 or more in the previous year or are 
expected to be $500,000 or more during the current year.
    BEA offers its electronic filing option, the eFile system, for use 
in reporting on Form BE-30 and BE-37 surveys. For more information 
about eFile, go to www.bea.gov/efile. In addition, BEA posts all its 
survey forms and reporting instructions on its website, www.bea.gov/ssb. These may be downloaded, completed, printed, and submitted via fax 
or mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0011.
    Form Number(s): BE-30 and BE-37.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of BE-30 Respondents: 200 annually (50 filed each 
quarter; 48 reporting mandatory data, and 2 that would file exemption 
claims or voluntary responses).
    Estimated Number of BE-37 Respondents: 120 annually (30 filed each 
quarter; 28 reporting mandatory data, and 2 that would file an 
exemption claim or voluntary response).
    Estimated Time per Response: For the BE-30, 4 hours is the average 
for those reporting mandatory data and one hour is the average for 
those filing an exemption claim or voluntary responses. For the BE-37, 
5 hours is the average for those reporting mandatory data and one hour 
is the average for those filing an exemption claim or voluntary 
responses. For the BE-30 and BE-37 surveys, hours may vary considerably 
among respondents because of differences in company size and 
complexity.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,344 (776 for the BE-30; 568 
for the BE-37).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act (Pub. L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended).

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 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 (ICR). 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,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-14273 Filed 6-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P